In The Beginning - The Transcendent God

Over the next few Sunday's I want to explore this great truth of Holiness. I want us to pick it up out of the dust, where it has been trampled, misunderstood, and degraded. I want to with God's help show us how to MAKE HOLINESS GREAT AGAIN.

Several months ago we had a man running for the office of president of the United States of America, who ran with the slogan, "Make America Great Again." He outlined some things in our history that made us a great country, and gave some ideas and steps he was going to take to, "Make America Great Again."

Well I'm not running for any office, I don't have the money nor the talent of now President Trump. And I most certainly do not agree with all of his conclusions as to the making of our country great again.

I do however have a Bible, I do however have a mind and a heart that God has given me to read, to understand, to recognize the truth. And there are some things that I think definitely need to be done to MAKE HOLINESS GREAT AGAIN.

Now there is nothing wrong with "Holiness" itself. The problem is with people's perception and idea of what holiness is. This is something I want to change, not only here but as far as my influence will reach with the help of the Holy Spirit. I want to make HOLINESS GREAT AGAIN.

The Idea of "holiness" is expressed in various and sometimes confusing ways. Nearly every Christian including Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches have some theological doctrine of "holiness." Many relegate it as optional or for a privileged few. Others view it as a bump in the road along the Christian's life, or see it as a legalistic set of rules for life, behavior, and attire. Still others find it a most attractive and glorious experience that benefits both the receiver and those around him.

When one begins to think about what the doctrine of holiness is, one needs to go to the source.

It is human I supposes, and customary to look to Wesley for the doctrine of holiness. But we need to understand - John Wesley did not invent, create, or even define holiness. God did. We call ourselves, "Holiness people" our church chose the name back in the 90's of "The Bible Holiness Church" We call our Bibles "The Holy Bible" we say, "God is holy." But what does all of that mean? What is holiness? What does it mean to live holy? Is it even important? Why do people think immediately of women with long dresses, and buns on their heads, staunch and unbending, narrow minded who constantly rebuke people for swearing, drinking, and partying?

In growing up I though entire sanctification was to use a direct quote, "A preserver" like in the olden days when they would put a layer of wax on top of their jams and jellies to preserve them. That when one is sanctified he now has the preserver. That it would keep you. The only way you could go through the persecution or through the fire was to be sanctified holy. Using prime examples as Peter and the other disciples before the day of Pentecost.

I also heard people describe sanctification as that which would take away all anger, angry stirrings in the heart, bad attitudes, and outbursts of anger. While some of this is true and I can agree with, some of this supposes that entire sanctification takes away all human emotion and makes us robots. An issue we will deal with in a later sermon.

I've heard people quote those verses, "this is the will of God even our sanctification." and "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." and "Jesus suffered without the gates to sanctify his people with his own blood."

All of which are powerful verses. But Holiness and sanctification is far more than a New Testament idea. It was not invented by Paul or Peter or even on the Day of Pentecost.

I am going to build this sermon series - Make Holiness Great Again upon a three legged stool - You need all three of these legs or it won't stand properly -

1.) The first leg in making holiness great again is to gain a proper perspective of the Holiness of God.

2,) The Second leg in making holiness great again is to gain a proper perspective what holiness is

3.) The Third leg in making holiness great again is to gain a proper perspective of how God makes unholy men holy.

These first couple of sermons will deal with this first leg of the stool - Gaining a proper perspective of the Holiness of God.

To really get at the heart of holiness and its meaning one has to start at Genesis. In these first couple of sermons I am going to do a survey of holiness throughout the Bible. in the first couple of sermons we want to look at where it all started.

Read Genesis 1:1 and Psalm 99:1-3

In the Beginning - The Holiness of God. - See Holiness of God

The First words in the Bible begin with an astounding statement. "In the beginning God."

Now while God takes his time to get around to teaching in explicit terms about holiness. He does start with the uncomprehendable concept of God. There are many attributes of God found throughout the Bible, in fact, in God's introductions and teaching us of himself he often reveals some new attribute of Himself. Such as with Abraham, when he was going to sacrifice Isaac, he reveals himself as Jehovah-Jirah the God who will provide. What seems to be the overarching umbrella like attribute that, governs all other attributes, or at least that they fall under is the Holiness of God. What is the Holiness of God? This is a question - that I struggle with trying to answer, because there are no real human answers that fully deal with this concept.

They say that when Leonardo DaVinci painted his famous Last Supper he had little difficulty with any of it except the faces.

Then he painted the faces in without too much trouble except one. He did not feel himself worthy to paint the face of Jesus. He held off and kept holding off, unwilling to approach it but knowing he must. Then in the impulsive carelessness of despair, he just painted it quickly and let it go. "There is no use," he said. "I can't paint Him."

I feel very much the same way about explaining the holiness of God. I think that same sense of despair is on my heart. There isn't any use for anybody to try to explain holiness.

We as fallen people, cannot comprehend absolute perfection. All of our perfect things have some kind of flaw in them. They put out the latest vehicle models. My how they shine, sparkle, bedazzle and cause people to drool, dream, and drop hundreds of dollars to ride around in the latest styles. But just give it a few months or a year, and the they become outdated and old. Last year's model.

We have to think of the holiness of God in human terms, but we can't describe it. When we think of God being holy, we sometimes think of him being pure. "Purity doesn't describe it well enough. Purity merely means that he is unmixed…but that isn't enough. We talk about him being morally excellent, but that isn't adequate. To be morally excellent you have to exceed someone else in moral character. With God there is no one else, God certainly excels morally all created beings, but that is not enough. "

"God is not now any holier that he ever was. He did not get His holiness form anyone or anywhere. He is Himself the Holiness. He is the All-Holy, the Holy One: He is Holiness itself.

"The holiness of God is active…it incites all that He does; therefore He is righteous in His ways. Though infinitely holy, He nevertheless maintains a relation to fallen creatures;"

"Holiness is the standard, the "what" as love is the "how."

"The holiness of God is intrinsic, uncreated, and untarnishable; it is observable in every divine attitude and action."

The Holiness of God is revealed to us in two different ways:

1.) God's Preeminent Latitude - God's Transcendence - Otherworldliness, superiority, preeminence.

2.) God's Moral Rectitude - God's Absolute Moral Purity -

We will only have time to deal with the first of these two this morning.

His transcendence - Or His Preeminent Latitude - otherworldliness, perfection, superiority, preeminence, The Bible mentions verses like: Exodus 15:11 - Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness? This verse is one of the loftiest descriptions of the majesty and excellency of God in the whole Scripture. It is a part of Moses’s triumphant song, after a great victory, It is the first song upon holy record, It casts a look backward to what God did for them in their deliverance from Egypt; and a look forward, to what God shall do for the church in future ages. Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 446. Exodus 15:11 explains that in His holiness God is without peer and awesome—revealed in the marvelous way He delivered Israel from the Egyptians. "There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God" (1 Sam. 2:2) "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isa. 57:15) As Moses was writing the accounts of Genesis & Exodus, no doubt he was reading them to the children of Israel. God is trying to reveal himself to them. He does this by saying those gods of Egypt: The sun god Ra - he doesn't even compare to me he is only the god of sun and fire. I said let there be a sun and it came into existence, I picked it up and hung it out there in judt the right place to provide light, warmth, and energy to earth - which I also created. As the songwriter said, TRY TO SING

"There's no god compared to Thee oh God, No not one, No not one There's no god compared to Thee oh God, No not one, No not one. " Getting back to our second passage I read this morning - Psalm 99 verses 1-3 deal with this idea of God's transcendence. Verse 1 - He sitteth between the cherubims Verse 2 - He is high above all the people Verse 3 - Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. Notice how God is placed out of reach Between the cherubims - a place where only the high priest could go once a year - He was high above his people Praise this name great, awesome, and holy Notice how God fixes this - while God is holy - far above all others, A God like no other - He bridges this gap. Look at verse 5 - Worship at His footstool - the footstool was an integral part of the throne. - it shows that while God is august, and unapproachable - he approaches us - he allows us to come to Him. When I could not get to Him - HE CAME TO ME!!! Look at verse 8 - Thou forgavest them, though thou took vengeance of their inventions. They had to reap what they sowed - but you forgave - all one needed to do and needs to do is cry out to God in repentance and in a moment of time - God says "I will turn again." "I will come to you." Is there something in your life? a hidden sin, something you feel condemned over? We will gladly pray with you in a moment if you need it - But you don't have to wait that long - Call out to Jesus - He will forgive. But not only does he provide that - He sent His only begotten on - And on the cross - the wrath of God - this HOLINESS was SATISFIED!!! Jesus paid the price - God has made every advance toward us - he had bridged every gap, drawn near to us, and draws us near to Him!!! But then When Jesus came he promised he would go away and send another Comforter. On the Day of Pentecost a few thousand years ago - that is exactly what Happened. They were gathered together in an upper room, in one place in one accord and suddenly the atmostphere changed, and Someone was in the room with them doing a marvelous work among them. Just as Jesus promised -

John 14:16-18

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Think of this a Holy God - a Transcendent God - a God who is above, lofty, inhabits eternity, THIS GREAT GOD CONDESCENDS TO MEN OF LOW ESTATE _ TO PEOPLE LIKE ME AND YOU.

BROKEN AND FALLEN AND IN NEED OF GRACE AND GOD AND GOD SAYS - HERE I AM - COME TO ME

I WILL WASH, I WILL CLEANSE YOU, I WILL HELP YOU

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU, I WILL GUIDE YOU INTO TRUTH

I LOVE YOU!!!