Are You Holy

Are You Holy?

August 14, 2005

Introduction

In Heb 12:14, we find these words: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:”

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”

What does it mean to “pursue”? At least two things:

· It requires effort

· We’ll never fully attain it, but we are to continue to pursue it.

But what about the second part of this verse: Pursue peace holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

What is holiness? Let me begin with the concept of holiness which some people have:

· You shall not smoke, drink, nor dance

· You shall not cut your hair if you are a woman. Your skirts must be long, and you shall apply no make-up to your face.

· In short, you shall be perfect, but beware lest you come to have a holier than thou attitude.

But is this holiness? I think it is a mixture. Basically correct, but with some extremes thrown in. Not cutting women’s hair, and not being able to wear make-up I view as a bit extreme. Skirt length is a matter of judgment, but many facts make up modesty: too low, or too tight can be just as immodest as too short. Paul says, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; {9} in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,” (1 Tim 2:8-9 NKJV)

What does the Bible say about holiness?

Body

I. What does it mean to be holy?

How does the Bible use the word?

Leviticus 11:44 (NKJV) ‘For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

1. It is this verse that is, in part, repeated by Peter:

(1 Pet 1:14-16 NKJV) as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; {15} but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, {16} because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

How does Thayer’s Greek lexicon define holy?

sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, consecrated):-- holy one, or holy thing), saint.

1. That definition goes right along with the teaching of Peter.

II. How does the context of the Bible define the term holy or holiness?

Notice how Paul used the expression.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

1. “That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter,” -- Do not take another man’s because of passion of lust.

2. “God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness”—God intended better things of us than to live at the animal level.

Paul also used holy in connection with our being a living sacrifice.

(Rom 12:1-2 NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

C. Notice the final use of the expression.

Revelation 22:11 NKJV) “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

1. Notice the opposites: Filthy as opposed to holy

2. Holiness includes purity.

D. Notice another way of defining holiness.

Ephesians 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

III. Why is holiness so difficult for us to attain?

A. We have a misconception of what it is all about.--We need to understand that it is against God.

B. Many say they have sinned, but notice a difference.

1. Notice the reaction of David.

Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is always before me.

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in Your sight—

That You may be found just when You speak,

And blameless when You judge.

2. Notice the reaction of the Prodigal son.

(Luke 15:21 NKJV) ""And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'"

B. We must assume personal responsibility for our sins--'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight,

C. We must classify all sin as sin, and not think some sins as being “okay,” or at least not too bad.

Conclusion

I trust that we all understand that holiness is not an option

Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

WE must pursue holiness which means it is an effort and a process.

It means we are striving to do better, and have not just given up, and concluded we are good enough as we are.

It is my hope and prayer that we all understand a bit better what holiness is, and how important it is that we pursue it.

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