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Light Of His Word The Sermons of Pastor Mike Walls Freedom Baptist Church Used By Permission Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. |
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Light Of His Word The Sermons of Pastor Mike Walls Freedom Baptist Church Used By Permission Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. |
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PLAIN, PRACTICAL PREACHING ON BIBLE HOLINESS
Message #1
Philippians
2:15
Introduction: In the next few weeks, I am going to preach this subject of holiness. I will not make some list of some outside conditions that you must do in order to be holy. I am going to be dealing with inward changes that only God can give. I found that if you and I would are working toward holiness, then we will have make some outward changes that will reflect an inward change.
There are two New Testament words that many Baptist preachers do not try to preach. They are these words “holiness” and “sanctification”. I looked them up and they have many times the same Greek word. That means they are interchangeable. But for our purposes we will be using the word “holiness”.
In the weeks ahead, I will be preaching messages with the following titles. “The Desire for Holiness” “The Definition of Holiness” “The Directives needed for Holiness” “The Delight of Holiness” “The Diversion from Holiness” just to whet your spiritual appetite.
These messages have new ground for me in some ways. I have never preached many messages with this theme being my main thought. Neither am I going to lift myself up as the standard of holiness. Most people who know me, know that this is not the real me. But I have found a longing to draw closer to the Lord in the past few weeks and I know that studying along these lines will be a help to me probably more than you.
Is there a reason why we should want to or desire to be holy? I can answer that with some important verses on the subject. 1st Peter 1:15-16
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The word that Paul uses in Romans 12:1, “beseech”, portrays a sense of urgency. Suppose you ran into the Emergency Room with your child in your arms that were seriously hurt or ill. You would beseech the staff to do something now. Take that same sense of urgency with Paul'’ statement. We ought to see how important that this is from God’s point of view which is the only one that really counts.
Let me continue with a few more verses before actually getting into the message.
“Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.”
In these messages, I don’t want to try to beat you so to speak or try to beat some thoughts into your head. It is my desire and was constant prayer as I prepared for these messages that I bathed each message in prayer that you may grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I was a teenager in the seventies. I sat under some of the strongest preaching that I have ever heard. Some of it was listing things in people’s lives that they needed to rid themselves in order to gain favor with the Lord so to speak. This kind of preaching would produce some results because some times people would rid themselves of certain things in order to please the preacher than the Lord. So eventually they would return back to these things and sometimes with a greater passion for them. Let me give you an example. One of the pet “sins” that I have been guilty of beating people up over was smoking. I know that smoking is not mentioned in the Bible. But there are many principles in the Bible that prohibits smoking for the child of God. Yet instead of trying to cause the person to yearn after something better, I would either drive a wedge between them and the Word of God or caused them to be ashamed of themselves and they quit for me. That was the wrong reason. If you give something for me, then eventually you will return to that sin. I am still against smoking but I cannot make it my pet peeve. You cannot live in a vacuum. You need something to replace that sin. It is God’s will for you to grow closer to Him and you will not want to commit that sin any longer because you are constant in struggle for the holiness of God in your life.
You could picture the holy life to the children of Israel leaving Egypt and eventually crossing over the Jordan River into the Promise Land. Once they crossed over Jordan, their fight was not over. In fact, it got more intense. I am not trying to discourage you. Living a holy life is acceptable. It is real living. And it is your reasonable service unto the Lord.
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
I realize that I have asked you to pray this simple prayer many times in the past few months. I also know that it would absolutely impossible to move toward the holy life with having an attitude like this. “Lord, speak to me today, I’m ready to obey.”
Some groups of preachers try to preach that if you get holiness then you will never sin again and you will never struggle again. To that I have a Greek word- “Hogwash”. As long as you are in this body of flesh, you will fight the world, the flesh and the devil. Living a life that is holy and acceptable before the Lord will always brings blessings and battles.
I am not going to sit in judgment in order to determine that you have gotten holiness. I can only answer for one person- me. You can talk with the Lord and He will give you insight if you are doing that which is pleasing to Him. I am not the expert. As far I know, there are no real experts in this area at least any that I would want to follow.
I want to give you five thoughts about desiring holiness.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
If I can make you and I hungry and thirsty over this almost forgotten doctrine in our day, then I may be able to answer with joy the account of my work on your behalf in the ministry.
We are living in a wicked society. Solomon, the wisest man in the Bible outside of our Lord Jesus said this. Ecclesiastes 1:9
“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”
People try to point out there are more crime than in years past.
Yes there is but there is a good reason, there are more people.
Pornography did not start in this generation. There have
been pictures to entice men to lust for centuries.
Men have wrestle with drug and alcohol almost since the creation
of time. It is possible to live a holy life in this world.
Yes, you can if you desire to do so. Desire pays a big factor
in this. It is my job to try to help you desire the same-
a life that is holy and acceptable before God.
I. YOU SHOULD DESIRE HOLINESS BECAUSE IT IS THE WILL OF GOD. Romans 8:29
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Jesus Christ was holy in all parts of His life. You could not point to His actions, attitudes or words and say that you found sin. He chose us to follow in His steps.
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously”
You can see it plainly that it is God’s will that you live holy. Titus 2:11-14
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
What is the purpose of the great and gracious work that started in the portals of eternity? It was not done just to save us and forgive our sins. It was that we would be like Jesus. Nothing else will satisfy the heart of God. It was not His love that sent Jesus to Calvary as much it was the demands of His Holiness.
Nothi
II. YOU SHOULD DESIRE HOLINESS BECAUSE IT IS WISDOM OF GOD FOR CHRIST COMING TO EARTH. Matthew 1:21
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
This passage does not say that He just forgive our sins. It is much stronger than that. It says that He shall save His people from their sins. The forgiveness of sin is one great blessings of being saved. But to be saved from our sins is far greater blessing. Sin has a way to bring us down. Sin has a way to trip us up. He saves us from the power of sin.
We have His life as an example that we should follow. We are to be more like Jesus. Won’t church be a better place if everyone was acting like Jesus all the time? Holiness is much more than a standard of dress or music or whatever you want to discuss. It is having the Lord Jesus as the standard of holiness that we should follow in His steps.
It
is possible to live a holy life. It is according to the
purpose of God and according to the work that Jesus came to
do.
III. YOU SHOULD DESIRE HOLINESS BECAUSE IT IS WORKING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh”
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit sets in operation a new law that replaces the old law. The old law was the law of sin and death. The new law is life and liberty that is only found in the Holy Spirit.
But it is constant battle. The old nature is constantly in war and working against the new nature. Paul understood this principle.
“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
One
of the great truths found in the Book of Romans is that the
Holy Spirit wants to replace the old nature with the direction
of the new nature, which is the life of holiness. That
is why it is a constant battle. It is easier to give into
old law. But it is a greater blessing to allow the new
law of liberty through the Holy Spirit to have control.
IV. YOU SHOULD DESIRE HOLINESS BECAUSE IT IS THE WAR AGAINST GOD FOR SUCH IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Do you think that the forces of the devil and hell want you to live such a life? If you think they do, then it is time for you to get your head out of the sand. The cross was the final battleground between Jesus and the devil and his crowd. When He returns there will not be a real battle. He will speak and the battle will be over.
When you and I undertake a life of holiness, the devil and his crowd will take notice. One reason why is a whole life will attract others to the Saviour.
If you want to know the intensity of this war, you will have to go to Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:36-44
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”
Have you ever been tempted to sin and it is so strong and you think you are going to lose? You and I don’t have to lose. We are victors through our Lord Jesus Christ? In the cross, Christ triumphed over the enemies of this life. He mastered the devil and took back the keys of death and hell. When we enter on the life of holiness and put our lives under subjection to the Lord Jesus, we are fighting a defeated foe.
If
we will be quite honest about our failures in the Christian
life, about the sins we committed yesterday even though we are
children of God. If we would be honest about those hours
that we yielded to temptation and grieved the Holy Spirit.
If we would be perfectly honest about smudging the spotless
linen of our purity and disgraced the name of our Lord, we would
have to say it was because we did not fight under the orders
of our King. We left the proper habitation of loyalty
to Him. We walked in the way of temptation and attempted
in our own strength to overcome and thus were defeated.
We can sin, be allured by sin and defeated by the foe.
I need not sin for our King who bruised the head of the serpent
masters the foe. If I follow Him, the serpent’s head is
bruised my feet also by the virtue of the victory my Lord has
won.
V. YOU SHOULD DESIRE HOLINESS BECAUSE IT IS THE WEALTH OF GOD AT OUR DISPOSAL. Colossians 1:27
“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”
The wealth of God in the life of holiness is found in those three words- “Christ in you”.
How is this possible? One of the things I love about Paul is that he never leaves you trying to figure out the answer by yourself.
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
The mystery is completely solved when you add this to the equation.
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
When
you are complete in Him, you are full of the wealth of God needed
for holiness. Christ is able to make us holy. If
this was not true then all He is, He is for me, and in me, then
all the resources of His wisdom and might are put at my disposal
would be a lie and we know that God never lies.
Conclusion: I want to wrap this up with several key thoughts that will help you in desiring to live holy.
First, our text said that we are to be blameless. Let me say it did not say that we should be faultless. There is a great difference between being blameless and faultless. Our Bible never says that you will be faultless in your life. That is what some try to call holiness. One day you will be faultless but you will be home with the Lord when you will be. But you ought to live blameless. This world should not find some area to continue to pick your life apart.
Secondly, our text said that we are to be harmless. This is in keeping with our Master. He told His disciples that they were to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Harmlessness always grows out of blamelessness.
These two truths together can and does please the Father. People’s opinion of your life is not important. The Father’s opinion is. He expects us to live blameless and harmless in this present world that our light in this dark world may glorify the Lord.
Desiring to live holy is a call to a life that is high, noble and pure. It is a life that can be lived because God would not have placed it in your Bible if it could not be done.
How can I live this blameless and harmless life? I can’t without knowing that it is God, which worketh in me. I am to work out that which He by the power of the Holy Spirit works in. Holiness is not obtained by climbing to a certain height; it is lived by being a little child close to the side of the Father and following Christ by the guidance of the Spirit.
Do you desire this life? Many of us are living in the land between Egypt and the Promised Land. This area is mostly desert with no fruit, bread, water or a dwelling. This was the area of dry holes, dead ends and detours. Are you tired the abnormal life as a Christian? I have read many stories of Christians that seemed to obtain a higher plane of living than I have lived many times. God is not a respecter of persons. He does not desire for some Christians to live a lower plane and others the higher. He demands and expects all to live on the higher plane of holiness. The problem is not with the Lord; it is with us. You will not do anything that you do not desire to do.
Next week, I want to go further on this subject. I felt that you needed to understand that you have to desire this life. We will be looking at the definition of holiness. I want to show what it is and is not.
Friend, if you have never been saved, I realize that this message may not have been quite what you needed. Maybe you would like to have a life that pleases God. Today you must first ask Christ to save you. That is the very first step to a holy life. Nothing else can help.
Christian Brother or sister, you cannot grow out of the life that you may be living now. If you are living in the wilderness, then you must take that step of faith just like the priests did when the children of Israel crossed over into the Promised Land. The question is this: what do you desire to do in the life of holiness unto the Lord?
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