The Pursuit of Holiness

I like a GOOD shower… I’m not talking about a rain shower or a baby or wedding shower, I’m talking about hot water, good water pressure, get all the grime off… SHOWER!

Like any one you needed or wanted to hear that info today but hear me out. This last Monday, I had a lot of yard work to do.

The storm the previous day had made a huge mess of the yard. Between the weed eating, the mowing, limbs, etc… it took several hours to complete and it was a very humid day.

On top of all that… the mosquitoes were out in force! Have you ever smacked a mosquito in its process of biting you? Not a pretty thing for sure! So after being tired of offering myself as a bug smorgasbord to the insects of the heartland, I doused myself in bug spray to help keep the bugs away.

So, let’s tally it all up: I was covered in grass clippings, chain saw bits, dirt, sweat, a few blood spots from bug swats, mud, and bug spray. I was a complete filthy mess!

But once the work was complete… it was time for a good hot shower! All the filth gets washed off and finds its way down the drain! As I often say, I was human again… not a character out of a swamp monster show.

And what I love to do most after taking a shower is… putting on the same nasty clothes I had on while I was doing the work… you know, the sweat soaked shirt, the muddy and grass-filled shorts. The white socks that now had to be bleached, the shoes that smell like death. There’s nothing like getting cleaned up and then putting on that old filthy outer covering you can smell a mile away!

THAT WOULD BE CRAZY!!! Such action would completely cancel out the cleansing that took place in the shower! I don’t know anyone who would do that! It just would not make any sense, right?

Yet spiritually, our culture has more than adopted this kind of behavior and church… it is far beyond a dangerous level of tolerance. To be clear… its not so much the world that concerns me regarding this behavior… its the church. And I fear it is happening due to a loss of our healthy fear of the Lord.

What we are going to be talking about is the importance of our pursuit of HOLINESS. We are going to discuss how a healthy fear of the Lord helps to keep us on track in said pursuit.

The world would encourage people to go in a different direction… instead of holiness… pursue happiness. And someone might say “What is so bad about that?” “Happiness” can lead us to what is unholy… to what is ungodly. What the world defines or even our emotions define as “happiness” can be extremely deceiving.

The pursuit of happiness places our feelings in front of our fear and faith in the Lord. It places what we want as top priority instead of what God has for us.

The fear of missing out on what MIGHT make us happy moves us away from that which is holy.

How about in relationships… God’s plan for marriage is one man married to one woman till death do we part. No sex before… keep it in the marriage. Yet 69% of Americans say it is acceptable for a couple to live together even if they don’t plan to get married. 66% of married adults who lived together before getting married say they saw it as a road or pathway to prep for marriage. HOWEVER… stats show that couples who lived together before marriage are 50% more likely to experience a divorce. But if it makes you happy in the moment…

Pew Research Center - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/11/06/key-findings-on-marriage-and-cohabitation-in-the-u-s/

How about in identity… God created us male and female in His image. End of story. However we see a rapid change taking hold that claims gender is not binary. The new view separates a person’s sex from their gender. Their sex is their biological make up and their gender a social construct. If a man is happier while pretending to be a woman or a woman happier while pretending to be a man, then okay… go for it. And don’t you dare stand up and say this is nonsense because if you do, you are discriminating against those who are gender nonconforming. And yet, more and more stories are emerging from people who bought this lie and are now living in deep regret. The damage they have done to their bodies is non reversible. But if it makes you happy in the moment…

How about in the area of personal responsibility… in the area of work. Did you know that work was always a part of God’s plan for His creation? Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden by God to take care of it long before sin entered the picture. Yet where are the workers? Most employers cannot find help. We are losing sight of the value of work in our culture. We don’t know what it means to roll up our sleeves, to pay our dues and to work our way up the success ladder. Instead, entitlement continues to grow. But if entitlement makes you happy in the moment...

Here’s the deal and this is SUPER IMPORTANT that we remember this: all of these things ARE REDEEMABLE by the blood of the Lamb!

Maybe you have got trapped in a pursuit of happiness that led you away from God’s plan… maybe you are realizing this today. First… LISTEN TO WHAT GOD’S SPIRIT IS TELLING YOU AND FIND REDEMPTION IN CHRIST.

Secondly, choose to trade the pursuit of happiness for a pursuit of God’s holiness.

Let’s choose to concern ourselves MORE with what pleases the Lord instead of what pleases the flesh.

God’s ways… are the BEST WAYS. His plan is the BEST PLAN. God wants something more for you than happiness… He wants you to experience a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory! A joy this world cannot take away! A joy that can only be experienced in pursuit of who He is!

So how is this accomplished?

We take a spiritual shower and put on a new covering!

2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV

1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Our cleansing comes from Christ. He not only cleanses the outside, He cleanses the inside as well!

And then comes the pursuit… the perfecting (present active tense) of our holiness. After the cleansing, we don’t run back to the same filth Christ just removed from our lives. Instead, we put on His righteousness and live by His ways.

As we are going to see with our first point today… Holiness is not so much a destination as it is a journey. The key in remaining on this journey is our level of fear and faith in the Lord.

Holiness Defined.

So what is holiness?

I often think there is confusion here… because many people have tried to define what holiness is based on their standard… but man’s standard has nothing to do with it.

Good enough is not… good enough.

This is simply our way of watering down the truth. We try to convince ourselves of a false reality. When someone uses this phrase, they know it misses the standard. They know it falls short. But they hope in a deception that maybe God will overlook their shortcomings.

God WILL NOT overlook sin. If God was in the habit of just dismissing sin, then He would not have sent Jesus. But God chose to deliver us from sin instead… and that is what He does for all who call on the name of Jesus. He brings us back to holiness.

The Bible dictionary would define holiness as “moral and ethical wholeness or perfection: freedom from moral evil. Holiness is one of the essential elements of God’s nature required of His people.”

If we want to see a very real and clear picture or example of holiness, look to Jesus. Look at His life and ministry. Look at His dedication to honor God FIRST in ALL things.

Holiness is rejecting sin and living for God. It is what God created us for.

God did NOT create us for sin… He created us for His glory as seen in Romans 3:23! He created us to be in forever fellowship with Him.

Consider this: Genesis tells us that we were made in the image of God…

Genesis 1:27 NIV

27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

While we do not carry His power or authority or supernatural ability, we have been gifted with many of His attributes such as creative minds, free will, emotions, etc. God created us, in this sense, to be like Him - in His image.

Interestingly enough, it was on this point that the serpent tempted Adam and Eve.

Satan deceived Adam and Eve into believing that God did not want His creation to be like Him and that is why He withheld the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil away from them.

They were already created in His image… how much more like God could they want to be? But instead of adhering to God’s instruction, they took matters into their own hands and found themselves in sin.

And once they realized their mistake… they tried to hide it by making a covering for themselves. Realizing what they had made was not sufficient, they hid from God the next time He was in the Garden.

Adam and Eve were living in a pure world… like nothing we have ever seen. There was no corruption, no evil, no sickness or brokenness. There were no TV ads pressuring them, no culture wars to contend with. There was no secret life on the smart phone or social circles pushing conformity.

Adam and Eve placed their fear of missing out over their fear of the Lord and with that… their pursuit of happiness became more important than remaining in a place of holiness. God had given them perfection… but they chose imperfection and stepped into the filth of sin. And how “happy” did they appear the moment they sinned? They were left in distress!

BUT… God, in His love and mercy, DID NOT LEAVE THEM THERE.

God made for them a new covering… Adam and Eve tried on their own to make their own covering… but it was not sufficient. They needed something new.

This covering would remind them of the price that was paid. This covering was something that God had given them. This covering was sufficient in covering their “shame.”

God… in His love and mercy… is offering all of us something new today. He is offering us a cleansing and a covering that is paid for and sufficient.

ALL of us have stepped out of His holiness. Whatever the label of sin is… we are all guilty as charged. BUT… the good news is WE ARE REDEEMABLE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. None of us are without sin, but the One who was gave His life and offers us forgiveness AND ATONEMENT for our sins.

What is atonement? Atonement is the act by which God restores a relationship of harmony and unity between Himself and human beings! The blood of Christ becomes our new covering - a covering that washes us clean for all sin! We are washed as white as snow!

God has made a way for us to be moved from the position of sin BACK to a position of holiness! He wants to cleanse you and to forgive you of ALL SIN! In Christ, our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west!

The pursuit of holiness is simply the pursuit of life with no sin… life in Christ. It is life that honors God first above all else.

Holiness is not just a position Jesus restores us to… it becomes a desire of our heart that is evident in how we live.

A Life of Holiness.

What does a life of holiness look like? It is a redeemed life that is lived by the ways of the Lord. It is a life that sheds itself of the immoral and corrupt ways of the world and delights in the instruction of the lord.

When we call on the name of Jesus for salvation… it is like we step into a spiritual shower that removes all of the filth and corruption and sin of the world. We are cleansed from top to bottom. Our positional stance to holy is restored.

BUT… what we do next is just as important. Will we throw on the old stinky clothes OR will we live in the new covering given to us by Jesus? As believers, we must choose to act and behave in ways that honor the Lord. Look at the instruction given in 1 Peter.

1 Peter 1:14–16 NIV

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Your daily behaviors and attitudes matter to Jesus! The way we walk, talk, and handle ourselves matters to Jesus!

The grace and love of God is not something we earn with good behavior, but we are not set free in Christ Jesus that we might return to the very thing that had us bound! And the more we bend and the more we compromise and the more we excuse… the more we look and sound like the world… instead of Jesus.

We, the church, the body of Christ, are called to be different. We are called to separate ourselves from the sin and darkness of the world. We are called to be the light and salt of this earth. Jesus has commanded His people… to STAND OUT!

And with that command… came this warning in Matthew 5:13

Matthew 5:13 NIV

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

Salt is something that has multiple characteristics.

One, it is a preservative. It was something used to help extend the life of whatever it was applied to. It helps to stop corruption or decay.

Two, it is a season. Salt helps bring better flavor and enhances food.

Three, it has healing properties. It helps to heal wounds.

Four, it causes thirst. Salty foods cause people to crave something to drink.

Jesus desire for His church to do the same: We are to preserve the world by holy living and through the presenting of the Word, we are to bring hope and peace to an otherwise hopeless and chaotic world, we are to bring healing to the hurting and broken, and we are to lead people to the Jesus, the living water, who will never leave anyone thirsty again.

But what happens when salt looses its saltiness? Church, I fear we are seeing this happen in our land today. Churches are choosing compromise over commitment, performance over praise, feel-good messages over faith-building Word, programs over presence, and attraction over anointing. We are less concerned with being spirit-filled and more concerned with offering the right coffee flavors. WE ARE LOOSING WHAT CHRIST SAYS MAKES US SALTY!

And the effects have been devastating. People are moving away from the faith. And… buckle your seat belts for this one… I contend that this moving away began within the church before it began in our culture.

We have congregations identifying as “churches” that have little to do with God… that concern themselves with making people happy instead of leading them to be holy.

Dare I say that in America… we are seeing Jesus’ warning play out - what good are these compromised houses of “worship” but to be thrown out and trampled under foot?

I get it… per the standards of the world, holiness is boring, restrictive, and can appear out of touch - at least that is what the enemy wants us to believe.

Remember, the enemy has come to steal from you, to kill you and to destroy you… But Christ has come to give you LIFE TO THE FULL. If you want happy… go for holy… FIRST.

The church does not exist to make you happy. I do not preach to make you happy. I do not pray for or believe for what makes you happy.

The church is here to lead you to holiness. AND… for those who choose that pursuit… HAPPINESS WILL COME.

I have found I am MOST HAPPY when the pursuit of God’s holiness comes first! In fact, Jesus said that when we put God first… ALL ELSE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF! That includes your happiness!

Matthew 6:31–33 NIV

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

So let’s not make the mistake of coming under the blood then placing back on the old sin-filled clothes that Christ just delivered us from… lets choose the new covering… the new life. Let’s choose to be holy and act holy.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount begins by talking about… attitudes. Attitudes that honor God. Attitudes that produce blessing in life. Attitudes that are holy and pleasing to God.

Your behavior and attitude matters. Will you choose to pursue holiness in these areas?

Renewed Pursuit.

The choice to renew our pursuit is accomplished by doing what our main text instructs us to do.

2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV

1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The text tells us to first CLEANSE OURSELVES from all filthiness.

Church, this is something we cannot do on our own. Our spiritual cleansing is something that can only come by way of the blood of Jesus.

This morning, we begin a renewed pursuit of holiness by getting ALL sin under the blood.

Maybe you find yourself in a position of compromise or distraction. This is not a moment to condemn you… i is a moment to call you to redemption. We have ALL made mistakes. And the Spirit of God is here to bring you out of sin and back into the glorious light and life of Jesus.

So I want us to bow our heads and to be real this morning: Is there anything you need to make right with God? Have priorities been misplaced? Has your fear of the Lord taken the back seat for other desires?

PRAYER - right where you are… give these things to the Lord right now. Ask for God to forgive you. Ask for God to guide you in your pursuit of His holiness.

NOW… take a deep breath and realize - YOU ARE FORGIVEN! God has cleansed you today.

Step two comes in the form of behavior or attitude change.

Jesus has taken care of the inward change… are you willing to being work on the outward change?

IF you truly want to be happy… then I encourage you to choose holy… FIRST. SEEK GOD FIRST.

Maybe it’s time to rearrange some priorities or behaviors.

If you want a happy marriage, pursue a holy marriage first.

If you want happy family, pursue a holy family first.

If you want happy finances, pursue holy finances first. Yes, God cares about how we handle our money.

If you want happy relationships, choose holy relationships first.

Jesus made clear that God will take care of ALL our needs if we seek His kingdom first AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

So lets put these altars to use. Lets lay down anything that might be coming in the way of our walk with the Lord. Let’s choose holy and Christ-like behaviors and attitudes. Let’s live as God would lead us to live… let’s choose to be holy as God is holy!