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Basic Training 5: Holiness and Sanctification 3/25/07
Ephesians 4.7-16 Allen R. Hunt Mount Pisgah
Just 1 in 3 Christians believe God wants us to be holy – 1/3 of us
High percentage say faith has had little impact on their lives – limited effect on behavior
Explains why Christians so often look like the rest of the world – divorce rates, addiction rates, bankruptcy rates nearly equivalent

3 Things Most Christians Don’t Believe
1) We don’t believe in our destiny
(Eph. 1.4; 3.17-21; 4.13; John 17.19; 1 Cor. 1.2; Romans 6.22; 8.29; Lev. 19.2; 1 Peter 1.16; 1 Thess. 4.3-8, 11-14; 5.23-24; Matthew 5.48; 19.21; Hebrews 5.14; Phlp. 3.12-14, 21)
Contrary to what you may think – evidence of the Bible regarding your destiny is clear
Remember what we have learned in this series – sin and depravity, free will and predestination, salvation and redemption, sufficiency of Christ
Today – destiny = holiness and sanctification

Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt. 5.48)

For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8.29)

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3.18)

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3.17-19)

$3 word – sanctification – but it is our destiny
Saints – holy ones – Romans, 1, 2 Cor, Eph, Phlp, Col
Set apart – for God
Holy – godly – mature – perfect
If you do not believe that is your destiny – first you deny the words of Jesus and Scripture, and second, you will never get there – cannot go somewhere you do not expect to go – first have to see the future

But most of us do not really believe in that destiny because
2) We don’t believe in God’s promise and power

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified… (1Thess 4.3)

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. (1Thess. 5.23-24)

Lot of us don’t really believe that we are capable of being made different, new
That we can become better, more holy
But God’s promise is sure and true
To deny that is to deny the power of the cross
To deny the power of the Holy Spirit
To deny the power of God who spoke you into existence in the first place
Process or event, whatever, just let it happen

3) We don’t believe we are capable (NIV Matthew 5.48 footnote)
Don and his 6-year-old granddaughter, Sarah, of Buffalo, enjoying cider and doughnuts on Reformation Day.
Don said, "Sarah, I wish you didn't have school tomorrow so you could go to church with me and Grandma."
Sarah asked, "Why are you going to church tomorrow, Grandpa?"
"Because it's All Saints' Day," he replied.
"But Grandpa," she said, "we're not saints, we're Lutherans."

Lincoln used to say, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
And the same is true for holiness – most believers are as holy as they want to be
“I’m as holy as I want to be.”
Reason a lot us are not growing in holiness – because we do not want to
We like our old habits, we are comfortable with our lives
And a lot of us want to sell God short
Say that ‘God loves me just like I am’ – ‘I’m good enough’
‘Me and God, we have a deal worked out’ Or ‘This is just the way I am’

So, how do we do it?
Seek the heart of GOD: devotion (1Thess. 5.19)
Got to be near the flame – throw no wet blankets on Holy Spirit in your life
Methodist methods – what they are – ways to encounter the Holy Spirit of God
Your methods, your habits will become your character and your destiny
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

When you see Jesus, you see a holiness pattern that is intolerant – of selfishness
As He casts money changers out of temple – men doing commissioned currency exchange for pilgrims coming to worship – Jesus intolerant of those whose focus is to exploit others

When you see Jesus, you see a holiness pattern that is intolerant – of arrogance and pride
As He rebukes His own followers who would prevent children from coming to Him because they have the mistaken view that adults are more important than kids

When you see Jesus, you see a holiness pattern that is intolerant – of position
As he leaves the wise and the wealthy rulers to place a healing hand on a leper

When you see Jesus, you see a holiness pattern that is intolerant – of all that is unholy
As the crowds gathered and flocked to him, as they clamored to Jesus, “Show us God,”
As they desired to gain something, “Jesus, do this for me,”
Jesus picked up His cross, looked them in the eye and said, “Follow me”
Avila – Fix your eyes on the crucified Jesus and soon nothing else will have much significance
A heart devoted to God

Remember: Goal is growth and progress towards holiness not comparison to other people
Am I more holy now than I was when I became a believer?
Am I more holy today than I was last week?

Seek the will of GOD: obedience (Phlp. 3.12-15)
Joint venture with God
Work like it all depends on you, pray like it all depends on God – and things will work out nicely
It is going to take effort on your part – when God asks you to do something, do it
Obedience will be required
But you are in this with God – the effort is yours, but the power is God’s
Your destiny is clear – if you will step out to receive it

I’m a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit Power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed; my present makes sense; my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer and labor by power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. and when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me …. My banner will be clear!
(- written by a young African pastor and tacked on the wall of his house)