Read Hebrews 12:1-3, 14
The Christian world is not overly big on holiness. We see calls to holiness as an affront to our independent lifestyle and our self-styled sovereignty. In the vernacular of the day, we simply don’t want others telling us how to live our lives. We want to call the shots. We want to be in charge. But isn’t that the same
In Hebrews 12:14 we are commanded to make every effort to be holy. The Greek word for ‘make every effort’ means to impel or to be zealous about something. Our passionate desire is to be holy in every aspect of life. We are warned that without holiness no one will see the Lord. There are no ‘buts’. There are no exception clauses. God is no respecter of persons in this regard. You and I cannot appear before God and say something like, ‘But Lord my case was different.’ Without holiness NO ONE will see the Lord.’ Christianity across the western world has largely degenerated to a ‘religion’ where we get our spiritual fix on the Lord’s day and live as we please throughout the week. The Christian businessman continues his on-line affair. The young female believer continues to lie with no conscience. The middle aged couple continue to gossip and slander the leadership at their church. The cry for holiness must be heard. We have more Christian information and preaching at our finger tips than the Christian world has ever had yet our lives are largely parallel to the lives of non believers.
How then can we grow in holiness? Hebrews 12:1-3 encourage us to throw off everything that hinders and to remove the sin that so easily entangles. We are encouraged to run with perseverance the course the Lord has marked out for us. The key though comes in verse 2. We fix our eyes on Jesus who gave us our faith and who will perfect it. We model Christ who endured the cross, scorning its shame for us. We consider Christ (vs 3) who endured such immense opposition from sinful men, again, for us. Hebrews 12:1-3 should never be read out of context. Hebrews 1-11 clearly spells out the love that Christ has for us and the great work He accomplished for us at the cross. It is out of such committed and selfless love that the call for holiness oozes.
This section in Hebrews makes it clear that progressive holiness is not, and can never be, a ‘To Do’ list. If that’s all it is, we will always remain in the shallow waters of holiness with sin lurking in the deep recesses of our lives. Progressive holiness flows out of our positional holiness. It is an outflow of our relationship to Jesus Christ. As we grow in love for Jesus Christ we will grow in desire and motivation to be holy. As we understand more of what it cost Jesus to make us positionally holy, we grow in desire and motivation to progress in daily holiness.
Calls to holiness within the church should always be accompanied by the love of Christ and our current standing in Christ. We should never simply rebuke or correct without also speaking of Jesus love for us personally. This is the love that motivates and produces real change from the inside out.
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
.Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that your Session would be composed of men who are holy and righteous. Pray that these men would love the Lord so much that they spend much time in His presence.
When you read the Word remember that you listening to the creator God of the universe. It is not someone’s opinion or theory. It is God Himself speaking to you.
1. How can you personally help the church to grow in holiness?
2. Some people argue for situational ethics, that is, the rightness or holiness of our actions is determined only by the immediate context we find ourselves in. How do you refute this biblical nonsense?
3. The world argues that what is right or holy for me may not be right for you. How do you respond to this?
Intro: Sometimes mums and dads give their children a list of things to do. How do you feel when you are given such a list? Being holy is far more than just a To Do list. It’s something that flows out of the new heart we’re given.
Discuss the time that you came to know Jesus as your Lord and received that new heart. How did it change your desire to be holy?
Read Jeremiah 31:33
When was the new covenant set up and by whom?
What does God promise us in this new covenant?
How does this affect our desire to be holy?
Pray together that God would give you a growing desire to be holy.
Intro: Do you own a battery operated toy? What is it? That toy will not work without good batteries. Our holiness is much the same. We cannot and will not be holy without a new heart. God is the one who gives us that new heart when we become a Christian. What do you think makes a person a Christian?
Discuss the time that you came to know Jesus as your Lord and received that new heart. How did it change your desire to be holy?
Read Jeremiah 31:33
When was the new covenant set up and by whom?
What does God promise us in this new covenant?
How does this affect our desire to be holy?
Pray together that God would give you a growing desire to be holy.
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