Getting a Right Focus (2)
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
How would you summarize the message from last Wednesday night?
“God’s Word enables me to get to know Him, that I might love Him, in order that I might become holy, so that I would naturally glorify Him.”
We must understand that this is truly the work of the Holy Spirit, with God’s Word, in the life of a believer.
So, what is my role as I stand before you? As a pastor, my role in this would be to help you understand God’s Word and to help you know Him - or at least point you in the right direction!
This evening, we want to begin to look at what are considered to be God’s “moral” attributes. These are characteristics of God that are revealed in His interaction with mankind.
Most of what you know about me has come from the interactions that we have had.
So, how does God reveal Himself to us in His interactions with us?
God is holy.
God is holy.
Turn to and read Leviticus 11:44-45. Then, turn to 1 Peter 1:13-16.
What does it mean that God is holy?
“Holiness is that perfection of God whereby He abhors that which is evil and demands purity.” - Abeka
“In respect to God, holiness means not only that He is separate from all that is unclean and evil but also that He is positively pure and thus distinct from all others.” - Ryrie’s Basic Theology
Very simply, the word “holy” means to be set apart. As the Bible teacher Charles Ryrie wrote, God “…is separate from all that is unclean and…He is positively pure...”
What does this mean for us?
God’s holiness demonstrates our own sinfulness.
God’s holiness demonstrates our own sinfulness.
L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, is quoted as saying, “Man is basically good, but man can act badly.”
I wonder if the prophet Isaiah would agree with that? Let’s turn to Isaiah 6 and consider Isaiah’s reaction to holiness. (Turn to and read Isaiah 6:1-7.)
Notice, when Isaiah got a clear view of God’s holiness he also got a clear view of his own filthiness!
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
But this shows us that, “If we approach God at all, we must come through the [holiness] of Another.” (Abeka) Why? Because we are sinners. We cannot manufacture holiness in our lives.
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
But God loved us enough that He made a way for us to approach Him.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
God’s holiness makes us sensitive to our sinfulness.
God’s holiness makes us sensitive to our sinfulness.
Whenever you watch an expose on television about bed bugs in hotels how do you respond? Generally, you get the hebe-jebe’s and, the next time you stay in a hotel, you’re a little more concerned about the cleanliness of the hotel.
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
When we truly understand God’s holiness, it makes us sensitive to our own sinfulness. That sensitivity should lead us to properly deal with sin.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We do not have to live with the guilt of our sin. We do not have to “feel” as though we can never again approach God. God desires to forgive and cleanse us from our sin.
I like what is said in an upcoming lesson of Real Christianity (our Connection Group Bible study): “Real Christians are repeat offenders but regular repenters!”
But does this sensitivity to sin and a desire to steer clear from sin come from simply our acknowledgment that God is holy and we are not? While that is true I believe that this sensitivity also comes from a desire to please God - not because we have to but because we love God!
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.
I recall, as a young child, making the decision to never drink alcohol because I knew that it would displease my parents.
God’s holiness becomes the standard for our life and conduct.
God’s holiness becomes the standard for our life and conduct.
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.
“The holiness of God becomes the standard for the believer’s life and conduct. This should put to an end the often useless discussions over what is permitted and what is not in the Christian life. Proper conduct can be tested by the simple question, Is it holy? This is the believer’s standard. Although he does not always measure up to it, he must never compromise it.” - Ryrie’s Basic Theology
As you come to know God more, His holiness becomes the ultimate standard for how you live your life. It no longer is simply a matter of living by a list of rules; it becomes a matter of “I want to be like my Savior! I want to be holy!”
My brother is 9 years older than me. He has always been someone that I have looked up to (without even realizing it). While I don’t think that I ever consciously said, “I want to be like my brother,” it never upset me when people said, “You look just like your brother,” or “You act just like your brother.” (In fact there have been times when we have been mistaken for being twins!) When I played basketball in high school I wore my brother’s jersey numbers. Why? It was never a conscious desire that I verbalized but a subconscious desire of “He’s my big brother! He’s cool! I want to be like him!”
This leads to one final thought regarding God’s “moral attributes.”
“Although we can never be like God in His natural attributes - We will never be all-knowing, or all-powerful, or omnipresent. - we should strive to be like [God] in His moral attributes.” - Abeka
Allow me to share with you a few Scriptures as it relates to holiness:
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
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.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Yet, I must caution you - holiness is not the end goal! Being like Christ is!
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.
Holiness, or any of the other moral attributes that we look at, will be a by-product. Allow me to take you to one more passage of Scripture to illustrate what I mean.
Turn to and read Exodus 34:29-35.
A miraculous thing happened. As Moses spent time with God on Mount Sinai, it changed him. The change wasn’t noticeable to Moses but it was noticeable to those around him!
As we spend time with God, getting to know Him, we “…are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”