GOD REQUIRES HOLINESS: Hebr 12:14; 1 Thess 4:7; Ephe 1:4; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 Peter 1:14-16, 20220703Last week, we learned about Carnal and Formal Christianity, and that a Carnal (sexually or worldly) Christian and a Formal (having an appearance, but false) Christian is heading to the lake of fire.  We want to read some of the passages that we could not touch on and move on the next topic on our journey to What Is A True Christian? Those who have realized that carnal and formal Christianity will lead them to the Lake of Fire, seek the opposite.  Those who have fully surrendered their lives to the GOD’s Holy Spirit will yearn for GOD’s Holiness, and that is today’s lesson – GOD Requires Holiness from each Christian.

“But my prayer is that GOD would so work by His Spirit as to make blind eyes to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that there would be mourning over it, for this is our only hope.  Oh, how our hearts should cry to the LORD for the truth of His WORD that appeals not to our fleshly desires or to our fleshly emotions, but to that which cuts off our flesh and lays us bare before GOD in confession and repentance!  We should cry to Him to so work in our hearts by His Spirit, that holiness of thought, word and action would characterize our hearts and lives.

This false teaching of carnal Christianity has so permeated our churches that no one ever questions his/her interest in Christ, no matter how he/she lives.  People are told that if they have believed, that is all that is necessary, and therefore all is well with their souls.  But the Holy WORD of GOD declares no such teaching; in fact our JEHOVAH TSIDKENU, the LORD GOD our RIGHTEOUSNESS declares just the opposite! 

For we read in

Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men/women, and HOLINESS, without which no man/woman shall see the LORD.” 

Yes, holiness must characterize our daily lives,

For GOD hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. Amen! (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

According as He hath chosen us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Amen!
(Ephesians 1:4). 

Again, He “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling” (2 Timothy 1:9).

Our EL-SHADDAI, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is the same One Who says we must be

Obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 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. Amen! (1 Peter 1:14-16).

Our warning text from Galatians 6:8 declares the same thing.  GOD would have us to understand and not to be deceived about this false teaching, that no matter what false preachers and teachers say about it:

“Whatsoever a man or woman soweth, that shall he/she also reap.” 

Beloved, if we sow to our flesh, we shall of our flesh reap corruption.  I don’t care how many professions we have made or whose church we may belong; we cannot mock GOD!  He is no respecter of persons.  Everyone who sows to his/her flesh shall of his/her flesh reap corruption.”[i]

And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth His WORD, in him verily is the love of GOD perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.  He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6) Amen!

Notice that this passage does not speak of knowing ABOUT Christ, but of KNOWING Christ in a relational sense.  This kind of knowledge can only come from the experience of a personal relationship with Christ as a member of the same Holy Family. 

Our LORD Jesus will not be deceived by a little cloak of outward Christianity.  The heart is the seat of true Christianity, and the true Christian is the Christian in the heart! The heart is the real test of a man or woman’s character.

For as he/she thinketh in his/her heart, so is he/she: eat and drink, saith he/she to thee; but his/her heart is not with thee. (Proverbs 23:7)

It is not what a man/woman SAYS or what a man/woman DOES which reveals himself/herself to us.  He/she may say and do things that are right, but because of false and unworthy motives, his/her heart is altogether wrong.