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Posts tagged ‘Holiness’

Choosing the Path of Life: Holiness Explained

Beauty of Holiness
If someone could visualize their journey through life, they would see two roads. These roads symbolize the paths of life and death. One road brings blessings, while the other leads to a curse.

  • Proverbs 14:12 (KJV) There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
  • Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

THE JOURNEY OF LIFE
God desires that we enjoy an abundant and exciting life as we travel towards eternity.
Moses chose the highway of holiness rather than an adventure in pleasures of a season.

  • Hebrews 11:25 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

God enables each of us to be changed more into the image of Jesus as we conquer the sinful nature

  • 2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
    which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
    God, should shine unto them.

The image of God can only be reflected by the Spirit of God working in His people

  • 1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
    conversation.
  • Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
    righteousness and true holiness.
  • Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall
    see the Lord:

A Beautiful Way of Life
Holiness is a beautiful way of life that guarantees God’s protection and blessings from the major enemies of the soul.
To sin is to miss the mark, or the purpose which God created us

  • Psalms 29:2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

PERFECTING HOLINESS
When God fills a person with His Holy Spirit, he receives a holy nature. Holiness does come from human works but from God’s Holy Spirit.

  • Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
  • John 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

A person must yield to the Holy Spirit

  • Psalms 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil

If we do, God has promised us

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new

Growing in the Lord

  • As the new person grows in the knowledge of the will of God, he will also grow in his ability to recognize activities and attitudes that may endanger his new life with Christ.
  • The Christian life is not governed totally by the question of whether or not something is sin but if it will damage the image of Christ.
  • The question is not: What do I have to do?
    • It is now:
      • What does Jesus want me to do?
      • How can I please Him, how can I draw closer to Him?
      • How can I become more like Him?

The Concerned Christ
Christ does not force His love on anyone. He wants a chance to show what a great God He is. He will create a new heart to all who respond to Him.

  • Jesus does not want any of us to perish.
  • Even angels do not understand salvation
    • Peter 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
    • John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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Embracing Holiness: A Guide for Modern Christians

Christians are called to live Holy lives. In Leviticus 19:2 it says, “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.” Here it is plain to see that the Israelites were called to live Holy Lives. Look at Exodus 15:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Unfortunately, in Exodus 20:18-19 is says, “And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

Later they broke the covenant by sinning.

Today Christians are once again offered the chance to be a kingdom of Priests.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10

Christians are called to be a Holy Nation. That does not mean that we always will live in a Holy Nation. We are collectively the Holy Nation. Christians should have more allegiance to our heavenly Kingdom than any other nation.

Christians are to be a royal priesthood. The royal part says that we are children of the King. Therefore, we should act prince and princes. That does not mean be snobby, stuck up, or rude. It means that we should be ambassadors for Christ. Remember that ambassadors represent the nation that they are sent from. We are on this earth, but are home is not here. We are only passing through. As we pass through, we are called to represent Christ to those we come into contact with.

The priesthood part means that we are allowed to come boldly before the throne room of God through prayer anytime we want. We can and should talk with him daily about what is going on in the land that we are currently living in.

As representators of God, we are called to live Holy lives. See 1 Thessalonians 4:7 “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”

Men and Women alike are called to live a life of Holiness as part of the kingdom of Priests.

  • I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 1 Peter 2:8-10

Notice that men are to pray lifting up Holy hands. They are to do this without wrath and doubting. In other words, men are to lead in prayer. They are not called to lift their hands in wrath.

  • wrath (meaning according to the dictionary)
    • strong vengeful anger or indignation
    • retributory punishment for an offense or a crime : divine chastisement

All this violence that men are seen doing is not of God. Men are called to pray, not hit or act in anger.

Women are to be in like manner. This means women should pray as well without wrath or doubting. Women are also instructed to adorn themselves in modest apparel. This means that women should not look like the world’s ideas of high fashion. They are to dress in a way as professing godliness, not worldliness.

Holiness should be a defining trademark of how all Christians live. This Holiness should be inward as well as outward. Just an outward appearance of holiness does not cut it because God sees our heart. However, the statement: God knows my heart is getting old.

  • Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:18

Bad trees don’t produce good fruit; and good trees don’t produce bad fruit. So, if your heart is clean the fruit: your behavior, appearance, and speech should be getting better and better. This staying the same is not cutting it. We are called to be in the world not of the world. Noticed what Jesus prayed in John 17:15-16:  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Stop acting like the rest of the world and start living Holy Lives like as an ambassador of the Heavenly Father.

Bible Studies for Overcoming Life’s Challenges

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