MESSAGES
Demands of Commitment-Part III
From Egypt to the Promised Land
Overcoming Obstacles part - II
Overcoming Obstacles Part -III
Receiving the Promises of God -I
Receiving the Promises of God - II
Reformation: Going Beyond the Obvious
Well Done is Better Than Well Said
When the Church is Gone - Part II
When the Church is Gone - Part III
When the Church is Gone - Part IV
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THE CALL TO HOLINESS HEBREWS 12:14 In my days of attending a church in
the holiness denomination, I used to hear the pastor read this
scripture, and he would immediately begin to preach a "do's
and don'ts sermon. I would leave church and for many years think
that holiness was just a denomination, and all of what I had heard
was just how they believed. But
God's call to Christians to live holy started long before a denomination
called holiness began. To give you a formal definition of holiness,
there are two Greek words that are translated holiness: Hagiosune, the manifestation of the
quality of holiness (or God-like character) in personal conduct
and character. Note also that these same two words
are translated sanctification.
Therefore if you were going to do a complete study on holiness
you would also need to search out scriptures on sanctification.
However, this is not Bible study so we will not take time
to look at every place where these two words are used.
But, I would encourage you to do such a study since God
has made it a necessary prerequisite for seeing Him. Holiness of character is not vicarious,
in other words it cannot be transferred or imputed. It is an individual possession built up little
by little as the result of following the example of Jesus, and
the leading of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to the Word of God
both written and spoken. Now
some of you Bible scholars would say "But I Peter 3:9 says
that we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a peculiar people". I Peter 3:9 is a description
of the church as a whole. But
one must possess personal holiness of character in order to be
a part of the I THESS. 4:7 In our definition of holiness we saw
reference to separation from that which is unclean, and here we
are told clearly that God has not called us so that we could remain
unclean, but rather He has called us to holiness; holiness of
life, character and conduct. Well the question becomes, "What is unclean".
This is where many would get into the do's and don'ts.
I would address this question by first defining unclean
as that which defiles or pollutes the person, whether physically,
mentally, or spiritually. MARK 7:14-23 The Jews, because uncleanness had been
presented basically as a list of do's and don'ts understood only
the concept of being ceremonially unclean.
Uncleanness for them was based on the laws given mainly
in Leviticus relating to eating and touching that which was deemed unclean. But Jesus wanted to take them to a new level.
A level which defined unclean and defiled
by that which is in and comes out of the heart. Look at the list of things that Jesus said defiles
the man. In that list we
have both things that are actions and things that are attitudes. But Jesus says that they all proceed out of
the heart. In other words,
though fornication is an action, the root of fornication is in
the heart. When these things show up in our actions, they
are evidence that something is wrong and unlike God in our hearts. Now we do not have time to discuss or even define
all of these terms, but there are a few of them I wish to hit
upon. There are three word in this list that
refer to sexual relationships between people; fornication, adultery
and lasciviousness. In
the simplest sense of the word, fornication is sexual relation
with anyone with whom you are not married to.
Adultery, as it relates to human to human interactions
is a breaking of the marriage bond by committing fornication. Now some have tried to get around seeing themselves
as participants is these two sexual sins by using sexual intercourse
and not sexual relations. You
say we are not having intercourse.
But you are using your hands, your mouths and rubbing up
against each other to generated and fulfill sexual pleasures.
What you are doing is sin.
Now God knew that some of us because our hearts are not
right would try to get around fornication and adultery.
So He introduced another term, lasciviousness. Lasciviousness
is the promoting or partaking of that which tends to produce lewd
emotions, or to foster sex sins or lust.
In plain terms participating in any action that causes
you or anyone else to crave unholy sexual fulfillment is lasciviousness.
What makes it unholy? If
it is not ordained by God, it is unholy and God sexual fulfillment
is reserved for marriage. Therefore,
when you are not married to the person, touching, oral sex, anal
sex, etc are all wrong. They are sins because they promote and drive
one to fornication and adultery.
Even kissing can be a sin; especially those long drawn
out tonguing kiss, because they certainly leave you wanting more. When
you are not married to the person, where is the love in these
actions. I COR 6:9-10 Sometimes I think Christians want to
see these things in themselves as only being weaknesses. We read this scripture as though it is only
talking to those who are not saved.
But this verse starts out by addressing the unbelievers,
those who are not save. They are told
in the first sentence that they will not inherit the When you help, cause or urge another
Christian into participate in sin you are help
to risk that person's life. You
are helping them to choose eternal damnation.
Where is the love in this.
If you love a person would you ask them or even all them
to risk eternal damnation for your 5 minutes of pleasure. If your answer to that question is yes, then
I say that your lust for the persons
body far outweighs your love for their soul. When we looked at lasciviousness there
was an element there associated not only with participating in
sin, but causing one to crave sexual sin. Ladies please understand that what you wear
can cause a man to crave sex.
(Splits and low cut tops, fashion yes; men unbuttoned shirt,
or wearing shorts or pants were your stuff is bulging all out-
jockey strap) Whether it is right or wrong for them to have
a problem with it is really irrelevant. ROMANS 14:13-21
We are admonished here not to be a cause for
stumbling to one another, or to participate in thing that would
cause another to be weak. We
are to have a love that seeks the highest good for others and
the highest good for any Christian is holy and upright living.
I know that in Christ we have liberty, but our liberty
is to be constrain by our love for one another. ROMANS
Sexual sin certainly defile both men and women and make us unclean in the sight
of God. Since we are called
to holiness and not to uncleanness we must make every effort to
live holy, because we are told that without holiness of character
and conduct we will not see God. MARK 7:21-23 Deceit is another sin that we can easily
get caught up in. There
are so many subtle ways in which deceit can pop up his head. Deceit is that which gives a false impression
whether by appearance, statement or influence.
Deceit can occur by purposely not giving all of the facts
or by purposely giving incorrect facts or impressions. The motive in the case of deceit is usually
some gain for oneself (Position, grade, money, etc.) For the most part the world's system operates
on deceit. It's called
playing the game or situational politics.
You say the right thing to the right person and at the
right time. There is nothing in understanding how thing
function, and knowing the politics associated with your job
or area. However
when deceit is the mechanism through which an advantaged is gained. It is wrong.
We are told that we are in the world but not of the world. In other words we live here but we do not have
to surcome to the worlds
way of doing things. Proverbs
So we have looked at some of the things
that defile us and make us unclean.
But the issue of uncleanness was not the whole definition
of holiness. Holiness requires
not only separation from that which is unclean, but also consecration
to God. It is not enough to turn away from sin. In our turning away from sin we must be turning
to complete dedication to God. Matt. 16:24 A life of complete dedication to God, is a life of complete submission. As Christians we must be committed to denying
ourselves so that Christ may live through us.
This is what Paul was saying in Gal. 2:20. The life that I live no longer belongs to me.
When my will conflicts with God's will for me, I must chose
to except God's will and deny my own
will. 2 Cor. 6:14-18
(Talk about
these verses) Amos
3:3 - Can tow walk together except they be agreed. Every one in here wants God to be a
father to them and to go to Heaven when you die. We want to be considered children of God and
to appropriate the promises of God.
These desires require that we develop holiness in character
and conduct as God is holy (I Peter 2 Cor. 7:1 - Because we have the promise of being son's and daughters of God when we separate ourselves from
that which is unclean, we are encouraged here to cleanse ourselves
both from sinful acts of the flesh and of the spirit.
But not only are we to cleanse ourselves, we are to prefect
holiness in our lives in reverence to God.
Holiness in character and conduct is a prerequisite for
inheriting the |