Holiness

We're gonna turn to two passages of scripture here, Psalms 29 and two, and then we're gonna turn to 1 Corinthians 3, 16 through 17. I'm gonna talk to us about something tonight that I believe is very important to who and what we are. And I thank God that he has called us to be holy, amen. And so I'm gonna talk to us tonight about holiness and trying to define holiness and explain it to us a little bit from a biblical perspective because I wanna see him. And the Bible says if we do not make ourselves holy, that we will not see him. And so I'm looking forward to the day where I get to see him as he is. Without holiness, no man can see God. So I wanna talk to us about that principle tonight. Psalms 29 and two says, given to the Lord, the glory due unto his name, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 1 Corinthians 3, 16 and 17, know ye not that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy. Which temple ye are? Those are strong words for the New Testament, but God finds holiness to be important. God finds his temple to be important. And in the New Testament, we are the temple of God, amen.

Let's pray and we'll get into the word of the Lord. Lord, I love you. Thank you for your word. I thank you God for what you're doing in this world right now and how you're stirring us. I pray God that the church would continue to be a light and a dark world. We would continue to lead people to the cross. We would continue to lead people to the gospel. Lord, help us to be what you have called us to be in such a time as this. You want me to deliver your word, God, with clarity and with a pure heart. In Jesus' name we pray. Let everybody say in Jesus' name.

The first place in the Bible, the word holy is mentioned is in Genesis 2 and 3. Reads in God bless the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. That word sanctified literally means holy. It reads in the ESV so God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. The seventh day is unlike any other day in creation. The first six days focus on the world. The first six day focus on God creating the world. But the seventh day is unlike all the other days because it was set aside and it was made holy for and unto the Lord. And so there is something called the law of first mention when you study scripture and when something is mentioned for the very first time it's where you get the basis of definition for that word or for that thought. And so by the law of first mention we understand that for something to be holy it means for it to be different or set apart for God.

Now there are several different Hebrew words for holy but we will focus on the two that are used the most in the Old Testament. First is Kodesh simply meaning to be set apart, to be consecrated, to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be sanctified or to be separate. The second one is Kodesh and it means apartness, sacredness, separatedness or interestingly enough it means sanctuary. And so the scripture goes into great detail talking about different things of which it calls holy.

First and foremost we know God is holy. God is set apart from all other things. I've heard it said that some people say the opposite of God is the devil but that's wrong because God has no opposite. Leviticus 1145 says for I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God, you shall therefore be holy because I am holy. Exodus 3 and 5 teaches us that places can be holy. And he said draw not nigh hither, put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place where on thou standest is holy ground. God can make a place holy. He did the same thing to Joshua when he was standing before the walls of Jericho. He said take your sandals off for the place you're standing is holy ground. We understand that things can be holy. We read in Leviticus 2 and 3 and the remnant of the meat offering shall be errands and his sons. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire. We understand that time can be holy. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. God's people are commanded according to Leviticus 9 and 2 to be holy. Speak unto the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them, you shall be holy for the Lord your God is holy. So it's a spiritual principle that you assume the attributes of that which you are worshiping. You become like what you worship. And so the more we worship him as he is a holy God we should become more holy like him, amen.

The commandment to be holy is not only an Old Testament commandment but we read in Romans 12 verses 1 through 2. It says, I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy. Acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind which you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Why do we need to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God? It says in 1 Corinthians 3, 16 through 17 because you are the temple of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you. We read in our text, if any man defile the temple him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple you are.

Our bodies are now the literal temple of the Holy Ghost. We are God's house. The Old Testament temple in Tabernacle used to be God's house and God was extremely specific on how he wanted it to look and how he wanted things to be done and who was allowed in and what they were to wear and what they were to do and none of this was done according to their preferences. It was done according to the pre -existing heavenly pattern. We read this in Hebrews 8 and 5 where it says, who serve unto the example in the shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle for see, saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. If the earthly house was made according to a heavenly pattern the purpose of that pattern was to line the physical house with the pre -existing spiritual reality. So if we are now the temple of God and the dwelling place of his presence I have a hard time believing God changed his mind about his temple lining up with his preferences. If God was specific about how the earthly temple was supposed to line up I think God wants us to line up according to his word as well amen.

So 1 Corinthians 6 19 through 20 says what know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and you are not of your own for your body was bought with a price. Therefore glorify God notice what it says here in your body everybody say in your body and in your spirit not just in spirit but also in your body. There is a twofold way of which we are to bring glory to God. Not just in spirit but also in body.

Imagine trying to tell God imagine Aaron looking at God and saying hey I know you gave me this pattern of how you wanted things to operate in the physical temple but I'm just going to go ahead and do it my way and how I want to live and how I want to handle all these things that you know what would have happened he would have been consumed by fire. I think how God's temple then as important as it was then it is to God still now amen and I believe when you have a genuine apostolic conversion experience when the God of the temple makes his abode in you you will want to make his house just like he likes it. You'll want to talk different you'll want to walk different you'll want to think different you'll want your desires to be different you want what God wants not what the world wants and you're gonna have to understand now more than ever holiness has never been and will never be attractive to the world.

Now as we read earlier there are two dimensions to holiness outer holiness and inner holiness flesh and spirit 2nd Corinthians 7 1 having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 1 Corinthians 6 20 again for you are bought with the price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are gods.

It's interesting to me that Paul begins the process with flesh and then spirit because holiness has never been just an internal issue it is an internal and an external process amen it's both together it's not either or it's not one or it's both together there is an argument that says holiness is all about the heart all God cares about is about your heart God just loves you the way he finds you and that's partially true don't misunderstand me God does love you how he finds you but it was never God's intention to leave you how he found you God's love is the type of love that will take you as you are no matter how you are when he found you but he has given you the spirit to make you more like him in the process of sanctification amen he doesn't want you to stay the way he found you

1st Corinthians 6 9 through 11 I'm going to keep going through these know you not that unrighteousness shall not inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor adulters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor rillers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you but you were washed but you were sanctified but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God he said he found you when you were all of those things but the spirit and the blood made you new he'll find you however he might have found you in any one of those lists of things but by the power of the spirit and the working of the mercy and the grace of God he made you who you are today amen and that's why in the same exact chapter we read this verse again where he says for you are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are gods your body and your spirit belongs to God that means he's allowed to tell you what you're supposed to do with both of them amen

and we're living in a world that says nobody can tell me anything about me we're living in a world that says don't tell me how to live my life but the word of God is clear this is not a book of suggestions if we believe it's the word of God this is not a book of suggestions it's a book of principles according to how we are to live our life to get to him the holiness is all about the heart groups say that they are all just for God's justification but they reject the process of sanctification justification is in a moment but sanctification is something that happens over a span of a life through the working of the Holy Ghost

Ephesians 2 8 through 10 says for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any men should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus watch what it says unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them we are not saved by works but we are saved unto good works that's why 2 Timothy 3 17 says that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works

God was very clear about those that say just let him touch your heart we're not saved by anything that we do and they're right we cannot save ourselves but salvation should provoke us to do good works that's why Titus 1 16 says they profess to know their God but with their deeds they deny him since they are detestable disobedient and unfit for any good deed he's saying that those that are just saying you know God just wants to work on their heart she can live how you want to live just profess that he is your Savior and go on with your life that's not in the books that's not in this Holy Scripture when he saved you he saved you unto good works

our deeds our actions our lifestyle who we are should testify in everything we do that we are a child of the living God Titus 2 14 says he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself and procure your people zealous of good works that word zealous literally means fanatical radical of good works we know that because he saved me I'm going to be provoked I'm going to be a fanatic about doing good works unto him Titus 3 8 says this is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men it's profitable that we do good works Hebrews 10 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to we should be provoking one another to good works Matthew 6 I mean Matthew 5 and 16 says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven

if people can see it there's more going on than just a heart thing man can't see the heart that's what we learn right God sees the heart but the only way man can truly see the transformation of the heart is if things are changing about your works and who you are God judges not by faith but by work seven times he said to the churches of Asia I know thy works Romans 2 6 who God will render to every man according to his deeds or works sounds like God is focused on behavior

holiness is not just a heart matter holiness is power not bondage I'm going to say that again holiness is power not bondage I have heard this over and over again I have read so many things online to where I have had to quit being online about how holiness is bondage holiness is not bondage holiness is safety Romans 1 3 -4 concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seat of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness it was the Spirit of holiness that was upon him that gave him power by the resurrection from the dead the level of your separation I believe this determines the level of your power I believe that with everything within me it was the difference between John the Baptist and everyone else in John's day his separation is what unlocked his level of authority I believe that with everything within me there was men in Bible days they would take upon themselves the Nazarite vow for a season and it would change them there are things that we can do to separate ourselves not because we're wanting everybody to look at how great we are but the more separated we are I believe this from the world is the closer we're getting to God amen it's our difference that makes the difference it was the difference between Jesus and everyone else that he made himself stand out and that he would draw himself or draw all men unto himself

holiness is safety when God was explaining to Israel when they were in trouble he said to them in Deuteronomy 18 and 9 he said when I'm going to read this in the NLT when you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there he said don't act like them don't look like them and then in Judges 2 2 through 3 he says and I told you you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land you were supposed to throw down their altars but you've not obeyed my voice why have you done this wherefore I also said I will drive them out from before you but now they're going to be thorns in your sides and their gods shall be a snare unto you what you refuse to separate yourself from is now going to be a thorn and a snare to you it was Israel's separation from the nations around them that kept themselves and it was Israel's refusal to separate themselves that eventually destroyed them gods always wanted a nation that was his unique from other nations around them so he gave them different everything different dietary laws different dress codes different rituals a completely different lifestyle why because it was their separation that made them different from everybody around them why because they had the god of heaven and earth in their midst and if he's in my midst if that means I get him and all I have to do is be separate from them you better believe I'm willing to do it

holiness brings deliverance Deuteronomy 23 14 for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp watch what it says to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy camp be holy did you hear it Deuteronomy 23 14 I'll wait if media can catch up with me there we go for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee he's walking in the midst of your camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee the Lord walks to inspect your home your lifestyle how you're living and if he finds nothing unholy he says I'll bring deliverance to this place I've made a promise in my home I've made a promise in the way I live I don't want anything in my home or in my life to cause the Lord to want to be deterred for me or my home Amen I want my home to be a place of holiness my prayer my prayer is anybody that walks into my house the first thing they feel is the peace of God I have prayed that from day one I have prayed Lord let my home be a place of peace and a righteousness I pray that when people come and spend the night in my home they get the best night's sleep they've ever had I pray these things so that they can feel the separate the difference I want to live holy unto the Lord because when you live holy deliverance is constantly in your midst

holiness is self-denial we must understand every good work of God is a contrary work to the flesh I want to say that again every good work of God is a contrary work to the flesh the Bible says in Romans 8 and 7 because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be that word carnal is where we get the word carnivore from it literally means flesh eater the carnal mind is enmity it's at war against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be Galatians 5 17 for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh these are contrary the one to the other so that ye referring to it being in the flesh cannot do the things ye would he says the flesh wants the opposite of holiness the flesh wants the opposite of the holy things of God he says that another thing that the thing another place that the things of the spirit are foolishness unto the flesh it cannot comprehend a spiritual idea or a spiritual concept

have you ever brought a guest to church first time visitor and they have never been in an apostolic environment and they hear somebody speak in tongues and they look at you like what in the gibberish is going on or or have you ever brought somebody to church and it was just one of them wild services you know i'm talking about where somebody on this side starts hitting with and then the lady that never runs the aisles just boom cuts across the front anybody know what i'm talking about and those guests are looking at you like what in the world these people have lost their mind because to them it's foolishness it is spiritual things are foolishness to carnal people and you're never going to get carnal people to understand spiritual concepts and let me go ahead and say this you're never going to get your flesh to like holy principles let me tell you the day you get your flesh to like holy principles write a book about it you're going to be a millionaire really quick i'll be your first purchase as a matter of fact it's impossible they war against each other they're contrary to one another

but friends when you get on the altar there's only one way to be holy i believe it's in the book of matthew around chapter i'm not sure which chapter it's in but he asked the question jesus says he says what makes the sacrifice holy is the sacrifice holy or does it become holy when it touches the altar he's saying the sacrifice was never holy but when the sacrifice comes in contact with the altar the altar makes the sacrifice holy that's why when isaias said i am a man of unclean lips how am i supposed to be the prophet to the nations he said let me grab something off of the altar and i'll touch it to your lips because if you ever come in contact with the altar you can be holy you're never going to see a spiritual holy principle until you look at it through the lens of where flesh dies but when you look at it through an altar everything we do just starts making sense and you're like isn't that bad it's worth it all so the flesh wants the opposite of holiness

anybody here have ever been to paris i was fortunate enough to go and i went and got to to the Louvre this huge room one of the most famous paintings in human history the Mona Lisa 2014 it was estimated to be worth 1.8 billion dollars that's expensive i got to see the painting and you walk into the room places packed there's people everywhere estimated 8.5 million people a year go to see this painting that's a lot of people in 2009 there was a crazy lady who decided she didn't like it so she chucked her coffee mug at it immediately she was tackled by two guards they took her away apparently what she didn't know is that it was protected by bullet proof glass almost two centimeters thick in a special sealed box to protect it from vibrations and humidity it's in a climate controlled sound controlled vibration controlled bullet proof anti -coffee mug protecting box besides that the Mona Lisa besides the Mona Lisa the Louvre has an estimated upwards of a hundred billion dollars of art in it it's been called the most beautiful prison on earth they even hired a high -tech israeli security firm to take it to the next level the purpose of all the security around it are you ready is to protect the value that's only inside every boundary every barrier every bit of security was not about the security it's about protecting the beauty and the value that's hidden inside of that place

that's why Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 4 7 but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us and so if there's treasure in this body if there's treasure in Dylan if there's treasure in me it would make sense to put up the proper boundaries the proper things in my life to make sure that nothing out there can get to what God has put in here and so God can ask nothing of me too great God can require nothing of me too great God can ask of me to draw no line too dark in the sand that I say Lord I can't do that you want to know why because I know that I've got something living on the inside the gold is on the inside the beauty is on the inside friend I wouldn't want to protect something that didn't have value but when you know how valuable what's living on the inside is I'll protect it with everything I'll guard it with everything

I remember vividly it's funny because my security company is called vivid brother Richie got it I remember when I was moving into our old house that my wife and having our daughter I knew how much I traveled how much I was going to be away the first thing I did and I'm not even being sarcastic the first thing I did was call a security company because I wanted cameras everywhere I got spotlights that turn on if you walk by my house in the middle of the night I mean I got cameras on every corner I can see you come and I can see you go and it doesn't matter where you're at if you're outside my house I'm watching you almost sounded a little creepy that was not my intention but there's valuables on the inside what I love most dear in my life is on the inside and so I'll protect it and I'll guard it and I'll spend money to do what I gotta do to make sure it's safe when I'm gone

friend what God put in us is the most valuable thing you'll ever receive the fact that the God of heaven and earth the bible says prophets look to our day the patriarchs of which we hold of such high esteem and we should the Hebrews 11 hall of faith of which we highly highly esteem they turned and looked at the day that we are living in with envy and said oh to have what they have what they got to experience in glimpses what they got to experience in part we get inside of us so you better believe I'm willing to do whatever I gotta do I'll make whatever sacrifice I gotta make I'll make whatever adjustment I gotta make if God's speaking to you if God's talking to you to lay things down to do things differently to change things about yourself hear me I have never laid things down that I have regretted that I laid down but I have picked things up that I have regretted that I've picked up you'll never make a sacrifice that you regret being holy is not a chip on our shoulder it's not something that we do for everybody to say wow look how holy they are but it's something that I do to be more like him because my desire is more than anything one day is to see him in the fullness of who he is and without holiness no man no man no man saw see him but I don't just want to see him when I get to heaven I want to see him in my prayer time in the morning I want to see him driving down the road I want to see him when I get on the airplane I want to see him in my life I want to see him in my family I want to see him in my finances I want to see him in my kids I want to see him in everything that I do

I charge you in the hour that we're living in that wants to parade and make fun of and remove and create Facebook pages and YouTube accounts where they do nothing but tear down people that want to be holy in the hour that we're living in now more than ever let us be that Goshen we're light in the midst of darkness where that city set upon a hill we are fine with being a peculiar people in such a time as this

hey man I'm done stand with me let's lift our hands let's ask that the Lord would just minister to us for just a little bit Lord I love you I thank you I thank you God that you love me enough to buy me with your blood I thank you God that you love me enough to put your spirit within me I thank you God that you've done all that you did for me and so in the day that we are living in God in the hour that we are living in I believe if there's ever been a time for your people to be holy and set apart this is the time for us to be holy and set apart God be holy for I am holy God let me be holy under you in this hour let me be pleasing under you in this hour God because truly God holiness is a standard it's a protection it's a barrier God it's that thing God that protects us that protects the value that's on the inside God I love you Jesus I magnify you Jesus I lift up holy hands God without wrath and doubting God I lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting without fear God of the hour that we're living in we lift up holy hands God I glorify you I exalt you I lift you on high for you alone are great and greatly to be praised