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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Holiness: (The highway of holiness)

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sonofthunder
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Joined: 2005/3/31
Posts: 419
Son Of Thunder i come from a land down under, due south at the bottom of your work globes

 Holiness: (The highway of holiness)

Let me begin by saying this that many sermons have been preached and many lectures have been given down through the church ages trying to establish and ascertain a satisfactory meaning of what holiness means according to Biblical standards: In fact the typical bible college definition of what holiness means is "seperation from sin" or "seperate to sin" therefore to be holy by (definition) is to be pure in body and spirit! Now Few would argue or contest that to be incorrect or wrong...least of all (myself) But as i gave further consideration and pondered what holiness means. It began to dawn on me that holiness speaks of God's absolute wholeness! As God cannot be anything other than perfectly whole in every way. In fact (verily) Paul told timothy if a man does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our lord Jesus Christ, then that man is a proud man, knowing nothing. The scriptures tells us that God is so pure and wholesome he cannot bare to look upon sin: His eyes cannot behold iniquity! So whilst i still hold to the traditional view of holiness as it relates to "seperation from sin". I have come to the conclusion of late That God's character encompasses everything that is pure, good and wholesome. God is complete and flawless in all his attributes (Amen!) And wholesomeness is something that goes (part n parcel) with any message that proclaims - the message of holiness.

Even satan himself scripture says was perfect in beauty until iniquity was found in him.
He was A covering cherub that possessed great wisdom! But that wisdom was corrupted by reason of his own brightness and he fell when his heart was lifted up. Jesus said these words of satan " I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" Indeed he fell, and has continued to fall ever since - the next fall being cast down into the earth, then after that occupying a bottomless pit for a thousand years and then released for a short season again - but only to fall again into a lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (You can read the whole account in ezekiel 28)

But moving away from that: We read in the word of God that holiness is spoken of as a highway of holiness which God beckons all his children to walk upon and enter there-in! As many sadly choose a broad way and wide gate which leadeth to destruction! The book of Hebrews informs us that the pleasures of sin are but for a season! And when that season ends! You need some new thing or to fill the void and keep it going over and over again. We read that Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to ENJOY the pleasures of sin for a season. An Extremely wise decision by the man of God! Moses was described in Hebrews as being faithful in all his house! Indeed Moses esteemed the riches of Christ (to be far greater) than all the treasure vaults found in the land of Egypt.

Many Years ago i came across a little gospel tract which was written by a well known tent evangelist of the sixties and this tract was called: "Holiness or hell" - our choice! And at the time as i pondered and perused this little tract ... i thought to myself this is what the church needs to hear ...in fact this is what i need to hear (i thought) as it was both provocative and confronting. As We all need a healthy dose of the fear of God from time to time!And we all need a spiritual reality check, and we all need to be fine tuned by the spirit of God (whom the Lord loveth - he chasteneth)

The great warrior Joshua before beginning his journey into the promised land was admonished by the Lord: Saying Do not deviate Joshua from this highway of holiness ...observe to do according to all my law: Turn not from it neither to the right hand nor to the left hand. Stay on the path of righteousness and it will be well with THEE O' Joshua! thou Son of nun, thou chief commander and leader of the armies of the living God!!!

The son of God Jesus began his ministry by preaching the most classic sermon of all time known to us today as "the sermon on the mount"
And out the many great truths that were delivered on that day their was (a beattitude) that said: Blessed are the pure In Heart for they shall see God. Notice the emphasis on the words (IN) Heart (from the heart) As one can have the external garments of righteousness - and yet be inwardly (POLLUTED). Jesus said this was case with the pharisee: They made the outside of the cup CLEAN but (within) part (the inner part) was filled with hypocrisy and excess. This enabled them to go under the radar as it were - being PASSED off as righteous men... (but the truth) was - they were anything but righteous men! On the outside yes they appeared moral and clean - But on the inside of them was rotting great decay. This was borne out to be a tru thing when many years after christ's death - we see the jews persecute righteous men such as peter, stephen, and paul. In fact the jews assualted the house of Jason and lay in wait to slay paul. These jews were full of inner strife and malignancy (and yet for all still maintained the veneer of outward righteousness)

It would be true at this juncture in the message to say that many people judge themselves to be holy based on their OWN morals! Morals mind you that are based upon (external seperation) from vice and overt outward sins! Or a life that is not given to substance abuse such as tabacoo, alcohol, gambling, promiscurity. etc.

But Over in marks gospel we read something very fascinating Jesus told the jews and elders of Israel that there is nothing from WITHOUT entering into a man that can defile him: But the THINGS which come out of him, defile the man. For From WITHIN proceed evil thoughts, coveteousness, evil eye, murder (hate), deceit, pride foolishness, theft. etcetera.

THESE EVIL THINGS COME forth from (within) and defile the man. Now this is definitely (in keeping) with what ive discussed thus far ...as a person can so self decieve himself by not making provision for the flesh (and being moral) but underneath lurks evil thoughts, pride, foolishness, deceit, the evil eye. etcetera
( but with the inner parts of him being defiled )

But going back now to the sermon of the mount: Jesus admonished the new testament believer that unless OUR righteousness exceed that of the scribe and pharisee; we shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. The apostle paul TOUCHED on this regarding his OLD LIFE as a pharisee "As touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Interesting comment there (about being blameless by the law) blameless yet over in the book of acts and chapter nine we read this: And saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Doubtless paul was still a pharisee then and blameless according to the letter of the word...but circumcision is not that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but that which is circumcision from the heart, in the spirit, and not in letter. (hmmm)(powerful truth) Paul blasted the jew in romans saying because of you the name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles....for not the hearers of the law are justified in Gods sight - but the doers of the law. James says similiar: be ye doers of the word and not heares only, decieving your ownselves. John says silimiliar: be not decieved he that DOETH righteousness is righteouss, even as he is righteous!

The pharisee made this error: He began his quest for holiness by (first) starting from "with-out" and thus what he did was eliminate all outside pollutants and contaminants. And when this was accomplished he believed himself to be holy and accepted! That is (After) he had chopped off and cut out ...all of the... outward corrupting influences ...that were in the world. ecetera.

And Personally in my humble opinion for what it's worth the way i read Matthew chapter 23 Is once the pharisee achieved outward purification (but in doing so neglected cleansing of the heart) he stopped his journey - as it were! And measured himself by all the things he no longer did. Have you ever met people who are very much into the self applauding of themselves regarding the things they don't do? the absence (of) addiction and absence of avarice? " I don't do this and I dont do that, they calmly and reassuringly assert. I dont have any bad habits in my life they say! But as some one recently said - morals can be defined as (ones own convictions) based on right or wrong - in his or her eyes! But not necessarily measuring up to the standard as set out out - by the good book)


But going back to this issue of outward morals or outward righteousness their is a story of (2) men who went up to the temple to pray: The one a publican and the other a pharisee: The pharisee congradulated himself and stood praying to himself "I thank thee that i am Not as other men Lord - and that i am not as them publicans that do all those terrible things in the world:
Extortion, unjust, skirt chasing, or even alas as this profligate publican (over there) who in vain (i'd imagine) is hoping God will hear his prayer! And Lord need i remind you of all the things i do.

~ I fast regularly ~ I contribute: I so self sacrifice, and i avoid all of the the overt and gross sins of the world! unlike that publican over there...

And Whilst this was going with the pharisee confidently asserting his position with God... meanwhile the publican was off in the corner on his knees repenting and asking for mercy! And would not so much as even lift up his eyes toward heaven - but smote upon his breast!

Now wither of the two that day went to his home justified ?? I tell you the low-down profligate publican went home justified on that day! And not the confident pharisee - Who with contempt of heart and spirit condemned the publican who was on his kness - begging for mercy!

You see The pharisee's as we all well know would not so much (as even) eat with sinners or publicans. When Jesus had a woman pour out expensive perfume (ointment) weeping at his feet and washing his feet with her tears of repentance all's the pharisee could do was watch with big eyes and criticise! Saying " Now if this man was truly a prophet he would have known what manner of woman this is... for she is a sinner"

Jesus responds by saying though this womans sins are many - she is forgiven. For since i came into the house thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she with tears of remorse hath washed my feet and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this woman since i entered the house hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Jesus goes on to say: Her sins though they are many are forgiven her: For she loved much: But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little! The pharisee thought he had little (in life) to be forgiven of ...seeing that they were already clean on the outside!! Remembering how we just read a moment ago of a man (who had no sins) in his own eyes - and went home (not) justified!

Blessed are the pure IN heart! On the INside!
Anybody can pass off as a righteous man if he has a code of conduct (or) code of ethics and lives a diciplined life of self denial...but, but, but.

Is he "pure in heart"? and from the heart?
Did he begin his journey by cleansing (first) that which is within? That the OUTSIDE of them may be clean also! But if i could just harking back for a moment to this thing of "going under the radar" Jesus said this from the same chapter (matthew 23) " Even so ye also OUTWARDLY APPEAR righteous unto men, but on the INSIDES tells another story which is not so pretty (as loads and loads of muck and all manner of hypocrisy is present) JESUS was quite scathing OF IT ALL because no one suspected (ANYTHING WAS UP) due to the veneer of the outward morals! He said ye are like graves men walk over - having no idea of what they have just trodden upon (Let's move on)

We all know the account of the prophet Isaiah who had a great vision of God sitting upon the throne!And of the seraphims (who with covered face) cried: Holy Holy Holy is the lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory! And upon seeing this (great open heaven) he laments to himself " Woe is me" - for i am undone and a man of unclean lips! You see when you have A divine revelation of this highway of holiness God desires it brings with it an exposure of dark rivines and the hiddden caverns of the heart! (as with the prophet)! And all of the impurities of the heart that need to be flushed out and vanquished ...are laid bare... before him that cannot - so much as - look upon sin.

And finally im reminded of a passage from timothy that dovetails with the theme of todays message: And is from one timothy "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith UNFEIGNED"

A pure heart mind you - that is not galvanized or tarnished with a (feigned faith) of outward righteousness having only the outward cup and platter clean. The apostle paul said this at gatalia (FALSE BRETHREN came in unawares privily to spy out our liberty WHICH WE HAVE in Christ Jesus) people who feign brotherhood are in pretence having a cloak of outward righteousness!!

In closing: We all need to reminded and put in remembrance that (with-out holiness no man shall see the Lord) And Holiness which with-out no man shall see the Lord. "God's name is holiness" and he is the personification and embodiment of everything that is wholesome and just. You say How can i possibly come up to that standard which is so flawless and complete? And to stand before him that demands such things? By the righteousness that is found in Christ and the sanctification which is BY the Spirit ...that's how !!

And by beginning your journey on the highway of holiness (by first) cleansing that which is with-in! From the inside/out...and not the reverse (operandis modi) position! As was proven to be the error of both scribe and pharisee.

How then can i know if i am on this highway:
(of holiness?)

There are seven ways you can know this highway


1.You are changing daily into his image
2. By daily offering up your body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God - and by not being CONFORMED to this world
3. You bear fruit - and not works of the flesh
4. You walk in love and refuse hostilty
( for all the law is fulfilled in one word: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self )
5. You endure and persevere: Counting it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.
6. You are diligent to add to your faith all the things listed in 2nd peter chapter one to ensure you never fall ( 2 pet 1:5-8 )
7. Make sure you have things that accompany salvation (as spoken from hebrews 6:9) "But beloved, we are persuaded of better things of you! And things that accompany salvation. These Hebrew christians had works that were shrouded in labours of love. The highway of holiness is a life that lays down it's life for others and just flat out refuses (i mean refuses all hate and hostility towards others)...as those things will surely poison your heart and your spirit - in time. The Jews sadly justified there hostility against Jesus, stephen and paul - but thereby walked in animosity and even hate. How sad!

Now if a man thinks this message is not on the level of how it was back then and how it can be today - then i challenge you to consider the warning that was given regarding false prophets from matthew chapter seven who come to us dressed in sheeps clothing - but inwardly ( theirs that word again) but inwardly they are ravening wolves.


_________________
Bro Stephen

 2008/10/6 1:16Profile





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