08 Spiritual Spring Cleaning:
What is holiness and why should I care?
Scripture Lesson for the Day: 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NLT)
Cornerstone Text: “But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘you must be holy because I am holy’”
(1 Peter 1:15-16, NLT).
What is holiness?
We learn about holiness from God.
”I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45, NIV).
“In a great chorus they sang, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!’” (Isaiah 6:3, NLT).
Holiness is best described as Christ – likeness.
“This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:5b, 6, NIV).
Key Understanding: Our Sin is the major barrier in our pursuit of holiness.
A good definition of sin is that it is a willful transgression of God’s known law.
“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over mind, that thing for you is sin” (Susanna Wesley, mother of John Charles Wesley).
Why should I care about holiness?
Reason #1: I should care because God calls me to be holy!
“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘you must be holy because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16, NLT).
“…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received…Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness...For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light”
(Ephesians 4:1, 24, 5:8 NIV).
Reason #2: I should care because God hates sin and so should I!
Love God Hate sin. (Song title on album, Crack the Sky)
“You who love the LORD, hate evil!” (Psalm 97:10a, NLT).
"Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NLT).
Reason #3: I should care because my relationship with God depends on it.
“Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, NLT).
“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8, NLT).
Closing Challenge: God called us to be holy and you can’t do it alone. He will help you!
He empowers us through His Holy Spirit to live the life He has called us to live. But first you must allow God to do His work in you. With God’s help you can reflect the true image of Jesus to your family, to your coworkers, neighbors, friends and church family. Are you interested?
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