What Does It Mean To Be Holy?

Greetings in the Name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. You can follow us on line at roberthaymes.com. Today’s program is called, What Does It Mean To Be Holy? Let’s turn to First Peter. You know, the scripture says, Holiness, without which no man will see the Lord. And also, God said, Be you holy, for I am Holy. So we should consider very seriously what it means, since God requires holiness from us, we need to know what it means to be holy. 1 Pet 1:15-25, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am Holy. 

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit (This is how we purify ourselves) in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever, because, all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and it’s flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the Word which by the gospel was preached to you. Let’s turn to 1 John 1:1-10, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. Chapter 2, verses 1&2, My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. The Apostle Paul said, I exercise myself daily to have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. So if there is an offense; if we commit an offense against God, or against a brother, or a sister, if we are walking in the light, the light exposes that, and we deal with it right away; we go to God; we ask His forgiveness; we confess our sins; we don’t keep it quiet; we confess our sin to God; we confess our sin to our brother or sister, and they forgive us, and God forgives us, and He promised that He would cleanse us by the precious Blood; the Blood of His Son Jesus Christ washes us; through faith in His shed Blood, we are washed; we are cleansed of that sin. That is walking in holiness. Do you see that?

Holiness does not make you a self-righteous, holier than thou person. God wants you to be yourself. He just wants to take out of your life those things that are evil; those things that destroy you, and give you things that will bless you and make you a blessing to others, like love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and faithfulness. That does not mean you can’t do anything you enjoy anymore. That’s what some of you think. You think, Oh, if I’m going to be a holy person, I’m just going to be religious, and I can’t do anything I enjoy. No, that’s not right. You can do anything God wants or allows in your life. But the day will come, when you want to have some beer, I’m just making an example here, the day will come when you want to have some beer and He might say, Skip the beer this time. Or you want to watch a football game, and He says, Not this time. I want you to read My Word today, and, instead of rebelling, because of the wonderful work He’s done in your heart, you obey Him with joy and you are blessed, and others are too. Another time, He may have you watch a football game with a friend, and one of the players may give his testimony after the game, and your friend will be blessed. Do you see what I’m saying? That doesn’t mean that some people won’t think you are crazy. Jesus’ own family thought He had lost His mind. But you won’t be crazy; you will be the son or daughter that God created you to be, and they will see God's blessing and power in your life, and He will be glorified. Jesus came to deliver us from evil; from the Devil; from sin; from the things that destroy us, to give us life, because He loves us: righteousness, peace, and joy, and a good reward in that day. You’ll still have fun; you’ll still laugh, and cry, and mourn, and rejoice, but you will be God’s, and no longer your own! You will be His servant, and He will direct your life. He will bless you and make you a blessing!

Some people, however, deceive themselves to continue to walk in the flesh and to justify it, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, and saying, “God told me”, or “The Lord is leading me to do this”, when it is really rebellion and deceit in their hearts.

When you start out with the Lord, you’re walking in the flesh, but as you continue with Him in repentance and faith in the Cross: faith in His sacrifice; what Jesus did for you on the Cross, you will learn to deny yourself every day, take up your cross and follow Him. You will learn to walk in the Spirit; to walk as Jesus walked. If you love Him, you will want to please Him and keep His Words, and He will teach you His Word by His Spirit, and lead you to walk in it, and be led by His Spirit in all things. You will not be content with false grace, but He will teach you true grace and the fear of the Lord, and all the promises He has made to those who fear Him will be yours, if you continue with Him. It will not be easy, as He will be leading you in righteous pathways to try you and purge you and cleanse you and break you so that you may be changed; so that you may become holy! Jesus feared and loved His Father in Heaven, and He obeyed Him, even unto death. You will have the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is far more than happiness and fun. The joy of the Lord is your strength. In your presence, it says in Psalm 16, is fullness of joy. Let’s go there. Ps 16:7-11, I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption (referring to Jesus). You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Heb 11:23-26, This is the chapter on faith: the roll-call of faith, as we call it. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. If you want to hang on to the pleasures of sin, you won’t make it. 

If you would rather have the cheap, shallow pleasure of sin over the joy of the Lord in His presence and glory, you won’t be with Him, but you will perish forever. Choose you this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We may have the fellowship of His sufferings now, but we will have pleasures forevermore in His glorious Kingdom, in His presence, serving Him who died for us and loved us and washed us from our sins in His own Blood. Even now, through the Holy Spirit, we have joy and pleasures in His presence. Hallelujah! 

So, what can we do? Let’s turn to Rom 8:1-14, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has 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 did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. That’s referring to water baptism: once we have received Christ and we are born of the Spirit, we are baptized in water; baptized into His death, burial, and resurrection. We are crucified with Him and raised with Him. We are the servants of sin no more but we serve Him in newness of life. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Referring to the First Resurrection of the dead in Christ when He shall return in the clouds of Heaven.) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Verse 4, The righteous requirement of the Law is fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. There you have holiness: learning to be led by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God every day, denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus. How can you follow Jesus? by being led by the Holy Spirit. We must receive the Holy Spirit; be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and then He is going to lead us. He is going to lead us in the Word of God; He’s going to teach us the Word of God; He’s going to lead us in doing it, and as we are led by the Spirit; as we are yielding to the Spirit, we are walking in holiness. Do you see that? He’s not going to lead us to sin. Amen! Thank you Lord. Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Walking in self-righteous religion of man does not work; it does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Jesus drank wine, but He never got drunk. Jesus ate with sinners and conversed with them, but He never sinned. Jesus always did the will of His Father. Jesus walked in love. Love does no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law. This is the key. If you love God, you’re going to want to keep His Words; you’re going to want to follow Jesus. The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The wages of sin: transgression of the Law, is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. 

John 8:31-36, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you continue in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered Him, We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, You will be made free? Jesus answered them, Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.