Illustration: Give out the gifts to the staff before preaching. Make a big deal about then 5-10 minutes into sermon have them come back to the front at different times and say they don’t want my gift and throw it at me. This illustration is what some people do with the gift of holiness that God gives us at salvation – we accept it then decide we don’t want it later on and throw it back at Jesus. We need to choose not to hold onto to the gift of holiness.
Theme: True Life
Thesis: True life – a life that matters for eternity and pleases God is one which is based and rooted in truth. Jesus said he is the “Truth.” He is God’s truth to this world and all measurement of true and false are measured against Him and His teachings. If you want to live a true life instead of a deceived life you have to place your faith and trust in Jesus.
Scripture for our theme: John 14:6 (NIV): “Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Series 2: Believe
Thesis: Our second series in our theme “True Life” is about the importance of believing in Jesus and allowing that belief to redirect our life and our purpose for life. This redirecting or change of direction takes the focus off of ourselves and places it on Jesus and God’s Word.
Scriptures:
Mark 9:23: “…Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
John 14: 11-14:
11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Sermon 3: Believe in the Holy Spirit?
Thesis: The Holy Spirit is the neglected part of the Trinity today and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to arise within us, to empower us to be God’s dynamic witnesses to this dying world. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a Biblical experience given to us by Jesus and we need to believe in it and then receive it.
Hebrews 6:1-3: 1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.
Sermon 4: Believe in Holy Living (holiness)
Thesis: Because God is Holy, we must hold onto His gift of holiness which he gave us through His Son Jesus Christ. We must perceive it and understand what it is then believe on it and receive it! Once we have it we need to make sure that we hold onto it.
Questions to Ponder this week:
1. Why does God call us to be "set apart" from the world?
2. How does He call us to be different?
3. How are you pursuing a holy life?
Scripture Texts:
Lev. 19:2
2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: `Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
Lev. 20: 7,8
7 "`Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
Lev. 22:9
9 "`The priests are to keep my requirements so that they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.
Lev. 22:32
32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
I Peter 1:
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,
2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,
5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,
11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,
19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
24For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
Psalm 99:
1 The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
2 Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.
4 The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.
5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
8 O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.
9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.
Hebrews 12:14:
14Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Introduction:
Today we are talking about the importance of believing in holy living. Another way to put this could be, living a life that would be defined by the Bible as a holy life. A holy life is a life which is guided and led by truth. Whereas, a life that is lived by deception and falsehood is a life that is unholy. Holiness does matter to God – and the holiness of your life determines your eternal destiny and your rewards in Heaven.
Jack Hayford explains what holiness is really about and why it matters so much to God from http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/14575-wholly-holy.
As often as the word holy is used by Christians, you’d think that we could all agree on a uniform understanding of its meaning. We read our “Holy” Bibles. We receive “Holy” Communion. We sing the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy” and acknowledge the “Holy” Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. We understand the word generally to mean “divine” or “of God.”
But when Christians start to discuss holiness, they discover that the implications of the word vary widely. It seems that holiness can mean anything from a name for the pope to teetotalism and not wearing makeup.
What do you think it means? What does the word holy (or the closely related words sanctify or sanctification) suggest to you? The word in some form—holy, holiness, holiest, allow, hallowed—occurs nearly 700 times in the English Bible. Certainly, it’s an important word. The average believer seems to feel threatened by the idea of holiness. He tends to see it as something unapproachable, a demanding standard of life that seems to be well beyond him. Believers tend to define it by “feel” more than by fact, and the feeling seems to be, “Boy, that’s way beyond me (although I sure want to try my best!).
Last week we talked about believing in the Holy Spirit and we need to understand that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to holiness and also help us to hang on to our holiness once we have attained it.
Jack Hayford reminds us that the role of the Holy Spirit is to help us be holy and stay holy:
The word holy is derived from the medieval English hal, an 11th century word that is the root to such contemporary words as health, hale, whole and holy. Obviously, holiness is more than an esoteric spiritual attribute, and it relates to more than merely the invisible. Holiness involves the completion in all parts of the human being. As the Holy Spirit rebuilds you to the depths of your being...
*Your spirit can be revived to life in God (made holy).
*Your soul can be restored in mind and emotions (made whole).
*Your physical body, habits and conditions can become disciplined, recovering to well-being (kept healthy).
Now, doesn’t holiness look like a far more desirable goal, even a practical, attainable reality? God wants to make us holy—just as He is.
So why are we afraid of Holiness in the church? I think it has a lot to do with misconceptions of holiness. So we need to look to the Bible to properly understand and apply it’s teaching on holiness to our lives.
The Word holy is talked about the most in the book of Leviticus. In this Bible book the word holy is used 77 times and implied over 150 times.
Morgan states, "The holiness of God shines like a white, fearful light upon the whole book." (51)
Leviticus explains and unveils the holiness of God and why man is set apart from God. Yet, it gives instruction on how to become acceptable to God and therefore, holy. Remember this book was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai by God to be given to a bunch of people just delivered from the bondage of Egypt. This book is an instructional manual on how to stay connected and healthy in their relationship to God and to each other.
In Leviticus 19:2 Moses introduces this passage by quoting God: “Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” For most Christians, “holiness” is a rather mystical and somewhat puzzling term. We’re willing to be holy, but we don’t quite know what holiness is. We know that God is holy. We realize that we are to be holy, as He is. But how are we to be like Him? The laws in Leviticus 19 are an expression of God’s holy character. If we want an insight into the nature of holiness, all we need to do is to meditate on some of these verses, and consider what they tell us about God.
Leviticus explains and unveils the holiness of God and why man is separated from God. He is unholy. But it also gives instruction to mankind on how to repair the separation of God and sinful individuals. In Leviticus it is repaired with a sacrifice to God, which in turn brings temporary relief and gives that person a position of holiness before God. The New Testament itself tells us how to repair the separation between sinful mankind and God. It’s by buying into the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we turn our life over to Jesus we then receive a new standing in the presence of God called holiness.
Quotes on holiness:
Holiness is a state of soul in which all the powers of the body and mind are consciously given up to God."
-- Phoebe Palmer
Billy Graham on revival.
Billy stated, “Evangelism, fine as it is, is not revival.” After a signally successful meeting, Billy Graham was asked, “Is this revival?” Graham replied, “No!” When revival comes, I expect to see two things which we have not seen yet. First, a new sense of the holiness of God on the part of the Christians; and second, a new sense of the sinfulness of sin on the part of Christians.”
T.S. - In our society today many would ask the question, ‘What does holiness mean?” Well let’s find out as we explore this term from the Bible and from church history.
I. What does the term holiness mean?
a. The term means to be sacred – pure in the sight of God who is holy!
i. That which is unholy is profane- evil and cannot be in the presence of God.
1. This is very important to understand!
b. Throughout history men and women have tried to pursue their views of holiness as it relates to their relationship with God Almighty.
i. To better understand this state of being let’s discover what holiness is not.
1. From Jewish history and the teaching of the Pharisees we discover that holiness was related to following all the rules and regulations set up by the Jewish leaders.
a. In other words you became holy by following all the 1,000’s of laws found in the Torah and by Jewish teachers.
b. Paul fought against such teachings in his New Testament writings.
i. Colossians 2:20-23: 20Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
c. These religious leaders wrongly associated holiness with following a bunch of rules and regulations.
i. These people taught and equated holiness with rules about diet, observing festivals, holy days, sexual abstinence and the like.
ii. They created so many rules that it became impossible for anyone to follow all these rules.
iii. Holiness is not achieved by following 1,000’s of rules – you cannot make yourself holy by being a rule follower!
iv. The Pharisee’s were the ultimate rule followers and Jesus said they were lost – not holy and even filled with evil.
2. From Early church history we see many other distorted views of holiness.
a. Clement of Alexandria (155-220) a Christian philosopher, equated holiness with masculine reason. He taught that holiness suffered with contact with women therefore he preached celibacy was the path to holiness.
i. One reason why Catholic Priests are not to marry!
1. They think it makes them more holy.
ii. The idea is if you are single you are more holy!
1. We know this is not true!
b. The Encratites believed the way of holiness was also connected with rejecting marriage, meat, and wine.
i. They promoted and stressed self-castration as the path to holiness.
ii. Now I don’t know about you but that sounds very painful and extreme to find holiness.
iii. So listen carefully this act does not make you more holy – it just causes a lot of pain.
c. Asceticism emerged in about 312 AD after Constantine’s rise to power. With the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire many believers fled to seclusion as the path of holiness. They felt that holiness was only achieved through separation from the world literally.
i. Holiness is not found in isolation – you cannot lock yourself away in the wilderness with no contact with others and find holiness!
1. It’s good to get away with God for a time but total isolation from others does not make one more holy than another.
ii. In isolation many Christians promoted holiness in different ways but here are a few of their teachings – some varied with different sects.
1. They would starve themselves.
a. You will not find holiness by starving!
b. Anorexia does not produce holiness.
c. Fasting does not produce holiness.
2. Some refused to bathe
a. Sounds rather smelly – so listen up you will not find holiness in being smelly to your neighbor.
b. No one is going to smell you and say, “Pee – Yu --- Man are they holy!”
3. Some actually beat themselves with whips.
a. Martin Luther did this and he said later that it took years off his life.
b. So abusing yourself with a whip will not make you holy.
c. Self-inflicted pain does not cause holiness.
4. Some would eat no cooked food.
a. So listen up – eating Sushi will not make you holy! Sorry!
5. Some remained silent not talking to anyone.
a. Not talking does not make you holy – it may be nice for others that you don’t talk but in regards to holiness it does not matter how much you talk or don’t talk.
6. Some lived like wild animals in the desert.
a. Acting like an animal in the wilderness is not holiness rather it is insanity and most likely you will get committed to an institution.
b. Just so you know animals are not holy!
7. Some locked themselves in caves or vaults.
a. They lived in the dark to be holy – they locked themselves away – listen if putting people in solitary confinement produced holiness then our jails and prisons would be filled with holy people – they are not.
8. Some took vows of poverty.
a. Being poor – staying poor – begging for money does not make you holy.
i. Share the stories from Africa on the beggars and street boys.
b. You can actually have money and be holy – your bank account does not determine your holiness.
iii. Quote: Tryon Edwards, “A holy life is not an ascetic, or gloomy, or solitary life, but a life regulated by divine truth and faithful in Christian duty.-It is living above the world while we are still in it.”
1. Holiness is not achieved by hiding out in the woods away from everyone who is unsaved.
a. This usually creates Cults and Wacko’s!
2. Jesus told us to go into the world and win the lost – not go into the wilderness and hide out and eventually after years and years of isolation you will become holy.
3. When the Roman Church emerged on the scene they saw holiness through the various lenses of beauty, the arts, the senses and sacrifice.
a. Through Great Cathedrals and buildings
b. Through eloquent liturgy
c. Through the burning of incense
d. Through large choirs and elaborate attire
e. Through acts of penance
f. Through the crusades
g. Through pilgrimages to the Holy land
h. Through the worship of relics and idols
i. Through doing services in Latin – Jesus language of choice.
i. The truth is none of these methodologies produced holiness. The building you worship in does not produce holiness! Gazing at fine art does not produce holiness.
4. In the Middle Ages of the church.
a. Self-flagellation re-emerged as a path to holiness.
i. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510) believed that working in leper hospitals and drinking the infectious liquid from the leper’s wounds was the way to holiness.
1. I think I am going to be sick.
2. By the way throwing up does not produce holiness!
ii. Martin Luther – Was caught up in torturing himself to find holiness. After his conversion he noted that his extremism took years off his life.
1. This kind of gross stuff does not produce holiness.
5. The Eastern Orthodox Church believed holiness was attained by chanting and the repetition of prayers.
a. We see this even today in some Pentecostal churches.
b. The repetition of prayers does not produce holiness – they produce boredom.
6. Today we see men and women seeking holiness by the following man made methodologies to holiness:
a. If you are very loud when you pray you are holier.
b. If you can speak in fluent King James English you are holy.
c. If you dance all night you are holier.
d. If you have mystical visions you are holier.
e. If you can be all emotional you are holier.
f. If you preach and handle snakes you are holier.
i. By the way this week a preacher in the south dies from snake handling – it did not make him holier it just killed him.
1. (CNN) -- A Kentucky pastor who starred in a reality show about snake-handling in church has died -- of a snakebite.Jamie Coots died Saturday evening after refusing to be treated, Middlesboro police said. On "Snake Salvation," the ardent Pentecostal believer said that he believed that a passage in the Bible suggests poisonous snakebites will not harm believers as long as they are anointed by God. The practice is illegal in most states, but still goes on, primarily in the rural South. Coots was a third-generation "serpent handler" and aspired to one day pass the practice and his church, Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name, on to his adult son, Little Cody. The National Geographic show featured Coots and cast handling all kinds of poisonous snakes -- copperheads, rattlers, cottonmouths. The channel's website shows a picture of Coots, goateed, wearing a fedora. "Even after losing half of his finger to a snake bite and seeing others die from bites during services," Coots "still believes he must take up serpents and follow the Holiness faith,"
a. From http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/16/us/snake-salvation-pastor-bite/
g. If you are confirmed your holy.
h. If you are baptized you are holy.
i. If you can speak in tongues you are holy.
j. If you are slain in the spirit you are holy.
k. If you go to another country and do mission work you are more holy.
l. If you repeat so many prayers you are holy.
m. If you claim and get a Roys Royce you are holy.
n. If you read the Bible you are holy.
o. If you jump up and down you are holier.
p. If you do something out of the ordinary you are more holy.
q. If you hum you are holy.
r. If you laugh you are holy.
s. If you roar like a lion you are holy.
t. If you can sit like Budda you are holy.
ii. What history has taught us is holiness is not achieved by man’s accomplishments or man’s methodologies to holiness.
1. Man cannot make themselves holy!
c. Man’s philosophies to achieve holiness have all failed and will continue to fail because mankind cannot make itself holy. Only God makes one holy.
i. All these methodologies of man’s view of holiness lead to emptiness:
1. Vow of Poverty
2. Celibacy
3. Being anti-material
4. Being focused on prosperity
5. Self imposed ritual abuse
6. Weekly quota’s of reading and memorizing
7. Scripture memorization
8. Separation from Society
9. Supernatural manifestations
10. Crusades for God
11. Suicide bombings
12. Ultimate Rule follower
13. Suit wearing or jean wearing
ii. Although we are instructed in the Word to obey the directives of the Word in regards to study, and service we need to understand that these things in themselves do not make us holy.
1. We as human beings cannot manufacture holiness. It’s impossible and mankind has tried repeatedly and he has failed miserably.
a. Hebrews 10:10: 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
i. Here is clue how we are made holy!
2. No matter how long you have been saved you still have not earned your way to holiness.
3. Holiness comes from God when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are only able to enter the presence of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
a. This is how we find holiness!
T.S. - But confusion enters some people’s mind when we read these verses in Leviticus and the rest of the Bible and it’s instruction on being holy.
II. I know what you are thinking, “How do we become holy then?
a. Scriptures tell us that it’s not by man kinds actions that they become holy they become holy because God gives them that knighted position in him:
i. Leviticus 20:7, 8: 7“‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. 8Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
ii. Leviticus 22:9: 9“‘The priests are to keep my requirements so that they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.
iii. Leviticus 22:32: 32Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy 33and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD.”
b. Holiness comes from He who is Holy – God. He gives it as a free gift. Then tells us to hold onto it!
i. Reference the gifts being returned by staff.
T.S. - Leviticus gives us direction into what holiness is and where it comes from – God! God sent the Son and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you to truth – holiness – it’s found in a relationship with Jesus and then it is held onto by living a true life.
III. How do we hold onto holiness in this world?
a. In the New Testament the Christian is encouraged 50% of the time to live holy lives why? So they can hold on to the holiness that the Lord gave them at salvation!
i. The writer of Hebrews in 12:14 states, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”
1. Now if you recall back in Hebrews 10:10 he stated that we are “made holy” but now he tells us “to be holy.” Is this not a contradiction in terms?
a. No! Because we are made holy by Christ’s sacrifice and then when we place our faith and trust in Christ we are made holy. In other words we are knighted as holy at that point.
b. Then comes the next part of salvation and walking with Jesus - discipleship – the renewing of the mind – serving Jesus through acts of service to Him.
i. The New Testament tells us in essence “How to hold onto the gift of holiness!”
ii. How do you stay holy act like Jesus did, follow the instructions of the New Testament.
iii. In other words hold onto the gift and don’t throw it back at Jesus!
ii. The writer of 1 Peter 1:13-15 re-emphasizes the importance of holding onto our gift of holiness.
1. Peter states: 13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
2. He also reiterates this in 2 Peter 3:14: 14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
a. Kent Wilson notes this about holiness, “We are holy in our standing before God, but we are only progressively becoming holy in our thinking, our actions, and our dispositions as we struggle with sin each day. It is almost as if Biblical writers are telling us, ‘Be what you are. You are holy, now be that way and live that way.’ It is like one of the Rockfellers telling another who will not change his destructive behavior “Act like a Rockfeller!”.
iii. Romans 12:1, 2, 11 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
….11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
iv. 2 Peter 3:11 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
b. The truth is once we move away from that which is holy into that which is not holy we move away from God and then jeopardize our position of holiness.
i. You see the reason we go to church, read our Word, Study our Word, pray and act the way we do is because we want to keep our holiness. We don’t want to throw it away!
1. We do not want to throw our gift back in Jesus face!
ii. Joni Erickson Tada stated, “Holiness cost us something, paying the price expresses our willingness to make sacrifices for Him. If he made us instantly holy, by passing the struggle, what would our faithfulness mean to him” (Discipleship, 25)?
iii. Martin Luther challenged the Christian when he said “You may as well quit reading and hearing the Word of God, and give it to the devil, if you do not desire to live according to it.”
iv. Jonathan Edwards stressed how he was going to stay holy. He stated, “Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second: that whether others do or not, I will.”
v. 2 Corinthians 3:18 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
1. Yes, Holiness comes from the Lord! But He in essence knights us holy and then tells us “Stay holy. Go out into the battle ground of the world and act like a knighted man/woman of God who is holy.”
c. Do not throw away your holiness – guard it!
i. Hebrews 5:11-6:12:
1. 11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.
12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
2. 1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
2instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3And God permitting, we will do so.
4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age
6and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.
8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation.
10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
3. These verses along with others reveal that you can throw your gift of holiness back at Jesus and say “I don’t want it!”
Conclusion:
Holiness is a gift from God, which came to us through the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ. It’s a gift given to us so we can be in the presence of God. Remember that which is of the world - is evil – profane - the opposite of holiness it cannot stand in God’s presence. If it does it will be consumed by the refining fire of the Lord.
It is clear through the teachings of the Bible that God only accepts what He himself inspires and creates. This is the lesson of the Bible. We must bring back to God what He has given us. He will not allow us to bring into His presence things that are un-holy. No independent self-motivated religion, no man made offerings of self, no manmade methodologies of holiness. He wants the genuine article.
We cannot come to him in a self –confident religious spirit of look at me. God does not accept pride, religious hearts focused on self-accomplishment, or man’s distorted view of that which is sacred. That which is pure and holy only comes from Him who is pure and holy. Everything else is a false façade and will only lead to banishment from God’s presence. God will look at you and turn his head if he does not see the holiness of Christ in you. God is looking for the gift He gave us and if we have rejected it or walked away from it then we suffer the consequence of rejecting His holy gift of eternal life.
So let us believe in Holy Living and hang on to our gift of holiness!
