Holiness

The following are notes from a lesson I heard taught last Sunday at Grace Community Church in CA by Pastor Jim Pile. I have to say that it was one of the most encouraging and helpful lessons I have heard….here goes:

Opening Quote – “A holy person masters the world while the carnal person is mastered by it.”

Marks of True Practical Holiness:
1. Holiness is the practice of being of one mind with God, according to His revealed will found in Scripture. – Psalm 119:1

2. A Christian who pursues holiness will shun every known sin and keep God’s commandments. – Psalm 119:112, 128 – Do you truly hate your sin? Are you shunning it AND replacing it by putting on righteous behaviors and biblical thinking?

3. A Christian who pursues holiness will strive to be like Christ. – I Pt. 2:21 – Are you every day becoming more loving, more forgiving, more submissive, doing good to all people?

4. A Christian who pursues holiness will walk in gentleness and humility. – Mtt. 11:28-30 – Are you know to be this way, do these qualities characterize your life?

5. A Christian pursuing holiness will follow after purity of heart. – Rom. 13:14 and Mtt. 5:8 – You must hate all things that are filthy or would even draw you into sin – even things that are not beneficial for the sake of your weaker Christian brother.

6. A Christian pursuing holiness will follow after the fear of God. – Neh. 5:14,15 and Prv. 9:10 – Not as a slave who fears punishment, but out of love.

7. A Christian pursuing holiness will be faithful in all of one’s duties and relations in life. – Dan. 6:4,5 and Col. 3:23 – Holy people will aim at doing everything well!

8. A Christian who is pursuing holiness will focus on the things above. – Col. 3:2 – We are strangers in this land!

I will follow up with the second half of this lesson – the means of pursuing holiness – in the coming days. A lot to consider here!