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My goal here is to be theological, and show you that theology has practical implications for how you live.
I have several hopes from this series:
That every one of you will see holiness differently.
That every one of you will seek holiness passionately.
The every one of you will grow in holiness personally.
Why does it matter that we are the Holiness Movement? What is the big deal with Entire Sanctification? What does “holy” mean in my life? Should I care?
The reason you should care is because God is holy.
The reason you should study it is because God is holy.
The reason you should seek it is….
The reason we should be holy is …
BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY!
The standard and definition of all holiness is God himself.
God is jealously holy.
Eze 39:7 "'I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel.”
God is eternally, infinitely holy.
Rev 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
God is uniquely holy.
Rev 15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.
God is holy in an underived sense.
Where does God get His holiness? Not a valid question.
God defines holiness by his character, doesn’t get it from somewhere.
He isn’t holy because He does holy things…
He isn’t holy because he thinks holy thoughts…
He isn’t holy because he matches a list of characteristics…
He is the definition of holiness… The source of holiness…
All holiness springs from him, flows out of him…
You can never become holy outside of connection with God. There is no rule you can keep, no list of rules… no good acts you can do… no bad ones you can stay away from that make you holy.
You can match the list of Amish “don’ts”
And match Mother Theresa for the “dos”
And never become holy, because it is only received in association with God – he is the SOURCE!
Holy is not an action it is a state of character.
So what IS God’s holiness?
As with all supremely important and basic concepts, It is an extremely difficult concept to put into language, like talking about “what is time?”
“Kadesh” (holiness/sanctification) in Hebrew as a word primarily means “separated” or “set apart”. It contains the following facets of meaning:
1. Holiness as brilliance.
Isa 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
The glorious, shining, shocking, overwhelming, breathtaking, stomach-knotting, knee-trembling presence of a God too glorious to describe… it’s that feeling just as you go over the side of the rollercoaster, and look down… it’s that moment just as you bungee jump, and there’s nothing between you and the ground:
A horrified, fear-filled delight… and that’s just if you want to be like him.
The Israelites couldn’t bear to look at the brilliance of Moses’ face when He came down from the presence of God… put a veil over it.
Holiness expressed as brilliance is always ____overwhelming___.
1 Samuel 6:20 …the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?”
2. Holiness as separation.
Ex 15:11 "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”
Isa 40:25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
1Sa 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you…”
Notice the words COMPARE & LIKE – and the answer is NO ONE or NOTHING, is like God, he is infinitely kadesh.
When it applies to people or groups of people, kadesh never happens by the will of the people, but by the will and according to the calling of God.
“…consecrate Aaron”
“…wash your clothes and sanctify yourselves.”
“…Jacob have I loved.”
“he who has called you is holy, so you be holy”
3. Holiness as purity.
Exod 19:10 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
Lev 10:10 You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean…
Some scholars have resisted this interpretation, but you can’t get away from it. Impurity, filthiness, of moral character is antithetical to holiness. Look at Isaiah’s reaction to God’s brilliant holiness:
Isa 6:5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
Isa 35:8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.
2 Cor 6:17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
2 Cor 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
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Why does it matter that we are the “Holiness Movement?” Why should I be holy? What does “holy” mean in my life? Why should I care? BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY!
The standard and definition of all holiness is God himself.
God is ______________________ holy.
Eze 39:7 "'I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel.”
God is _______________________________________ holy.
Rev 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
God is _______________________ holy.
Rev 15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.
God is holy in an ___________________________ sense. Where does God get His holiness? Is not a valid question.
God ________________________ holiness by his character, doesn’t get it from somewhere. He is the ______________________ of holiness… The __________________ of holiness…
You can never become holy outside of _____________________________ _______________. Holy is not an action it is a state of _________________.
What IS God’s holiness?
“Kadesh” (holiness/sanctification) in Hebrew as a word primarily means “separated” or “set apart”. It contains the following facets of meaning:
1. Holiness as ___________________________.
Isa 6:1-4 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
Holiness expressed as brilliance is always _____________________.
1 Samuel 6:20 …the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?”
2. Holiness as ________________________.
Exod 15:11 "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”
Isa 40:25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
1Sa 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you…”
Notice the words COMPARE & LIKE…
When it applies to people or groups of people, kadesh never happens by the will of the _____________________, but by the _________________ and according to the_____________________ of God.
“…consecrate Aaron” “…wash your clothes and sanctify yourselves.”
“…Jacob have I loved.” “he who has called you is holy, so you be holy”
3. Holiness as _______________________.
Exod 19:10-11 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
Leviticus 10:10 You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean…
Impurity, filthiness, of moral character, sin… is antithetical to holiness. Look at Isaiah’s reaction to God’s brilliant holiness:
Isa 6:5-7 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
Isa 35:8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.
2 Cor 6:17-18 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
2 Cor 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
