Holiness - Christ our example, our pattern, our goal.

Luke 2:41- 52

41Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man.

Matt 4:11Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

John 5:19—23, 30

19Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.

30By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 15:5)

John 8:29 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” (2 Cor 5:9)

Psalm 40:8 ⁸I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” (John4:34)

Heb 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."

Rom 8:29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Phil 2:5-11

5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!(Heb 12:3-4)

Eph 4:11-13, and 20 - 24

11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

20That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

So,,,, 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body. 26“In your anger do not sin : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

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The Highest Holiness  

Holiness 2 Does it matter?

1 Peter 1:13-21 13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives in reverent fear during your temporary stay on earth. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God. 

The Crown – The Queen and Princess Margaret

The Queen, on the news of her father’s death, took on the nobility and behaviour expected of a Queen and royal position. Margaret however, continued to party and live a life of revelling, not being restricted by any position except, maybe, of being an embarrassment to her sister the Queen.

We are noble; children of the Most High God. By choice and for reasons of love and dignity – knowing who we are in Christ, should seek to live to the principles of Holiness.

The Queen’s position as Queen was safe and undisputed. She chose to limit herself for her love for God and her love for her country. Similarly, our position as Children of God is safe and secure. So we, out of choice, for reasons of our God given nobility in Christ, should seek to be more like the true son Jesus Christ. He is our example of what a Holy life is.

1 Thess 4:1-8 Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more. 2For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; 4each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, 5not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6and no one should ever exploit or take advantage of his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you. 7For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness. 8Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.

Titus 2:11-14

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

 

Holiness unto the Lord
Unto the King
Holiness unto Your name
I will sing
Holiness unto Jesus
Holiness unto You Lord
Holiness unto Jesus
Holiness unto You Lord
I love You, I love Your ways
I love Your name
I love You
And all my days I’ll proclaim

Holiness - What is Holiness?

Holiness

A Call to Holiness “Be holy, because I am holy.”a
(Hebrews 12:14-17)

1 Pet 1:13-21

13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”a

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives in reverent fear during your temporary stay on earth. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.

What is Holiness?

Isaiah 6:1-7

6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train^[a] of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”^[b]

⁴ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”  (recognition of unworthiness and sin is a Holy response)

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

• Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God’s judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word.
• J.C Ryle - ‘Holiness’

•  “A holy person will follow after spiritual mindedness. They will endeavour to set his affections entirely on the things above, and to hold things on earth with a very loose hand. They will not neglect the business of this life now; but the first place in his mind and thoughts will be given to the life to come. They will aim to live like one whose treasure is in heaven, and to pass through this world like a stranger and pilgrim traveling to his home.

• “To commune with God in prayer, in the Bible, and in the assembly of His people – these things will be the holy person’s chiefest enjoyments. They will value every thing and place and company, just in proportion as it draws him nearer to God.” ~ J.C. Ryle

• • A holy man will strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ. He will not only live the life of faith in Him, and draw from Him all his daily peace and strength, but he will also labour  to have the mind that was in Him, and to be "conformed to His image" (Rom. 8:29). It will be his aim to bear with and forgive others, even as Christ forgave us–to be unselfish, even as Christ pleased not Himself–to walk in love, even as Christ loved us–to be lowly-minded and humble, even as Christ made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself.

(the above, most recent paragraphs, can seem unattainable burdens but I showed that it’s the work of God that we achieve these Eph 2:10 )