Meeting God in Jesus - Session 6: The Holiness of God in Christ

Theme: Jesus reveals that God’s holiness is not separation from us, but His active, transforming power, uniting us to His pure life and liberating us from the power of sin (Sanctification).

Ground Verse for the Series: John 14:9 - “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Key Texts: Romans 6:1-14; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 5:25-27

1. Introduction & Hook (8 minutes)

Leader’s Script: "Welcome back! In our series 'Meeting God in Jesus,' we’ve looked at His love, faithfulness, power, and wisdom. Today, we tackle the attribute often misunderstood: Holiness."

Icebreaker & Discussion:

Ask: "When you hear the word 'holy' or 'holiness,' what image first comes to mind? A perfect person? A list of rules? Separation from the world?" (List answers on the board under .)World's Holiness

Say (The Pivot): Many people assume holiness means God's absolute distance from us. But Jesus shows us something radically different. God's holiness is not what locks Him into absolute pure separateness; rather, God extends His very holiness into our midst as sinners in order to claim us as His own ( )!

Ask: If God is truly holy—perfect and utterly pure—why would we, as sinful people, want Him to get closer to us, rather than stay far away?

This tension is what Christ solves.

2. The Problem: The Slavery of Sin (15 minutes)

The Question of Moralism:

Read Romans 6:1-2 (pg. 942)

Romans 6:1–2 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Ask: Why did Paul need to address this question immediately in the chruch?

the question: im saved by the grace of God, so then i can just sin right? Paul says HELL NO

It arises when people mistakenly view salvation merely as a legal pronouncement (justification) without understanding the necessary, transformative power of God in Christ (sanctification)

it not just God saying you good now and your my friend/bride, but also making you holy, a pure bride

Dying to Sin:

Paul uses the imagery of baptism, stating that believers "died to sin" and were buried with Christ, so that "just as Christ was raised... we too might walk in newness of life" ( ).Read Romans 6:3-7

Romans 6:3–7 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

this is what we saw Joel and Zac testify this last Sunday. that they have died to sin, and are alive in Jesus now.

and any of you who have been baptized, you have made a public declaration that this happend in your life. j

Ask: Paul doesn't focus primarily on what God hates, but on how are we "already dead" to sin? (This introduces the definitive reality of our new life in Christ.

Insight: Humanity is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1) and entirely powerless to save itself ( ). Our will, once owned by sin, must be freed by a power outside ourselves: the person of Jesus Christ

3. The Solution: Christ, Our Holiness (25 minutes)

The Theological Core:

Say: The answer to our struggle is never "try harder." It is always: Jesus Christ is our holiness.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:30 (pg. 952)

“ And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,”

Definition: Our holiness is no more to be abstracted from Jesus Christ than justification or adoption.

Jesus Christ is our sanctification! Sanctification is therefore primarily a gift from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

holiness is not something we need to obtain before we get Jesus. no you become holy the moment you get jesus. that is the moment you become holy

Holiness as Transformation (Mortification and Vivification):

Sanctification is the benefit of our union with Christ ( ) which addresses the pollution of sin, transforming us into the holy image of Jesus ( ).

This transformation involves our continuous mortification (putting our sinful nature to death) and vivification (being raised to new life in Him), realities achieved and mediated by Christ ( ). The death and resurrection of Christ have operative effects in our lives ( ).

Colossians 3:1–10 pg 982

“1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Ask: If you are now a "saint who is united to the all-powerful Creator," why is sin now considered a "grotesque absurdity" instead of just a "moral mistake"?

Answer: Sin is a fundamental contradiction of your new identity in Christ ( )

out new identy takes priourity over everting

The Goal of Holiness:

Read Ephesians 5:25–27 pg 978

“25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

The goal of sanctification is conformance to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29 “29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” )

It means being restored into the perfect image of God and becoming truly and fully human again just as jesus way.

4. Application: Living in the Freedom of Holiness (12 minutes)

The Paradigm Shift:

Say (Synthesis): The core of the Christian life is a paradigm shift. We stop trying to fix our powerlessness with moralism (self-generated righteousness) and instead focus entirely on Christ's holiness ( ).

i know you guys just like me, love people like gogens, and other such people, that stoic metality. flight and be the best, the strongest, the fastest, the best, the richest and so on. that might workd for you body, to get storng and bicips but you can never gain your own holiness, no matter how much you try

Ask: The biblical command is to live holy lives (Romans 6:12 “12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.” ). Why is this command good news, and not a legalistic threat?

Answer: The imperative to be holy is rooted in the indicative reality: God is making you holy because you already are in Christ ( ). The command flows from the accomplished fact.

Practical Outworking of the Shift: 3 ways

In Repentance: When you sin, don't just feel bad or try harder. See the sin as a moment where you stopped trusting Christ's power and started trusting your own ability (self-reliance) or your idols. Repent of that self-reliance/idol worship and rest again in Christ’s finished work ( ). This is why repentance must be understood as self-abnegation—turning from and rejecting our own self-styled righteousness and turing to christ.

In Faith: Faith is the instrument through which we continuously enjoy Christ’s sanctifying presence ( ). We grow in holiness by growing our assurance of who we are in Christ. if you lack faith, that only means you dont know the man who is your faith, that is jesus. read of him, study of him, and let him assure you of who he is

In Community/Sacraments: Our holiness is communal. We are sanctified together (Eph. 4:15-16). The sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper) are visible signs that bring us to participate in Christ’s true presence, which is His sanctifying flesh and blood which are pactecied in community

also we are aromas of life to each other

2 Corinthians 2:14–16 pg 956

“14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?”

Challenge & Closing:

Ask (Challenge): Where this week can you consciously choose to fight sin not with moralism, but with holiness (the joyous pursuit of participating in the new life of Christ)?

Say (Closing): God’s holiness is not a weapon aimed at you, but a gift given for you. It’s the power that transforms you into the very person you were created to be, through union with Jesus Christ.