Sermon: Piety …a sermon about holiness
by Chris Cumming

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter 1:15.

1 Peter 1:15
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

Now go to Ephesians 4:24

Ephesians 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Now to one more verse,

Leviticus 11:44
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:

These verses bring up a number of important questions for the firstfruit Christian.  Among them:

1] What does the word, “Holy” mean?
2] How is God Holy?
3] How do I become Holy?
4] What does it mean, “Put on the new man”?
5] What does it mean, “to sanctify yourself”?

Today we will answer these and other questions as I encourage all of us to be Holy.

Be Holy.

What we are about to do is explore these three scriptures and see what scriptures have linkage.  Doing this will give us insight into the meanings of these verses and the concept of being holy.
 

As: [as he which hath called you]
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1 Peter 5:10 [see sermon, “Stablishment”]
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Notice:
1] God had foreknowledge of us.
2] He called us to conform to the image of Jesus Christ.
3] With the foreknowledge He called us to the Salvation Process.
4] It is in the Salvation Process where we are justified and made holy.
5] Stay in the process and you will be glorified.

Philippians 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 2:12
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

Note: God called us to a process and in that process, you enter a holiness process.  We become holy.

2 Timothy 1:9 [see Lesson]
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2 Peter 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Notice:
1] God is making us holy by His power.
2] He has given and is giving us all we need to become and stay holy.
3] He accomplishes this task of holiness by knowledge, meaning immersion into His Word; the mind of Christ.

2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Conclusion:  God called us to holiness and has given us all we need to develop holiness.

Is: ["God" is holy]
Isaiah 6:3
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Revelation 3:7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Note:  Clearly God has opened the door onto us being holy.

Revelation 4:8
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Revelation 6:10
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Conclusion:  God is Holy.

So: [so be ye holy]
Matthew 5:48 …the last verse of the discourse of chapter 5
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Notice the commentary on the first phrase:

Be ye therefore perfect - The Saviour concludes this part of the discourse by commanding his disciples to be “perfect.” This word commonly means “finished, complete, pure, holy.” Originally, it is applied to a piece of mechanism, as a machine that is complete in its parts. Applied to people, it refers to completeness of parts, or perfection, where no part is defective or wanting. Thus, Job Job 1:1 is said to be “perfect;” that is, not holy as God, or “sinless” - for fault is afterward found with him Job 9:20; Job 42:6; but his piety was “proportionate” - had a completeness of parts was consistent and regular. He exhibited his religion as a prince, a father, an individual, a benefactor of the poor. He was not merely a pious man in one place, but uniformly. He was consistent everywhere. ~Barnes Notes

Note:  We are working toward holiness by consistently addressing each element of the Salvation Process.

Luke 1:74-75
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

Commentary:
Ye are to live in holiness, a strict inward conformity to the mind of Christ - and righteousness, a full outward conformity to the precepts of the Gospel. ~Adam Clarke

2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Note:  Constantly bringing in and applying the good thus forcing the bad and negative elements out.

Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Note:  The firstfruit is with fervency, constantly striving for the holiness.

Philippians 2:15-16
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Note:  Again, holiness is accomplished by immersion into the Word of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Note:  The firstfruit is zealous of good works, referring to our addressing every element of the salvation process.

Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Notice the words used here:  “affirm constantly” and “maintain good works.”

Titus 3:14
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

2 Peter 1:4-10 …the “addressing all elements” scripture.
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

In: [in all manner of conversation]
Hebrews 13:5
Let your conversation [conduct] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

James 3:13
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

2 Peter 3:11-14
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Note:  Firstfruits are redoubling their efforts on a constant basis.  They are looking to the Kingdom First and the 10,000-year perspective.
 

Put: [put on the new man]

Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Job 29:14
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem [headdress or crown].

Isaiah 59:17
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

Romans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

1 Corinthians 15:53
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Galatians 3:27
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Colossians 3:10-14
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

New:  [the new man]
Romans 6:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

2 Corinthians 4:16
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

After: [which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.]

Genesis 1:26-27
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Note:  In our discussion here of developing holiness as God is holy, these scriptures in Genesis 1 have new meaning, don’t they?

2 Corinthians 3:18 [see sermon, “Glory to Glory – Part 1]
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Note:  This is a definitive verse for describing how the Salvation Process and the Word of God work.

Colossians 3:10 …we did verses 10-14 above
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Note:  We are renewed in knowledge after the image of God.

1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Created: [We are created in righteousness and holiness]
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Note:  Clearly this verse shows how we attain or develop holiness.  We manifest good works.  This manifesting is part of the process of developing holiness.

Galatians 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Righteousness: [We put on righteousness by the power of God.]
Romans 8:29 …covered above in our exploration of 1 Peter 1
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Note:  God, through Christ, is taking us from iniquity by a purifying process.  The result is holiness.

Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

1 John 3:3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

True holiness: or, holiness of truth, [We are created in true holiness]

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Note:  Truth and true holiness are part of the Salvation Process.  We are sanctified there.  “Sanctify” means to make holy, to purify or free from sin.  In the act of imparting/manifesting religious sanction, we become holy.  “Sanction” means authority for an action, something that supports that action and/or something that gives binding force to that action.  These definitions define the workings of the Salvation Process.
 

I am the: [I am the Lord your God]
Exodus 20:2
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Ye shall: [ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy]
Leviticus 19:2
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Leviticus 20:7
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20:26
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

Exodus 19:6
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 14:2
For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Psalm 99:5
Exalt [or extol—See Psalm 30:1] ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

Note: To “exalt” God is to make God first and supreme in his thoughts and affections; he would do what he could to make Him known; he would elevate Him high in his praises.

Psalm 99:9
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

Matthew 5:48 …we discussed this verse above
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

1 Peter 2:9 …we mentioned this above
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Revelation 22:11
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Note: Surely speaking of the, “Moment of Judgment” as it manifests itself on Earth.

More verses:
1 Thessalonians 5:27 
I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

1 Peter 1:16 
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

Leviticus 19:2
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Leviticus 20:7
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

Psalm 119:9-12
9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

Overall conclusion:
1] God called you to holiness [1 Thessalonians 4:7].
2] Holiness is developed in the Salvation Process.
3] Holiness is attained by full immersion in the Word of God.
4] The firstfruit, armed with the Word of God [knowledge, understanding and wisdom] addresses all elements of the salvation process.
5] Put on righteousness.  Put on Christ.  Put on incorruption.

6] Cast off works of darkness.  Put on light. 
7] If you are baptized into Christ, you put on Christ.
8] The new man you put on is renewed by spiritual knowledge [Colossians 3:10]
9] When you invoke spiritual fruit by the Holy Spirit, you are putting on righteousness...holiness.
10] Firstfruits strive to be renewed day by day [2 Corinthians 4:16].

11] God, through Christ, is taking us from iniquity by a purifying process.  The result is holiness.
12] By Godly calling we receive divine authority to good works.  We also receive the force to manifest those good works.
13] God severed us from other people and their ways so that He could make us His.
14] Make God first and supreme in your thoughts and affections.
15] Worship God

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