The Pursuit of Holiness

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Short Summary
The discourse explores the biblical concept of holiness, emphasizing that Christians are called and predestined to be holy as part of the body of Christ. It highlights that holiness involves both a divine provision through Christ’s sacrifice and an active, ongoing personal pursuit grounded in reverence for God, supported by scripture, the Holy Spirit, and fellowship. Ultimately, holiness enables believers to be useful in God’s service and to maintain close fellowship with Him, requiring diligent practice and focus on both major and minor aspects of sanctification.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse on Holiness

Purpose and Context of the Discourse
– The discourse centers on reflecting together about the concept of holiness, a core Christian doctrine.
– Sharing personal thoughts and vulnerabilities about holiness is seen as a fellowship privilege.
– The term “holy” is not commonly embraced as a personal descriptor because it is strongly associated with God’s perfection and exaltation.

Meaning and Biblical Foundation of Holiness
– Holiness means being exalted, worthy of complete devotion, reflecting God’s perfect goodness and righteousness.
– God is the ultimate image of holiness, making it challenging for believers to consider themselves holy.
– The Bible commands believers to be holy because God the Father is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”).
– Holiness is central to the Christian walk and practice of faith.

Greek Words for Holiness in the New Testament
– Three main Greek words are translated as “holy” in English Bibles:
1. Hagiazo (Strong’s 37, 38, 40) – The most common word, meaning to sanctify or be made holy; used extensively (over 200 times).
2. A word used in 2 Timothy 3:15 referring to the “holy scriptures” or sacred writings.
3. A word used about eight times implying pious or dedicated hands (e.g., 1 Timothy 2:8, Hebrews 7:26, Revelation 15:4).
– Examples cited:
– 2 Timothy 3:15 – Scriptures are “holy” because they guide to salvation.
– 1 Timothy 2:8 – “lifting up holy hands” in prayer.
– Hebrews 7:26 – Jesus described as “holy and undefiled” high priest.
– Revelation 22:11 – “Let the one who is holy keep himself holy.”
– 1 Thessalonians 4:3,7 – God’s will is sanctification (holiness), abstaining from impurity.
– 1 Corinthians 1:2 – Believers are called saints or “holy ones” through Christ’s sacrifice.
– Ephesians 1:1,18; 2:19 – The church and believers repeatedly called saints (holy ones).

The Church and Believers as Holy
– The church is holy by God’s appointment; believers are sanctified through Jesus’ sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10).
– Jude 1:1 describes the church as “sanctified by God and preserved for Jesus Christ.”
– Ephesians 1:3-4 states believers were chosen before the world’s foundation “that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”
– Holiness is both a position (made holy) and a pursuit (commanded to be holy in conduct).

The Call to Imitate God and Pursue Holiness
– Ephesians 5:1 calls believers to be “imitators of God” – like a child mimicking a parent.
– Matthew 5:48 commands, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
– Holiness involves a lifestyle transformation reflected in behavior and conduct.

Why Pursue Holiness? Benefits of Being Holy
– 2 Timothy 2:19-21 – When one cleanses oneself, they become a “vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” Holiness makes us serviceable to God.
– Hebrews 12:14 – “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Holiness is essential for closeness and fellowship with God.
– Psalm 15:1-2 – Holiness allows one to dwell in God’s presence, walking with integrity and righteousness.
– Holiness enables fellowship with God now and prepares for eternal service and blessing (Reprint 3280).
– Two primary benefits:
1. Being available and useful for God’s service now and in the future.
2. Having close fellowship and interaction with God.

Challenges in Pursuing Holiness
Challenge 1: Overcoming the High Standard and Sense of Unattainability
– Because holiness is associated with God’s perfection, believers may feel unworthy or incapable.
– Personal failures and the ongoing struggle with sin (Romans 7:20 – “the very thing I do not want to do”) can discourage.
– The motivation to pursue holiness should be reverence and desire to please God, not mere self-effort or winning a battle against sin alone (2 Corinthians 7:1).
– Reliance on the Holy Spirit and Scriptures is vital.
Challenge 2: Dealing with the “Small Stuff”
– While major sins are rejected, smaller sins or mismanagement of God’s resources (like time) can undermine holiness.
– Colossians 3:5-10 distinguishes between former sinful behaviors and ongoing renewal in the image of God.
– Ephesians 5:15-16 encourages wise living and making the most of time.
– Small foxes (Song of Solomon 2:15) can spoil holiness if neglected.

How to Pursue Holiness: Practice and Discipline
– Romans 6:19 – Presenting ourselves as “slaves to righteousness” results in sanctification (being made holy).
– John 17:17 – Jesus prayed for sanctification through the truth of God’s word.
– Psalm 19:9 – Keeping one’s way pure by obeying God’s word.
– The pursuit of holiness requires consistent practice, study, and application of God’s word.
– God provides all necessary support: Holy Spirit, Scriptures, fellow believers, and chastisement to grow (2 Peter 1:3).
– The Holy Spirit aids understanding and commitment to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

Conclusion and Encouragement
– Believers are called and predestined to be holy as part of Christ’s body and bride.
– Holiness is essential to please God and be useful in His service.
– The pursuit of holiness is the essence of the Christian walk and must be approached with reverence and dedication.
– The speaker prays for God’s blessing on all efforts toward holiness for His glory.

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Key Bible Verses Mentioned:
– 1 Peter 1:15-16 – “Be holy, because I am holy.”
– 2 Timothy 3:15 – “Holy Scriptures… able to make you wise unto salvation.”
– 1 Timothy 2:8 – “Lifting up holy hands.”
– Hebrews 7:26 – Jesus as “holy and undefiled.”
– Revelation 22:11 – “Let the holy keep himself holy.”
– 1 Thessalonians 4:3,7 – “Sanctification: abstain from sexual immorality.”
– 1 Corinthians 1:2 – Believers “sanctified in Christ Jesus.”
– Hebrews 10:10 – “We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus.”
– Jude 1:1 – “Sanctified by God and preserved for Jesus Christ.”
– Ephesians 1:3-4 – “Chosen to be holy and blameless.”
– Ephesians 5:1 – “Be imitators of God.”
– Matthew 5:48 – “Be perfect as your Father is perfect.”
– 2 Timothy 2:19-21 – “Cleanse yourself… vessel of honor… sanctified.”
– Hebrews 12:14 – “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
– Psalm 15:1-2 – “Who may dwell in your holy hill?”
– Romans 7:20 – Struggle with sin.
– 2 Corinthians 7:1 – “Perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
– Colossians 3:5-10 – Putting away old self, living renewed in God’s image.
– Ephesians 5:15-16 – “Make the most of your time.”
– Romans 6:19 – “Present your members as slaves to righteousness.”
– John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by your truth.”
– Psalm 19:9 – “Keep your way pure by your word.”
– 2 Peter 1:3 – “He has given us everything for life and godliness.”
– 1 Thessalonians 4:7 – “Called to sanctification, not impurity.”

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Summary:
The discourse provides a deep, scriptural exploration of what it means to be holy, emphasizing that holiness is both a divine gift and a command. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy, made holy through Christ’s sacrifice, and enabled by the Holy Spirit. Holiness is essential to fellowship with God and service in His kingdom. Challenges in pursuing holiness include overcoming the perception that holiness is unattainable and addressing the “small stuff” that can undermine sanctification. The pursuit of holiness requires continual practice, study of Scripture, and reliance on God’s grace. Ultimately, holiness is the essence of the Christian life and a pathway to pleasing God and fulfilling His purpose.

Transcript

It is always a privilege to share what one’s thinking, and this is really the purpose of our fellowship, is to enjoy each other’s thoughts and share what one is thinking, and one of the privileges of serving on the platform is really that is to think out loud with you all and be vulnerable about thinking out loud on something that has spoken, struck our hearts, and that’s this idea of being holy, and I don’t know too many people that go around telling people that they’re holy.

Right. It’s not something you naturally go out and say that you’re holy. I am holy. Brother Comey. How does that come across?

Not quite nice, and I thought, but why? Why is that? Because, again, spoiler alert, this whole discourse is about the fact that we are to be holy. We are to be holy.

And so the idea of the pursuit of holiness is really the gem behind what we’re trying to talk about is what it means when it says that we should be holy. We have scriptures that says we should be holy because the Father is holy, and that’s a really high bar, and we’ll talk about that, and so we’re hoping that this discourse engages you a little bit in thinking through what it means to be holy. For us as Christians, the word holy is central to our faith.

It is the practice of our faith, essentially. Generally, our belief is that God is very much reflected in the way the word is defined. The word holy is defined. In other words, God is exalted. If you look up the word holy, it means to be exalted, worthy of complete devotion, because God is perfect in goodness and righteousness.

Everything about God is holy. When we think of holiness, God is likely the image that comes to mind for us, and it helps us to define that word holy, which is exactly why we feel. Feel very sheepish and uncomfortable thinking of ourselves as holy. God is the ultimate image of holiness.

It is therefore not surprising that we find it difficult to be expected to be called holy. In part, our association of the word holy with God makes it difficult to make it a label that we would want to go by easily. For instance, like I said, not too many of us would want to be introduced as holy, Brother so And so, if anything, we retreat from that impression because we, again, can’t imagine that standard. This is where the question started for me is the Scriptures talk about being holy, and yet we find it difficult to consider ourselves holy. It’s not necessarily just humility.

I think it’s just there’s a reticence in general, and I fear at Least for myself, I fear that that reticence begins to create an excuse for not wanting to be holy if you let it, and I know that’s not necessarily what you all are doing. What does it mean then for us to be holy? Is it vital to our Christian walk to clarify the scripture that says we should be holy? We think it is.

The Scripture says holiness is what we are called to do when we look at how the Scriptures use the word holy, because again, we deal in translations, right? And there are several words that are translated holy. So we have to be. We have to parse that a little bit and declare what what we’re talking about. While the word in the English language means a certain thing in our conjecture, there are in fact three different Greek words that are translated holy in our English translations.

And again, these are things that you’re familiar with. There is the word used in second Timothy 3:15 that talks about the Holy Scriptures. Paul uses the word to describe the Holy Scriptures that Timothy grew up learning when he said in 2nd Timothy 3:15 and from thy childhood you have known the sacred writings or holy scriptures which are able to give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Now, this word is only used twice. This particular Greek word is only used twice in 2nd Timothy 3:15 and 1st Corinthians 9:13.

In 1st Corinthians 9:13, depending on the translation you look at, it’s either sacred services or all holy things it talks about. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services or holy services eat food of the temple? Again, that’s a scripture you might be familiar with. Now the second word that’s translated holy in the New Testament is one that’s used about eight different times, and it has a sense of being pious.

It’s not the most common word used to translate to denote holiness. The word when used by Paul again in Timothy, has this sense of holy hands. We have a text in 1st Timothy 2:8, 1st Timothy 2:8, where Paul is asking men of various ecclesias to pray, lifting up holy hands and pray with pure hearts. That he uses that same word in Titus, Titus 1:8, where he talks about the qualities of an elder, includes being holy, and this is strong 37, 41. So that’s another word that’s translated holy.

But this same word is used to describe our Lord as describe the Lord as a high priest who is holy and undefiled in Hebrews 7. In Hebrews 7:26 we have the same word used to describe our Lord as a holy holy Priest, a high priest, holy and undefiled, and then finally in Revelation 15, verse 14, that same word is used to refer to the heavenly Father, where it talks about you alone is holy. So this is again, we have two Greek words here that are used to translate, to refer to things or people as holy. This, the third word, is the most common that’s used, and one that we’ll see most commonly used, whether in the verb form or in the noun form or the adjective form.

And that’s strong 37, strungs 38 and strongs 40. These are words that you. I think it’s used over 200 times in various ways to refer to holiness in the New Testament. Let’s start with Revelations 22:11. In Revelations 22:11, the words used twice, one in the adjective form, and then lastly in the verb form, says 22:11 Revelations chapter 22, verse 11.

Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy, and let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy, and obviously, the last two words, holy there is the word that we’re talking about, and that strong’s 37 and strong 40, and that word is hagiazo or hagios. We’re not going to try to pronounce the Greek words because Greek is not my primary language.

And so that’s the extent of my Greek. You just, you just got in. First Thessalonians 4, first Thessalonians chapter 4, reading from verse 3. This particular word, the more common word used to describe holiness, is the same word that we refer to as sanctification. Now, you all will find it easy to say we’re being sanctified, and that just means we’re being made holy, as it were.

And this is the word that you will find most commonly used in the New Testament. First Thessalonians 4. First Thessalonians 4, reading from verse 3, says, for this is the will of God, your sanctification. That’s trunks 38, that is that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own vessel, sanctification and honor, and then when you jump down to verse seven, it says, for God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification, in holiness, basically, so that he rejects this.

So he who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives his Holy Spirit to you. Again, same word every time Paul opens his letters. When Paul writes, every time he opens his letters, he use this word to refer to the brethren. For example, in 1st Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians 1, verse 2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified holy again in Christ Jesus saints or holy ones by calling with all who in every place call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. So in that opening, Paul uses that word twice to refer to the brethren, the ones who have been sanctified, and the saints or who are holy by calling, to paraphrase it says unto the church of God at Corinth Paul is saying the ones that are made holy in Christ and called holy ones.

He uses this word holy nine times in Ephesians as an example, and mostly to refer to the brethren in Ephesians 1:1 Ephesians 1:1 Paul to the saints or the holy ones who are at Ephesus. In Ephesians 1:18 it talks about what are the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the saints or the holy ones, and in 2:19 he talks about so then you are no longer strangers or aliens, but you are fellow citizens with saints or the holy ones, and are of God’s household. To me, the very least of the saints he refers to himself in Ephesians 3:8. So this word is very commonly used to refer to the brethren in the writings of the apostles.

Paul is talking about the body members of Christ. Paul is talking about the body members of Christ, the bride of Christ, and he calls them saints, all holy ones, holy brethren, a holy nation. Evidently. In 1 Corinthians 1:2 we are made holy through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Also in Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:10 by this will we have been sanctified.

We have been made holy through the offering of the body of Christ once and for all.

That’s a lot of scriptures. So we’re going to pause there and say that these three words, when pulled together, define what it means to be holy, what holiness in the New Testament is all about. Notice especially how we as Christians are relentlessly referred to as holy, relentlessly qualified by the word at least two out of the three words for the most part. Most importantly, notice how when holiness relates to us, it is in the same sense that it is used of other things pertaining to God. One conclusion we can draw is that we are of God, obviously, and for us to be of God, we have to be holy.

We have been justified our told in Romans 5:1. As a result of that justification, we have peace with God, and we have this entrance into his presence. Well, that’s the essence of our holiness, because it’s all through the agency of our Lord’s sacrifice. Jude puts it well in the first verse of the book of Jude.

Here he refers to the Church as ones that are called Satan, sanctified by God and preserved for Jesus Christ. We are sanctified or made holy as God’s beloved. In that first verse of Jude. You will notice some translations likely would say beloved by God the Father. Or we believe the tone is more that we are beloved with the love of a Father.

The Heavenly Father considers us a prized possession. We are made holy brethren. We are made holy. Paul confirms this in Ephesians 1, Ephesians 1, 3 and 4, and this is more like from the dialogue, it says, blessed be God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

We think the conclusion of our thoughts so far, and this text sort of summarizes it, is that we are chosen. We are chosen as a body before the foundation of the world. We are predestined as a body to be holy. The Church has to be holy to be the bride of Christ. Now we have work to do to be part of that bride.

By this scripture and others, we have scriptural evidence that the Church is in fact holy by God’s appointment.

But in First Peter 1 Peter chapter 1 15, we are told to be holy. If we are made holy as a body of Christ, the Church is made holy as we said. Why? The command to be holy as expressed by Apostle Peter. So what does Peter mean in 1st Peter 1:15, 16 where he says, but like the Holy One who called you be holy yourselves also in your behavior, because it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.

Now, other texts, such as Ephesians 5:1, says, to be imitators of God. In other words, we need to behave in a certain way to be imitators of God. Matthew 5:48 says, Be perfect as the Father is perfect. This suggesting the same thing. It’s a call to some action.

The body of Christ is holy in its makeup, because that’s how it has to be to be the bride of Christ. The members have to be made holy using God as a parent. To follow, I think is the example where in Ephesians 5:1, the word is mimic. We should mimic God and the image that comes to mind when I think of that is when you’d see a little boy walk around in daddy’s shoes because they want to be like Daddy, right? And it’s the same sense that we have, that we have to be like the Heavenly Father.

We have to mimic it. If you look at the Greek word where it says the imitators of God, it says to mimic God.

Another perspective on the first Peter 1:15 text is that we are to become holy in all manner of conversation. In other words, we are called into holiness, but we have an obligation to maintain it by becoming. By becoming holy, we have a duty to also be holy, and the question is, what can I do? What can I do to make me holy?

Or can I do anything to make me holy? What is my part in making me holy? And what is your part in being holy? This is a rather key question, and this is the part of thinking out loud that I talked about as we were thinking through this. It is important to answer these questions we feel correctly, at least for oneself.

It might, however, be helpful if we take a moment to understand why we need to be holy. What are the benefits of being holy? What are the benefits of holiness such that we pursue being holy? We have come to appreciate that we are called into holiness. We have obligations to be holy.

But what are some of those benefits such that I should know what my responsibilities are so that one can attain to those benefits of holiness? Understanding these benefits would motivate us to begin to understand how the obligations of our sanctification line up. So let us quickly look at some benefits that we find. I’m sure you will find more than we’ve been able to line up here. Second Timothy chapter two, second Timothy two, especially verse 21.

But we’ll start with verse 19. Second Timothy two 19 says, nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands having this seal. The Lord knows those who are his, and everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness. Now in a large house there are not only goats. Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some of honor, and some of dishonor.

Verse 21. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, being made holy, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Being holy makes us available for use in the Lord’s service. Our call and walk are to the end that we are useful that we are useful for the work of the kingdom, and to glorify the Father’s name. That is the big picture in reprint 3280 reprint 3280 says the object God, in calling out the Gospel church and providing for the consecration or sanctification of its individual members, is a grand and worthy one, which is not just to become partakers of divine nature, but to also be joint heirs with Christ, and together with him bless the world during the day of judgment.

This is the primary aspiration of the members of the church, that we are to be available we are to be made available and used for this glorious work of Christ’s kingdom. That work begins now in being part of the edification of this body of Christ. I think it speaks to the stirring of one another unto love and good works. This primary aspiration of the church for this glorious work is one that we have committed to in our consecration.

But we are available for the Master service even now, and it is predicated on it is predicated on us being holy in the way. Therefore, one benefit of holiness, we would conclude, is for us to be serviceable. Hebrews 12 suggests an even very basic benefit of holiness. Hebrews 12:14 reads, Pursue peace with all men and sanctification, which is the word holy, without which no one will see God.

Reading this in the NIV might be a little clearer. This is again, Hebrews 12:14 says, make every effort to live in peace with everyone and be holy. Without holiness no one will see God. Without holiness no one will see God. God will not be made evident.

God is always there. He doesn’t go anywhere. He’s always where he is. But our ability to perceive him comes from our sanctification.

As the psalmist said, who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, he shall receive the blessing from God and the righteousness from God, his salvation.

That’s our sanctification. Psalm 15 is even more explicit. Psalm 15, verses 1 through 5, but we’ll only read the first two verses. It says, o Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell in your holy hill?

He who walks with integrity and works righteousness, and speaks truth his heart.

In a way, Psalm 15 would suggest that holiness affords us habitation in the Father’s sanctuary in his tent. Again, pursuit of holiness, without which no one can see God, as Hebrews 12 says, is one of the great benefits that we have in understanding our being sanctified. Our Being made holy and the need for us to be holy. Holiness affords us interaction with God, and it is safe to say without this interaction we have, we’re in no shape to be of service to the Master.

So we should summarize. There are two important benefits here. First is to allow us to be able to be available for the Lord’s service now and in the future. Second is to afford us this interaction, this closeness, this fellowship with the Heavenly Father now and in the future there may be more. I trust that you will find those other benefits of holiness.

We must touch on two challenges, two challenges in the pursuit of holiness.

Now we can easily identify with holiness being predestined. In other words, the idea of God making the body of Christ holy, that’s easy for us to grasp and identify with. God can make us holy, and this is an easy concept to understand, but that we need to and can do something. We need to be and can do something about our holiness.

That’s where we are a little shaky, at least for me, was a little less assured. Now, earlier in our thoughts, we mentioned the association of holiness with God, and so that sets it at a really high bar, and as such, we view it as almost unattainable. This idea of being holy seems unattainable.

However, every scripture, most scriptures that we’ve read, said we have to be holy. It’s a condition of our consecration and the work of our sanctification, and so really the thought here, as I was thinking through this, is one has to get comfortable with being holy, because then once we know that it’s attainable, not because I’m going to do it, but because the Heavenly Father has set that up for us, then we should be able to embrace what it means to be a holy. Now the scripture says no one is good, so how can we be holy? That’s a challenge.

That’s really the first challenge in the pursuit of holiness is getting over this barrier of what it means to be holy. We know we are sinners, and Paul tells us in Romans 7 very clearly, remember that verse 20 where he says, I’m doing the very thing I do not wish. Right? These are the struggles of our humanity.

Personally, for me, it’s. You get one gets upset when you find yourself in such situations where you kind of do the dumb stuff and you’re like, when will you learn? How long is it going to take for you to mature from this dumb stuff?

And you then worry about whether these personal failures means it’s impossible for you to attain to this prize. But Notice that it’s all about, I did the dumb stuff, I need to be holy, I got work to do, I got this to do, and it becomes really a very egocentric state of mind to be in. I’m concerned when I feel that way. I’m concerned about winning a battle over sin, as if I’m in a contest of some sort and I’m eager to win.

We’re sort of built to do that as human beings. You want to achieve something, you strive for it, and you achieve it. I right, without a doubt. Many would agree that I can’t alone win the battle against sin. We know that.

And with the desire to overcome evil, that’s not something you do alone. We need to rely on the agency of the Holy Spirit and definitely the comfort and the power of the Scriptures that we fellowship and study on. In addition, the focus should be not just on what I’m doing wrong, the focus should be on whether or not I’m pleasing the Heavenly Father. I think when we take that focus away from the eye and look at the Father, then we’re beginning to understand this need to be holy as something that’s attainable and one that’s compelling, absolutely compelling for us. This is the first element of our thinking that needs adjustment.

The idea that we do away, the idea that what we do away from holiness will displease the Heavenly Father would be the motivation to strive to be holy. That should be our first and primary motivation and not our ability to win and beat sin on our own. 2nd Corinthians 7:1 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit. Perfecting holiness in the fear care of God. Perfecting holiness in the reverence of God.

When our focus is on the Heavenly Father, then the work that we do in the course of our sanctification is rightly focused, as opposed to I wanting to get something done. Our work and our pursuit of holiness must be focused on the reverence of the Heavenly Father. As we focus on what pleases the Father, the more we are assured of attaining to the holiness that would allow us to interact with him and be available for his good work. We said there were two challenges. The second challenge in the pursuit of holiness is really in the small stuff.

And those who are old enough, and I count myself old now, those who are old enough will remember the book. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all small stuff. I see some heads nodding.

Well, we have to sweat the small Stuff, you know, the idea is to look at the big stuff, and I think there’s truth to that philosophy of paying attention to the big stuff, and don’t sweat the small stuff, but we are to sweat the small stuff in the pursuit of holiness, in the work of our sanctification.

It calls to mind very quickly, and this is a scripture you’re familiar with, songs of Solomon 2, 15, that talks about the little foxes that ruined the vineyard, the little foxes. In Colossians 3, Paul seems to separate the small stuff from the more obvious egregious sins, and I hadn’t looked at it this way, but thinking about this, this scripture comes to mind in this way where there is a separation of things, and Paul separates the evil that men do into two different categories.

@ least we think he does. This is Colossians 3. Colossians 3, starting with verse 5, says, Therefore consider the members of your earthly bodies as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil, desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked when you were living in them, but now.

But now you also put them aside. Anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices and put on the new self who is being renewed in the true knowledge according to the image of the one who created you, who created Him. It is as if Paul in verse five is saying, our flesh is dead to these big, obvious evil things that amount to idolatry. Once we’ve made our consecration, we don’t.

There are certain things we just don’t. We don’t rob the banks anymore. We just don’t do that. Right. That’s not the life of a Christian.

However, there are still some things that are small stuff. They’re maybe not as egregious as robbing the bank, but they’re small stuff that we have to contend with in the walk of our sanctification. At least that’s how we’re viewing what Paul is saying here. These might have been part of our former lives, these things that we don’t contend with anymore, you know? And you could see where the Pharisees were able to say things like, yeah, we don’t do that kind of stuff.

There are just some things that doesn’t comport with being a Christian. However, doesn’t mean we don’t sin. Doesn’t mean we don’t have things to work on. I think that’s the idea, is to focus on those small stuff and be able to work on them.

So the real foxes could then be in the ways we spend our time, the little foxes, the way we spend our time, or what we do with the stewardship of the Lord’s resources in our trust, which includes our time. These are not outright evil activities. But how we spend the Lord’s resources, such as time, can be contrary to the Heavenly Father’s will and might undermine the work of our sanctification or the holiness and our ability to be useful for his service.

Ephesians 5:15 says, Therefore be careful how you walk. Not as unwise, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. By now we appreciate that we are called in holiness. We are called to holiness as a group, as a body of Christ, we are predestined to be holy and made holy.

It is obvious, then that we derive holiness from God through our Lord, but we are also told to be holy, and that we have an obligation to make ourselves or put ourselves in a place that allows us to be in that process. Going back to Peter 1st Peter 1 reading verse we read 15 and 16. But reading verse 17, it says, if you address as Father, the one who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay. Honor.

So then, how do we pursue holiness? What is our pursuit of holiness? Brethren, we think it’s practice, practice, practice.

Romans 6:19 says, I’m speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification, or being made holy. For when you were slaves to sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore, what benefits were you then deriving from the things which you are now ashamed? Which you are now ashamed, for the outcomes of those things is death.

But now, having been freed from sin, enslaved to God, you derive benefit resulting in sanctification, the outcome. The outcome, eternal life. Paul makes this simple. We were enslaved to sin, and it was not productive for us. So Paul simply suggests that we change our master and be enslaved to God, and we are richly blessed.

Simple enough. Simple enough. But we really need to learn from the Scripture. As the starting point of a pursuit of holiness, it is hard to practice and develop this habit of holiness, which is the will of God, without first understanding what that will of God is. It is to this end that the Lord prayed that we be made holy or be sanctified by the Word.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. Make them holy in the truth, so to speak.

Psalm 19 and we’re getting to the end here. Psalm 19:9 says, how can a young man keep his way pure? Question mark by keeping it according to your word. The last thing to really consider the last thing to consider in the pursuit of holiness is that we are we have ample support provided to us as we strive to be holy. We know that God allows us to have various experiences as a father.

He allows us to be chastised in ways that allows us to grow as we strive against sin. Being a faithful father, he has provided more than adequate support system for us. We’re given the Holy Spirit for the purpose of our sanctification. We’re given the truth. We’re given the brethren, this cloud of witnesses to help us through the work of our sanctification.

In second Peter 1:3 we’re told that God has given us everything, and I emphasize the word everything, that he has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness that we may attain to the standards that he was that he wants first. Thessalonians 4:7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So he who rejects this is not just rejecting man, but God who gives His Holy Spirit to you, the Holy Spirit. Finally, brethren, is given as an aid in our pursuit of holiness. The Holy Spirit opens up our blessed minds to appreciate this need for holiness and helps us to understand God’s requirement for holiness.

We are all in the school of Christ, and our pursuit of holiness is a primary discipline to which we should wish all a successful certification to that effect. In closing, brethren, we are called in holiness. We want to be holy to please the Heavenly Father and be available for his use. We must study to know the will of God for our sanctification, and we need to practice, practice, practice, practice.

He has given us the Holy Spirit to know and accomplish all things he has willed for us. The pursuit of holiness is the essence of our walk in Christ, and we pray that the Lord bless your efforts and your strivings in the Lord’s vineyard. May your pursuit of holiness be to the Father’s glory, and may the Lord add His blessings.

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