July

This month of July let’s begin to focus on a subject in the Bible that is key to your continued success in God, and that is Holiness. The Bible teaches that without holiness no one will see God  (Heb 12:14).

We  need to recognize that holiness began at the time of our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. This is what we call the “new birth or “being born from above”. Before we were born-again our nature was sinful and it needed to change.

Jesus prayed the following as recorded in the Gospel of John 17:13-20 - "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 " I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.

  • In this prayer Jesus said:
    - We are sanctified (i.e., set apart or separated BY TRUTH).
    - Then He said God’s Word is TRUTH.
  • So you can see that the Word of God sets us apart. We must recognize that Jesus made us holy.

1 Cor 1:30 - But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God -- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption .

  • The word sanctification is holiness. The Greek word is Hagiasmos {hag-ee-as-mos'}, which can be translated consecration, purification or the effect of consecration or sanctification on the human heart and life.
  • This same Greek word is also translated as holiness in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thes. 4:7 - For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

  • Jesus took our ungodliness or unholiness (sin) to the cross so that we could have HIS holiness. Now we can legally say: We are holy!

2 Thes 2:13 - But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

  • Sanctification is:
    - A work of Holy Spirit that begins the moment you receive salvation.
    - A result of receiving a person rather than an experience separate from that person.

  • Your first step toward sanctification was at the new birth.
  • God then made you holy by separating you from sin. Your spirit is no longer joined to sin.
  • Your spirit has been set apart unto God. You have now been made a partaker of God’s nature, totally separate from sin, pure, clean, and holy!
  • The “new man”, which is your re-created human spirit, is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Eph. 4:24 - ..and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Your spirit is pure, clean, and undefiled. 

The presence of God is in you!

As you continue to learn and walk in these powerful truths. Your life will continue to change. These “Riches of Glory” as Paul said in the book of Colossians belong to us to walk in.

Remember to say the following out loud with sincere conviction...“I’m believing to be at the Right Place, at the Right Time saying the Right Thing and the right thing to say is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”