SANCTIFICATION AND HOLINESS

Text The Object of Christian Calling:

“14 ¶ Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:  (Hebrews 12:14. KJV.)

(Further Reference:Ps 34:14; Mt 5:8; Ro 12:18; 14:19; 2Co 7:1; Eph. 5:5; 2Ti 2:22).

Aim

1. To establish Sanctification as a key to scriptural holiness, and the object of the Christian’s calling.

2. To prove to believers the need for, and the possibility of, Holy Living in this world.

3. To present HOLINESS as the condition, divinely prescribed, for man to start enjoying the goodness of life, and be warmly received into heaven after earthly sojourn.

Introduction

Sanctification means: to be called out, set aside, chosen, separated, cleansed or prepared well, for a holy use.  Hence, we can not separate Sanctification from Holiness: The final destination in the Christian race.

Holiness is the sanctified, consecrated, and sacred nature of God.  It is God’s quality of spiritual perfection, purity and sanctity.  In Christianity, HOLINESS is the divinely required standard for believers to see God, work with Him and to do God’s will.

Believers’ Need For Holiness

1. Purity in Heart (Matthew 5: 8).

    –Each believer needs the knowledge and application of HOLINESS to be able    to ‘see’ God in life’s situations.  A pure heart trusts in God – no matter how impossible the circumstance may seem – for, and in, all things.

2. God’s instruction (Lev. 11: 45, 2Cor.7: 1).

    –Obedience is the first step to blessing.  If God instructs us to BE HOLY, it becomes a divine instruction which CHRISTIANS have a choice to obey.  Then it is very possible to strive to be HOLY and succeed!

3. Divine service in gratitude to God (Luke 1: 70-75).

    –God swore an oath to remember his Holy Covenant with CHRISTIANS’ PATRIARCH – ABRAHAM.  The Covenant includes delivering us from our enemies (Devil and his cohorts).  He would grant us the grace to serve Him fearlessly in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life.

4. Our Eternity (2Peter 3: 11-12)

    –Holiness determines where MAN spends his eternity.  This present World shall be rolled away.  If rapture (catching away of the Saints) comes, and meets a Man without HOLINESS – even after receiving the saving faith – then, he is damned! (Heb.12: 14).

5. To be like Jesus (1John 3: 2)

    –A believer should always ask himself in all situations, before reacting: ‘What will Jesus DO, THINK or SAY, were He to be faced with this situation of mine?’

Only Holiness in Man can ensure that he gives credence to the above questions.  A natural man wants to be free to DO HIS OWN WILL as dictated by his flesh.  Holiness keeps us in constant touch with the LORD, preparing us for eternity in Heaven!

Determinants of being Holy

1. The heaven, which is the Believer’s goal

Not a place in the outer space or galaxy.  Not the solar system… but a place of God’s dwelling; a place of eternal bliss, happiness and everlasting rest with God.  I Kings 8: 30; Psalm 115: 3, 123: 1, 15: 11; Isaiah 49: 10.  Heaven is a place where BELIEVERS in Christ receive the bigger part of their rewards for serving God on earth (Dan. 12: 3, Matt. 5: 12).

Let no one be beguiled or misled by those who say they would remain on earth for their eternity.  They say that only a handful (of Israelites) would go to Heaven…  Good luck to them!  This is best described as ‘religious error’ – We shall be with JESUS where he is (John 14: 1-2, 17: 24; I Cor. 2: 9-10, I Peter 1:4).  God even enthused that no one can adequately imagine Heaven’s glory and beauty.

But who would be there?  Consider Matt. 7: 21-23 and John 3: 35…  Without HOLINESS, no man shall see the LORD!  Read Rev. 21: 8…  We shall not be hell-bound in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.  If your name is in the Book of Life, you will  leave the sorrows behind and meet Jesus – who has not lied that he has gone ahead to prepare a mansion for us – to enjoy eternally.

2. Sanctification, which is our entry permit

Read Psalm 24: 3, 4.  God has chosen us as peculiar people.  He has a relationship with us.  On our part, we are to maintain the relationship by doing good (in accordance with God’s directives), avoiding evil thoughts, malice, mudslinging, or suspicion.  We have to avoid unrighteousness, falsehood and perjury.  We have to set ourselves apart for God, as the called, and BE SANCTIFIED.  Yield yourself to God!  But we cannot do it by power and might.  Only yield to God and He would cleanse you in preparation for his glory.  Isaiah 1: 18-19, Ezek. 36: 25.  If we are willing, all eyes will marvel at our positive transformation.  But we must shun all appearances of evil.  I Thes.4: 3-8, 5: 22-24; II Cor. 6: 14, Heb. 13: 12, Eph. 5: 25-33.  People will come to you – after seeing the change in you and beg you to pray for them to also receive the peace and well-being you now have IN JESUS’ NAME.

3. Transformed tongue, which is the Believer’s element of Holiness

This is an important vessel in which God vested the believers’ power.  It is tempting, for many abused its use and have perished!  Many believers betray their Christian confession during persecution, temptations or when insulted.  We need to persevere in love, fore-bear injustice and go the extra mile.  Deliberately ask God for the grace to do these.  Knowingly season your speech with grace.

Remember that Jesus and the angels are watching your action and reactions.  You cannot afford to disappoint them.  The devil wants you irritated.  He is not omnipresent, but his network is advanced and potent.  The evil will, readily available in most men, are at the adversary’s disposal: Don’t give him the chance to air his hysterical laughter, will you?  A good Christian should not give up to compromise, saying: ‘I have no choice’.  Take your stand.  Use your faith.  Refuse to be defeated by the evil forces.  Live in divine HOLINESS to receive the rewards.

Rewards Of Holiness

Read Job 42: 10-17.  The Bible says in Phil. 1: 21-

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Phil.3: 7-

“For whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Holiness implies self-sacrifice to the glory of God.  A holy person is rewarded as a vessel of honour.  Below, are points that cannot be discarded:

1. Gaining Salvation through Christ (Acts 3: 19).

2. God rewards his own accordingly (Ps. 119: 165).  The Church stands to gain the promises of God if her solid foundation is without blemish.

3. A life of holiness is worth living (Lev. 26: 3-12).  There are numerous promises to enjoy, ranging from protection to increase, to power, to divine rest, fellowship, deliverance and favours.  These promises are to be fulfilled as reward for obedience, and enjoyable due to a covenant with God.

4. The rewards for being holy remain permanent for consistent believers (Job 22: 21-30).

5. A Church congregation gets blessed even as each individual is blessed… where holiness is practiced (Rev. 2: 17, Matt. 5: 3-12).

6. Followers of holiness shall see the Lord in all their endeavours (Heb. 12:14).

7. Holiness ensures that a believer gets a crown of life (Rev. 2: 10).

8. We are accepted with Christ (Acts 10: 35).

9. God is the shield (defender) and the exceeding great reward (portion) of those who are holy (Gen. 15: 1).

10. As we live by faith, the righteousness of God is revealed in us, if we remain holy (Rom. 1:17).

11. The righteous shall inherit the land and possess it forever (Ps. 37:29).

12. God judges right and favours the righteous (Ps. 58:11).

13. Spiritual progress and fruitfulness with beauty are the benefits of the righteous.

Questions for Discourse

1. What is the first step to Sanctification and Holiness?  GIVING ONE’S LIFE TO CHRIST!

2. Can you quote the words of our text for today?

3. What does Sanctification mean to you?

4. What do you understand about Holiness?

5. State the believers’ need for Holiness.

6. List the determinants of being Holy.

7. What are the rewards of Holiness? 

Conclusion

A person is fulfilled when he has truly gained Christ with all the resultant benefits like peace; fruitfulness; abundance; prosperity of the soul, body, mind and also livelihood; walking in the light with God; God keeping his promises in one’s life… and one’s ways pleasing God.  No one gets all the above without holiness.  There would be a record that the person pleases God (in his ways).  Then his enemies would be at peace with him (Prov. 16: 7).  Then God blesses the person.  He will be truly rich and no sorrows would be added to his blessings (Prov. 10: 22).  However, these blessings that must come will remain permanent when we daily submit ourselves to God.  We must seek the way of holiness (Isaiah 35: 8).  We must pray like David, for God to TEACH us his Holy methods (Ps. 27: 11, 86: 11) and SHOW us his HOLY ways (Ps. 25: 4) so that we do not offend him and block our JOY OF SALVATION.

 

Beloved,

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