Holiness is Right
By
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
.
Hebrews 12:14 – “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”.
Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good, acceptable and perfect”.
James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways”.
OPENING:- The most frustrated person in the world is the so-called Christian that says they are a follower of Christ who is connected to God because they go to church from time to time and think they are going to heaven, but in reality they have one foot in the world and one foot in God's kingdom. They are confused thinking they are living for God while they are and trying to live a life of carnality and a life of self at the same time. Oh you know them one day they are up in the faith and the next day they are down in the faith. It is like they are riding a spiritual roller coaster. They are being tossed to and fro by every wind and doctrine that comes along. They are unable to stand anything and having not done the right thing they constantly fall yet they call themselves Christians.
They are close enough to have experienced the some of the Glory of God in the past, they have had a taste of God's presence, they have been around the church long enough to be able to appropriately say Hallelujah and Thank You Jesus; however, they are so close to the world that they are spiritually dry and useless yet they call themselves Christians.
I have a problem with what society is calling Christian. I heard someone ask the question to some people during the gay pride march “Can you be gay and be Christian”? The response was overwhelming everyone said yes. They consider themselves to be Christian yet gay, they say they have a relationship with God and call themselves Christian but live contrary to the Will and Word of God. Now I am not just talking about the gays, but let me include all sin. People think they can be a drunkard, a pedophile, a whoremonger, an adulterer, a liar, a thief, a Pentecostal playboy, a wife beater, a drug abuser and still be called Christian.
Now let me just make it plan a lot of people are going to end up in hell because they think they are a Christian and at the Great White Throne Judgment are going to cry out but God I was a Christian and God is going to say to them depart from me you workers of iniquity I never knew you.
How can you say that Bishop? Because nowhere in the Bible does Gods ever say Be a Christian but He says Be Ye Holy! Holiness without no man shall see the Lord!
Holy and Christian are to different things.
HOLY:- is to be dedicated or devoted to the service of God, declared sacred, consecrated, having a spiritually pure quality, to be set apart for honorable use. Holy is an attribute of God that we strive for once we begin to live for God and give Him dominion of our lives.
Christian:- is a term that is used for those that believe in Christ. It was a derogatory term that was used to describe those that followed after Christ and His teachings. But it has become a catch all term that describes anything associated with Christ.
WATCH THIS:- Just because you believe in God doesn’t mean that you are Christ-like which is what Christian is. The Bible says in James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe and tremble”. They believe in God so you can say they are Christian, but they are not Holy.
Holiness is Right!
Call yourself a Christian but if you are not Holy – Hell will be your eternal destination – for Holiness without no man shall see the Lord.
O.K. BISHOP BUT WHAT IS HOLINESS? In 1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter writes to believers, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" Peter is quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2. When God told Israel to be Holy He was instructing them to be distinct and different from the other nations and He gave them specific laws and regulations to govern their lives. Many people today, preacher also, get stuck on we are no longer under the Law but we are under Grace, but what they fail to understand or teach is that there are 3 types of Law. There’s the sacrificial law which Jesus satisfied on the Cross of Calvary, there’s the ceremonial law which was satisfied because of what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary, but there is the moral Law.
MORAL LAW:- The moral laws, or mishpatim, relate to justice and judgment and are often translated as "ordinances." Mishpatim are said to be based on God's holy nature. As such, the ordinances are holy, just, and unchanging. Their purpose is to promote the welfare of those who obey. The value of the laws is considered obvious by reason and common sense. The moral law encompasses regulations on justice, respect, and sexual conduct, and includes the Ten Commandments. It also includes penalties for failure to obey the ordinances. Moral law does not point people to Christ; it merely illuminates the fallen state of all mankind.
The problem with the world today is they have a new morality that is based on personal preference. Simply put the satanic law of “Do what thou wilt” has become the law. If you want to be a homosexual be a homosexual, if you want to be a whoremonger be a whoremonger, if you want to live any way you want then live any way you want.
But that’s not God’s standard of morality. Leviticus 11:44 says “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”.
Hebrews 12:14 says “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”.
HOLINESS IF RIGHT!
They are a lot of people in the churches of today that are what the Bible calls Double-Minded and the Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. The double minded person doesn’t know if they are on their way to heaven or on their way to hell. They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.
They look at what is going on in the world and say things like well that’s just the way it is.
They think that because the Supreme Court made a law, which is against the law in the first place, that it’s o.k.
But it doesn’t matter what laws are passed. - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
It doesn’t matter who gets offended. - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
If family turns their back upon you and friends forsake. - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
If people walk out of the church! - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
People say I gonna sue you - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
Church folk say no more tithes - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
Police come to arrest you - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
UNDERSTAND:- Jesus didn't die on the cross so that we could cope with sin, Jesus died on the cross so that we could have victory over sin.
He died so that we might not only be justified (forgiven and made like nothing happened), but that we might be sanctified (set apart and used for His glory).
You are not saved, those that are truly saved, to just barely keep your head above the cesspool of sin, but to live victoriously in this unholy world as a light that cannot be hid.
There are so many weak people in the church of today. They cry talking about it’s too hard nowadays to be saved. They say stuff like it is not easy to be holy? They give up, throw in the towel and quit before the fight has truly begun – O Zion what’s the matter now.
WE NEED SALMON SAINTS. - WHAT ARE SALMON SAINTS?
The life of a salmon is very interesting. From the fresh water rivers, they go through their normal life cycle as eggs and fingerlings and eventually live in the sea. But once they reach maturity, they have an absolute determination to go back to their spawning grounds.
The trip back to their spawning grounds is a seemingly impossible task, full of dangers, traps, and obstacles, as they will be swimming against the overbearing current of the rivers. Many of the salmon die going back to their grounds – bears and birds of prey catch them and eat them. Some of them get caught up on the rocks, logs, and other obstacles along the way and die. Sometimes they have to swim through shallow waters just to get through their journey. But they never stop or rest from swimming against the current – otherwise it would carry them away from their destination. The incredible things is, in order for them to reach their spawning grounds, they have to jump upstream, up a waterfall oftentimes more than once in their journey. Many of their jumps fail but they persist – until they get through the waterfall, or die trying. Against all odds, many of them eventually reach their spawning grounds and a new generation of salmon eggs are laid and later hatch to become fingerlings. You can probably count yourself lucky not to be a salmon!
This Holy journey is like the Salmon trek. It may seem like the odds are stacked heavily against you.
Laws are passed that create a very strong current that seems almost impossible to fight against. Police stand like bears and birds just waiting for you to jump.
Wickedness, immorality, disrespect, hatefulness, ungodliness, is ever so blatant. Society and law makers are trying to make the acceptance and practice of ungodly values and activities pervade the world we live in. But we must be like the Salmon and say nothing shall separate me. I have to get back to Holiness even if it cost my life because - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
God desires us to pursue holiness at all costs, because without holiness we cannot see the Lord. Make no mistake about it – the world that we live in is an unholy world. We need to actively pursuing holiness if we desire to draw closer to God, because the world will not give us holiness on a silver platter but will put all hindrances and obstacles in front of us.
It might be difficult to win the battle, and we need to learn from the salmon: to have an absolute resolve, come what may, to reach our “spawning grounds” – heaven.
The Bible says in 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”.
Look at how the devil has the minds of the people of today. June is called Gay Pride month. It’s the month set aside to so-call appreciate and celebrate what – the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flush, and the name itself is pride.
Proverbs 16:18 says “ Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall”.
It doesn’t matter what you call it or how you think you are celebrating it it’s wrong and HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
We got preachers that today are scared to preach Holiness. They are letting down the standard of Holiness. They are more worried about not offending people. They are more worried about who will not pay tithes, who will not be in their church, who will not be their friend more than they are worried about pleasing God.
But as I said on the other week as for me and my house – I am going to preach Holiness because Holiness is right.
If you don’t want to be my friend that’s o.k. because HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
If you get mad at me it’s o.k. because - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
If I never make it on T.V it’s o.k. because - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
If people want to leave I will hate to see you go but it’s o.k. because - HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
The Bible says in Ezekiel 33:6 “But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand”.
I can’t afford to have your blood on my hands so I have to stand for Holiness.
Drunkard if I offend you – Holiness is Right!
Adulterer if I offend you - Holiness is Right!
Whoremonger if I offend you - Holiness is Right!
Liar if I offend you - Holiness is Right!
Homosexual if I offend you - Holiness is Right!
Saint of God if I offend you - Holiness is Right!
The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:18 “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear”. If those that are striving to be Holy scarcely make it in then those that are living anyway they want, those that have only a form of godliness, those that are playing church, those that think they got it all together, those that shout on Sunday and live like hell all the rest of the week – what’s going to happen to them. You have to understand that Holiness is Right!
It’s not just a catch phrase. It’s a lifestyle.
For God I live and for God I die.
We are living in a time when the world is trying to bully the church. They are fighting to take the Ten Commandments off of public property, they are passing same sex marriage laws, they are burning down churches, and they are walking in and killing people during Bible class. People are walking around talking about it’s the signs of the time. That may be true but what is really going on is the world is trying to punk the church – tell the church to stop standing for Holiness, stop standing for righteousness, stop talking in that name of Jesus, but I am determined to be like Esther if I perish I perish but I am going to stand for Holiness because Holiness is Right!.
We are not to be like the world. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:2 “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God”.
You can’t be gay and be Holy. I don’t care what laws they pass it’s not Holy it’s an abomination.
You can’t straddle the fence and think you are going to go to heaven – you must be holy.
1 Peter 2:9 says “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”.
You are different. You are chosen – that chosen means the potter has set you aside and placed you for a special purpose and he has chosen you to fulfill the purpose because you will bring him glory. What do you mean preacher? The potter makes the vessel and he notices something about the vessel while he is forming it on the wheel that it possess something special. He takes that vessel and sets it apart it’s not for sale with the other vessels. When someone comes in and wants to buy a special piece the potter goes to the room that he has placed the special piece of pottery in a grabs it off the shelf and presents it to the person. The person doesn’t get to pick the piece because they don’t understand the special qualities the piece has but the potter knows that it will bring joy to the person that purchased it. The potter chose it. You are a chosen vessel you didn’t choose God he chose you and therefore I have to be Holy for Holiness is Right.
Holiness is Right.
People of God you are not supposed to fit in with society. You are a peculiar people. There needs to be a difference between the world and the church and that difference is Holiness. You must stand out, stand up, and stand for Holiness.
WATCH THIS:- You are not created to be like everybody else. You are not created to be like the world. You are created to be Holy. So that you can give God glory.
WATCH THIS:- 1 Timothy 4:1 the Bible says “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons”. Some shall depart the faith – it didn’t say some shall depart the church, but some shall depart the faith – in other words they will depart from the standard of holiness and think that they are alright because they still go to church. God is not concerned with your church attendance He is concerned with your Holiness. There are a lot of people that go to church all the time that are going to bust hell wide open because even-though their attendance is up their Holiness is non-existent.
UNDERSTAND:- The battle for holiness takes place in our desires, our emotions, and attitudes, our judgment and reasoning, our relationships, our communication and in order for us to win the battle of holiness in our lives, we need a strategy. We need to have specific rules of engagement in order to succeed.
• Submit to God James 4:7 says “Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. One reason why people say Holiness is hard is because they refuse to submit to God. They think they can do whatever they want to do and still be on their way to heaven. The devil is a lie Holiness without no man shall see the Lord. You must be born again and after you have been born again you must be holy. No man of war entangelth himself with the affairs of this world so that he may please him who sent him.
• Be dead to Sin Romans 6:11 says “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Don’t let the things of this world entice you but be alive unto (Holiness) God in Jesus Christ.
• Crucify flesh Every Colossians 3:5 says “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (Homosexualism), evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry”.
* Fill your mind with God’s word. Philippians 4:8: “Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, and whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things”.
* Guard your eyes always Job 31:1 says “I made a covenant with mine eyes…”: " You have to be careful what you see, you can’t watch everything that comes across the television set.
HOLINESS IS RIGHT!
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
