Holiness— Who are you anyway?
This morning we are going to consider yet another descriptive statement of how we are to be as Christians. Ask yourself this important question. Are you known as, "a zealous person pursuing holiness by turning away from sin, cultivating godly habits, and putting on the very character of Christ?"
We have many stereotypes related to the idea of holiness. You might think of the Amish people. They have done an incredible job of structuring their lives so that every aspect of their community reinforces holiness. Their music, clothing, workplaces, home environment, school, and relationships are centered around holiness and maintaining a holy lifestyle. When you think of holiness, you might think of a "Little House on the Prairie" lifestyle. Who knows?
When I was in Bible college, I learned about the Ascetic monks. It was one of those points of trivia that I learned about that I never knew what to do with. Except I am using it now in this sermon! The Ascetic monks believed that all pleasure was evil. If they were wearing a shirt that made them comfortable, it was a sin. Instead, they would wear wool shirts that would itch their skin and make them uncomfortable. They would deprive themselves of food and water. They would isolate themselves in the desert. They would build shelters high up in a tree. All of these things were done in an effort to become holy.
Holy living is an unpopular idea these days. The unpopularity of holy living today is described in 1 Peter 2:11-12 (NIV). "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on day he visits us."
Did you notice the two key words in 1 Peter 2:11? Aliens and strangers. If you are going to live a holy life these days, you are going to stick out, be ridiculed, mocked, questioned, and falsely accused. You are going to be a stranger. Holiness is not welcomed in our world.
Why does holiness matter?
So why does holiness matter? Why suffer for righteousness or holiness? Why be an alien or a stranger? The Bible has a lot to say on this subject. For example, did you know that holiness is a key to seeing the Lord? Sin blinds us to the reality of God. Sin separates us from having a relationship with God. Do you ever feel distant from God, as if he is not near? The Bible teaches that we cannot have fellowship with God while walking in sin. This is why repentance is so important. God wants us to turn away from sin so that we can be with him.
So holiness is not some cold, dead list of rules in a book. Holiness is about having a relationship. Holiness is about pleasing God and not offending him. When you want a relationship with someone, you make a choice to please that person. For example, consider the marriage relationship.If you want a relationship with your spouse, you will learn to please him, not offend him. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) reinforces this point. "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."
Another reason holiness matters is because holiness is our primary calling as Christians. We are to be a holy people! This was God’s challenge to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. Such holiness accentuates the very character of God. Holiness glorifies God, draws attention to God, and leads people to the eternal life they can have in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV) says, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' "
Holiness also matters because we are accountable for holy living on the day of judgment. In fact, God is impartial. He doesn’t judge by appearance. He knows the innermost thoughts of the heart. He is no respector of persons. Why risk the displesure of God to gain the favor of men?
1 Peter 1:17 (NIV) tells us, "Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear."
One other reason that holiness matters is because sin is costly. Our sins were such that Christ shed his blood and broke his body on the cross because of our sins. Grace isn’t cheap.It cost God’s Son his very life. The mercy and grace that God has shown us ought to compel us to higher levels of holy living. Notice how the following passage speaks of the precious blood of Christ that atones for our sin.
1 Peter 1:18-21 (NIV) says, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God."
What does holiness look like?
Now what does holiness look like when lived out? Now that we know holiness matters, what does it look like in our lives? One thing is for sure, holiness cannot be a vague concept or a vague idea in our minds. Holiness has to be specific and practical, including tangible acts of obedience. This is the value of the Old Testament law. The law spells out acts that are considered holy. Leviticus 19 offers a wealth of challenging suggestions related to holiness.
Leviticus 19:1-2 (NIV) begins, "The LORD said to Moses, 'Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.' " God wanted his people to reflect his holy character in their day to day lives. Here are some examples in Leviticus 19.
Holiness is respecting your mother and father. Leviticus 19:3.
Holiness is keeping the Sabbath set aside as a holy day for worship. Leviticus 19:3.
Holiness is focusing our affections on God, not on idols. Leviticus 19:4.
Holiness is making sacrificial offerings. Leviticus 19:5-8.
Holiness is making provisions for aliens, strangers, and the poor. Leviticus 19:9-10.
Holiness is about living a life of integrity by not stealing, lying, deceiving, defrauding, or underpaying workers. Leviticus 19:11-14.
Holiness is about upholding the dignity of human beings, especially the blind, deaf, elderly, and physically disabled. Leviticus 19:14.
Holiness is rising in the presence of the elderly! Leviticus 19:32.
Holiness is about being just, fair, and impartial to both the poor and the rich. Leviticus 19:15.
Holiness is about not being stupid and endangering lives! Leviticus 19:16.
Holiness is speaking truthfully to people. Leviticus 19:17.
Holiness is loving your brother just as you want to be loved. Leviticus 19:18.
Holiness is about purity; not mixing seed, fabrics of clothing, or two breeds of animals. Sexual immorality of all types must be avoided. Leviticus 19:20-22.
Holiness is about having honest scales. Leviticus 19:35-36.
Leviticus19 (NIV)
"The LORD said to Moses, Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.' 'Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.' 'Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.' "
"When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up. If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted. Whoever eats it will be held responsible because he has desecrated what is holy to the LORD; that person must be cut off from his people."
"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."
"Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight."
"Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD. Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD."
"Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
"Keep my decrees. Do not mate different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. If a man sleeps with a woman who is a slave girl promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for a guilt offering to the LORD. With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the LORD for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven."
"When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God."
"Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or sorcery. Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness."
"Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD. Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD."
"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD."
How can I become holy?
One last consideration this morning is how to become holy. I close with this final passage just as a reminder of what we spoke about last week. Our task is to keep in step with God’s Holy Spirit and to let his word convict us. God’s word trains our consciences. God’s Spirit convicts us in regard to sin, righteousness, and the coming judgement. When we are led by the Spirit, he leads us into holy living.
Galatians 5:16-26 (NIV) speaks of the fruits of the Spirit. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."