WITHOUT HOLINESS 

HEBREWS 12:12-15

          Oftentimes Christians are of the opinion, or at least they act as if, making that initial commitment to God is all that it takes to get into Heaven.  This attitude leads Christians to live way below the standard that God has ordained for His children.  Note that this scripture does not say “Without salvation no man shall see the Lord”, which by the way is true.  But rather it says, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord”.  Yes one must be saved, or born again in order to live with God eternally, but one must also go beyond that initial step of surrendering their heart to God.  The one who has first surrendered to Christ must also take on a lifestyle of holiness.  This morning’s topic is “WITHOUT HOLINESS”.

To give you a formal definition of holiness, there are two Greek words that are translated holiness:

Hagiasmos, which means separation from that which is common or unclean, and consecration to God.

Hagiosune, which means 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 also in English as sanctification. Therefore if you were going to do a complete study on holiness one would also need to search scriptures on sanctification.  I would encourage you to do such a study since God has made it a necessary prerequisite for seeing Him.

          Since man is a three part being, true holiness must involve purification of man’s spirit, soul, and body.

I THESSALONIANS 5:23

          This is Paul’s prayer for Christians; that God would totally sanctify or set us apart.  His prayer is not that God would just change our spirits, but that He would also do a work in our souls and our bodies.  Paul prays that God would work on the whole of man so that when Jesus returns we would be found blameless or holy.

Now, going back to our definitions of holiness.  Hagiasmos, which means separation from that which is common or unclean, and consecration to God.

LEVITICUS 20:26

          Speaking to the children of Israel, God says “you will be holy unto me.  I have severed or separated you from others and set you apart for me.  This is the same thing that God has done for the Church of Jesus Christ as a whole.  In I Peter 3:9 the church is called “a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a peculiar people”.  God has set the Church apart to be a people for Himself, through whom He can show forth His goodness and His love for mankind.  He has set the Church apart.  But we as individuals within the Church also have a part to play.

LEVITICUS 20:7-8

          God tells Israel to set themselves apart and be holy; recognizing who they belong to.  Since they belonged to God they were to keep His statues.  Keep in mind that God did not force Israel into this relationship.  When they came out of Egypt, He laid before them His laws and statues and they agreed to follow them.  He is now simply saying to them; follow through on your part of the bargain.

II CORINTHIANS 6:14-7:1

          Just as God told Israel to separate themselves, He says the same to Christians and just as God did not force Israel into relationship with Him, He did not force us.  God, through Jesus, offered us the opportunity to enter into relationship with Him.  We accepted the invitation and in return invited Jesus through the Spirit of God to come and dwell in us.  As a group God separated the Church for Himself.  But we as individuals must separate ourselves unto God.  We must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh, and soul and set a goal of maturing in a life of true holiness.  This leads us to our second definition of holiness. 

Hagiosune, which means the manifestation of the quality of holiness (or God-like character) in personal conduct and character. 

I said earlier that true holiness must encompass the spirit, soul and body of man.  We know that through the rebirth or saving process that God revitalized our spirits, crating a godlike nature in us.  Now as Christians, our souls and bodies must be sanctified and set apart for God.  In other words we must develop holiness in character and conduct.

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 through obedience to the Word of God both written and spoken.  If we are to see God we must possess personal holiness of character and action.  For without holiness no man will see God.

ROMANS 12:1-2

          The soul, which is the mind and intellect, the seat of all of our emotions, dreams, thoughts, attitudes and character, must be renewed or changed.  Our soul must go through a metamorphosis.  It must be purged of its evil thoughts, unholy desires, ungodly character and selfish dreams.  Much like the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, we must eat on the Word of God, spin a cocoon of the will of God about us and patiently wait without resistance as the Spirit of God uses the Word and will of God to transform us into the image of Christ; causing us to display the character and conduct of Christ.  This same sentiment is presented in Eph. 4:20 -24 where we are told to cast of the old lifestyle, renew our minds and put on a new lifestyle reflecting righteousness and true holiness.

II CORINTHIANS 10:5

          In renewing our minds this is something that we must learn to do. We must resist, cast down, refuse to give in to any idea, dream, notion or imagination that is clearly outside of God’s will for us as members of the collective body of Christ and individually as one of His children.  Not only must we cast these things down but we must also take our thoughts and hold them prisoner considering obedience to Christ as the warden of our minds.  Understanding what to do with our thoughts is essential in developing a lifestyle of holiness.

          As for holiness of the body or holiness in conduct, the Bible has much to say on this topic.  In the letters that Paul wrote to the different churches we are admonished to abstain from every form of evilness.  We are encouraged and oftentimes commanded to not participate in certain action.  I do not want to turn this message into a sermon on dos and don’ts.  But I must encourage that as you study your Bible during your quiet times, do not simply race through those scriptures that give us directions related to our actions.  Ask God to show you areas in your life where you are out of compliance; areas where you are falling short.

I CORINTHIANS 3:16-18

          As believers, we are the temple of God.  He through His Spirit lives in us.  The temple of God should be viewed as a holy place; a hallowed place not to be defiled by anyone or anything.  Many times we see the Church building as the temple of God and we will not allow or even consider certain actions inside the Church.  Yet we will allow and do so much more to our bodies, the true temple of God.  Verse 18 begins by saying don’t deceive yourself.  Don’t think that you can out smart God; live and participate in unholy actions and still get into heaven. Hebrews 12:14 clearly declares that without holiness no man will see the Lord.

          If we are going to grow in holiness we must

1.     Be H-honest with ourselves – Romans 13:11-14

2.     Be O-open with God and others – 2 Cor. 13:7 Don’t try to cover up your mess so that you can appear holy when you know that you are struggling.

3.     L-learn to lean on God and on others.  (Romans 15:1-2 - We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.  

4.     Y-Yield or submit to God – (James 4:7-10 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  

I THESSALONIANS 4:7 – We have been called to a lifestyle of holiness and without holiness no man shall see the Lord.  (I Thess. 3:12-13).