Holiness
Don’t slip back into old ways of sin. Remain holy unto God.
The desire for holiness will cause you to sacrifice the pleasures of the flesh and the world.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. —Matthew 13:47-50
In this parable, Jesus is describing the kingdom of heaven. The net is cast into the sea and collects sea creatures of every kind. After coming ashore, the good and bad were separated. In like manner, the kingdom of heaven is shared with many people around the world. And many people will come to Jesus, the church, etc. At the end of the world, the angels will come and separate the just from the wicked.
1. God drew you. The just and the wicked will be separated, but the beauty of this parable is that the just and the wicked are gathered together. The wicked has an opportunity to become just.
Leviticus 11:44-45 – For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
1. To sanctify is to set apart. The Lord called the children of Israel to sanctify themselves. To sanctify is to set apart from something or someone. It is a conscience and moral decision to separate (and cleanse) one’s self from sinful and defiling actions, people, and situations. It is a commitment to the ways of God.
2. Be holy as I am holy. The Israelites were called to holiness. He wanted them to duplicate His character and nature. As we receive a similar call to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15), we should also consider God’s character and nature. God forgives. He is patience and kind. God doesn’t take advantage of others or mistreats them for His own purposes. He is not selfish or inconsiderate of others. God is love (1 John 4:7-8).
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto.com/camptown
Luke 8:14 – And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Many believers are affected by the thorns of life. The cares, riches, and pleasures of this life chokes out a life wholly dedicated to God.
When people are more concerned about the riches and pleasures of this life, they are not concerned about their afterlife and how they prepare for it. They are only concerned about the here and now, pleasures which satisfy the soul, but not spirit. Though the believer produces fruit, it cannot grow to perfection. It does not have the proper setting (within the heart, mind, or soul) to mature. It will be lacking, unable to meet its potential, and short of the standard it was always meant to meet.
In order for us to enjoy fruit borne to perfection, we must be able to cast off the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life that were once the object and affection of our hearts. We must be able to delight in the Lord and allow Him to be our joy and reward.
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Luke 11:33-35 – No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
1. Your eyes are never satisfied.
Proverbs 27:20 – Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Your eyes will never get to a point where they don’t want to see things. You hear a noise; you want to see what it is. You may find yourself constantly glancing around wherever you travel and watching everything in your surroundings. You like to see stuff.
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