Summary: What is holiness? What does it mean to be sanctified?

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Review:

1. God is holy.

2. God calls us to be holy.

3. We are born unholy, with a sin nature that produces acts of sin.

4. This nature remains in the heart after repentance and faith.

All orthodox churches believe these first 4!

As Wesleyans/Methodists/Holiness people, we would add:

5. God has provided a way to deal with that nature, cleansing the heart by filling it with the Holy Spirit.

There's something more for you after you've been saved.

Two examples:

Jesus' disciples:

1. They were real Christians.

John 17:8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

2. They needed something more.

Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

3. They received the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting...

4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit...

4. The giving of the Holy Spirit purified their hearts by faith.

Acts 15:8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

The Thessalonian Christians:

1. They were real Christians.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

2. They needed something more.

1 Thessalonians 3:9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality...

7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

3. They needed to be sanctified -- entirely.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through (entirely - NAS). May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (NIV)

How is this accomplished?

Full Surrender & Faith: Romans 6

Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--

7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, 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.

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Review:

1. God is holy.

2. God calls us to be holy.

3. We are born unholy, with a sin nature that produces acts of sin.

4. This nature remains in the heart after repentance and faith.

All orthodox churches believe these first 4! As Wesleyans/Methodists/Holiness people, we would add:

5. God has provided a way to deal with that nature, cleansing the heart by filling it with the Holy Spirit.

There's ____________________________________ for you after you've been saved!

Two examples:

Jesus' disciples:

1. They were real _____________________________.

John 17:8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

2. They needed something ____________________.

Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

3. They received the _______________________ of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting...

4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit...

4. The giving of the Holy Spirit __________________ their hearts by faith.

Acts 15:8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

The Thessalonian Christians:

1. They were real _______________________.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

2. They needed something ____________________.

1 Thessalonians 3:9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality...

7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

3. They needed to be ________________________________________.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through (entirely - NAS). May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (NIV)

How is this accomplished?

Full Surrender & Faith: Romans 6

Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--

7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, 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.