Embracing Holiness: A Journey of Growth and Purity

Devotional

Day 1: Holiness as a Journey of Transformation

Holiness is not about achieving perfection, as only God is perfect. Instead, it is about progress and growth in our spiritual journey. We are called to mature in our faith, striving to be closer to Jesus each year. This growth is what God desires from us, as we are called to be transformed by His word and spirit. Holiness is a continuous journey of becoming more like Christ, where each step forward is a step towards spiritual maturity. It is about allowing God's transformative power to work within us, shaping us into vessels of honor that reflect His glory. [04:33]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you feel God is calling you to grow closer to Him this year? How can you take a practical step towards that growth today?

Day 2: Holiness as a Relationship with God

Holiness is about relationship, not rules. It is about building a deep, personal connection with God, where our actions and lifestyle reflect our commitment to Him. This relationship is nurtured through prayer, worship, and community, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's love and grace. As we draw near to God, we begin to understand His heart and align our lives with His will. Holiness becomes a natural outflow of our relationship with Him, as we seek to honor Him in all that we do. [05:23]

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally deepen your relationship with God this week? Consider setting aside specific time for prayer or worship to nurture this connection.

Day 3: Holiness as Freedom from Sin

Holiness is about liberty, not legalism. It sets us free from the bondage of sin and allows us to live in the freedom of God's grace. By embracing holiness, we build a protective wall around our lives, keeping us safe from the enemy's attacks and enabling us to walk in the liberty of Christ. This freedom is not a license to sin but an invitation to live a life that is pleasing to God, free from the chains that once held us captive. [07:53]

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a particular sin or habit that you feel is holding you back from experiencing the full freedom in Christ? What steps can you take today to break free from it?

Day 4: Holiness as Purity in Thought and Action

Holiness is about purity, not just virginity. It calls us to live a life of purity in thought and action, resisting the temptations of the world. Our private sexual practices are a reflection of our relationship with God, and we must strive to maintain purity in all aspects of our lives. Purity is a heart posture that seeks to honor God in every area, recognizing that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. [54:18]

"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." (1 Corinthians 6:18, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you guard your heart and mind against the temptations of the world? Consider practical steps you can take to maintain purity in your thoughts and actions.

Day 5: Holiness as Restoration and Forgiveness

Holiness is about restoration, not condemnation. If we have fallen, God's grace offers forgiveness and the opportunity to rise again. We must reject the lies of shame and embrace the truth of God's love and restoration, allowing us to pursue a life of holiness and purity. God's grace is sufficient to cover our past mistakes and empower us to walk in newness of life, free from the burden of guilt. [59:39]

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you need to experience God's forgiveness and restoration? How can you embrace His grace and move forward in holiness today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we delved into the profound topic of holiness, exploring its multifaceted nature and its significance in our lives as Christians. Holiness is not about achieving perfection, as only God is perfect. Instead, it is about progress and growth in our spiritual journey. We are called to mature in our faith, striving to be closer to Jesus each year. Holiness is not a set of rules but a relationship with God, where our actions and lifestyle reflect our commitment to Him. It is about liberty, not legalism, as it sets us free from sin and aligns us with God's will.

We also discussed the importance of standards, which are not mere rules but markers of our spiritual quality and growth. These standards help us maintain a life that honors God and distinguishes us from the world. Holiness is about both the external and internal aspects of our lives, affecting how we present ourselves and how we cultivate our inner spirit. It is about modesty and distinction, recognizing the unique roles and identities God has given us as men and women.

Furthermore, we explored the critical issue of sexuality, emphasizing that holiness encompasses our sexual conduct. God's design for sexuality is within the bounds of a monogamous marriage, and any deviation from this is considered idolatry. We must guard our minds and bodies against the pervasive influence of pornography and sexual immorality, which can corrode our souls and hinder our relationship with God.

Holiness is about purity, not just virginity. It calls us to live a life of purity in thought and action, resisting the temptations of the world. Our private sexual practices are a reflection of our relationship with God, and we must strive to maintain purity in all aspects of our lives. If we have fallen, God's grace offers restoration and forgiveness, allowing us to rise again and pursue a life of holiness.

Key Takeaways

1. Holiness is about progress, not perfection. It is a journey of growing closer to Jesus each year, maturing in our faith, and striving to be more like Him. This growth is what God desires from us, as we are called to be transformed by His word and spirit. [04:33]
2. Holiness is about relationship, not rules. It is about building a deep, personal connection with God, where our actions and lifestyle reflect our commitment to Him. This relationship is nurtured through prayer, worship, and community, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's love and grace. [05:23]
3. Holiness is about liberty, not legalism. It sets us free from the bondage of sin and allows us to live in the freedom of God's grace. By embracing holiness, we build a protective wall around our lives, keeping us safe from the enemy's attacks and enabling us to walk in the liberty of Christ. [07:53]
4. Holiness is about purity, not just virginity. It calls us to live a life of purity in thought and action, resisting the temptations of the world. Our private sexual practices are a reflection of our relationship with God, and we must strive to maintain purity in all aspects of our lives. [54:18]
5. Holiness is about restoration, not condemnation. If we have fallen, God's grace offers forgiveness and the opportunity to rise again. We must reject the lies of shame and embrace the truth of God's love and restoration, allowing us to pursue a life of holiness and purity. [59:39]
** [59:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:07] - Opening Remarks
[00:30] - Prayer and Invitation
[01:32] - Introduction to the Topic
[02:19] - Vessels of Honor
[03:08] - Holiness and Perfection
[04:58] - Holiness and Relationship
[06:22] - Standards and Convictions
[07:38] - Holiness and Liberty
[09:11] - Holiness for Men and Women
[12:57] - Modesty and Distinction
[15:26] - Holiness and Protection
[28:23] - Holiness and Sexuality
[41:48] - Holiness and the Mind
[53:21] - Virginity and Purity
[59:39] - Restoration and Forgiveness
[66:19] - Encouragement and Prayer

Sermon Clips

Holiness is not about perfection because we can't be perfect like God is perfect. Perfection for us means becoming mature so it's not about perfection it's about progress. God is perfect we are growing toward perfection so um if if you are a new Christian and you've come to GPC and you're part of what God is doing here. [00:03:08]

Holiness is not about rules it's about relationship a lot of people think if you talk about holiness it's about you know you're kind of met in the door of the church with a rule book how many of that you that happened to you when you got to GPC somebody passed you a rule book in the foyer and and they said you got to keep all these rules anybody no of course not that would be ridiculous because holiness is not about rules holiness is about having a relationship with God. [00:04:58]

Holiness is not about legalism it's actually about liberty when you serve God holiness puts a wall between you and the enemy puts a wall between you and sin and lets you walk in liberty we put fences around things we value uh you put a fence around your yard maybe to keep your pet in the yard when you let it run around because you value your pet. [00:07:38]

Holiness is about women it is but it's also about men I've heard an awful lot of holiness teaching in my life I've been around the church for 138 years I'm 57 years old I've seen everything in the wide wacky world of Pentecost you couldn't do anything in this church that would scare me or make me nervous because I've seen it all I've been around a long time. [00:09:11]

Holiness is about monogamy but it's also about idolatry it's about being in a monogamous marriage relationship and we teach that we stand for that but it's about more than that it's also about idolatry see the Bible affirms human sexuality as God's gift sex is given as a source of pleasure and shared intimacy between husband and wife. [00:28:23]

Holiness is about your body we've talked about that already but holiness is also about your mind it is one thing for our young people to keep God's command wait until marriage to have a physical sexual relationship but can I please be honest with us this morning in today's online virtual world there's even more at stake the distinction between the world and so-called Christianity is quickly evaporating. [00:41:48]

Pornography is designed to accomplish only one thing and that is sexual gratification outside the marriage relationship that is the very activity the Bible forbids and the Bible only has one word for fornication which by the way comes from a Greek word pornea and pornea is of course the root word of pornography it's not just fornication when you cheat on your spouse physically in a hotel room with somebody else. [00:44:18]

Holiness is about virginity we teach our young people you be a virgin on your wedding night you walk with your head held high and you walk proudly I'm a virgin but holiness is more than virginity it's also about purity we already said this yesterday we need more than rules of modesty we need a spirit of modesty but can I tell you we need more than rules of purity. [00:53:21]

If you have made mistakes in this area if you have failed in this area maybe before you became a Christian or maybe since if you fail you please hear me there are two lies about sex that we have to combat two lies our culture gives the impression that sex outside of marriage is no big deal that's lie number one sex outside of marriage no big deal so we don't need forgiveness it's no big deal. [00:59:39]

Holiness isn't just about what you wear holiness is about who you are holiness is about what you're watching holiness is about what you're doing on your computer and yes you can erase your browsing history but only the great white throne judgment is going to actually erase anybody's browsing history God can pull it all up. [01:06:19]

Holiness is about relationship, not rules. It is about building a deep, personal connection with God, where our actions and lifestyle reflect our commitment to Him. This relationship is nurtured through prayer, worship, and community, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's love and grace. [00:05:23]

Holiness is about restoration, not condemnation. If we have fallen, God's grace offers forgiveness and the opportunity to rise again. We must reject the lies of shame and embrace the truth of God's love and restoration, allowing us to pursue a life of holiness and purity. [00:59:39]

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