How can we be holy?

This morning's message at The Master's Seminary chapel was delivered by Dr. Bill Barrick on "Sanctification: The Work of the Holy Spirit and Scripture."

To answer his question, "How can we be holy?" he answers from Scripture:

1. The Initial Sanctification

First Corinthians 6:11 says, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

First, remember that you were made completely and perfectly holy by the regeneration of your soul and the washing of the stains of your sins. In Christ, we have been positioned as holy before our holy God. That should ALWAYS motivate you to become holy out of the gratefulness of your heart.

2. The Exhortation of Sanctification

Second Corinthians 7:1 says, "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."

Since you are clean (number 1 above), therefore be clean! We have the promises of God to bring us out of every defilement of body and spirit. We have been exhorted to purge out that which is inconsistent with our holy calling.

3. The Imperative of Sanctification

Hebrews 12:14 says, "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."

We are to strive for holiness, making it our ambition to seek a holy life. Can it be observed of your life that you strive for or pursue holiness?

4. The Process of Sanctification

Second Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Be assured of this, that becoming holy like Christ is a process. You won't be done with all former sins in four minutes. You won't walk through temptations like they never phase you. You are a "work in process." God has so wisely and wonderfully designed in His Word that you may be forgiven as you repent of your sin, that you'd be shown grace when broken over your sin, and that you'd be shown mercy when you are feeling like a failure. God is patient. Endure the process, for it is God who began a good work in your and He will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).

So go. Be holy, as He is holy.

Christ's Ascension...So What?

What do you know about the Ascension of Christ? Is it deep to you? Was it really that significant? Does it have any relevance to us now? Kenneth Alan Daughters expounds on this often overlooked, yet Biblically significant, aspect of Christ's earthly ministry in his article: The Theological Significance of the Ascension.

For the sources of the quotations below, please check the Emmaus Journal, Vol 3 (1994) 163–177. He begins, in part...

"Easter is incomplete, Pentecost is impeded, and the Second Coming is impossible without the ascension...Where is Christ now?...If he is not on the right hand of God the Father, he does not reign, and we have no King."

1. It marks the end of Christ's self-limitation (Phil 2:1–8)

2. It is the occasion for Christ's exaltation and glorification (Jn 17:5; Phil 2:9–11; Eph 1:20–22)

"He is reigning as King in heaven, sitting at His Father's right hand and soon His rulership will extend to this earth when He returns in judgment to set up His kingdom...It also demonstrates the Father's acceptance of Christ's earthly work...God the Father set the seal and crown upon His resurrection, and upon His whole earthly ministry...He rose to ascend; he ascended to reign."

3. It marks the entrance of resurrected humanity into heaven

"Jesus was the first man to enter heaven with a glorified body. He is our forerunner (Heb 6:20). His presence there is our guarantee that we too will be resurrected and taken to heaven."

4. It marks the beginning of Christ's new ministry of intercession and advocacy (Heb 7:25; 1 Jn 2:1)

5. It allowed Christ to send the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us (Jn 16:7; 14:12)

"Unless Jesus returned to the Father, we would not be empowered to do these 'greater works'...Our works are not greater in quality, but greater in quantity. Greater works can be accomplished because the Spirit indwells each one of us. Jesus has shared Himself with us more by sending His Spirit than if He had stayed personally."

6. It served as the opportunity for Christ to give us spiritual gifts (Eph 4:8)

7. It allows the preparation of our future heavenly home (Jn 14:2–3)

8. It anticipates His return (Acts 1:11)

The Ascension is a significant aspect of not only Christ's life here no earth, but also His present ministry from heaven's throne to those who believe today. BUT, how often do we spend time to contemplate and really mediate on the significance of this culminating and forward-looking event of Christ's ministry?

May we appreciate the Ascension of Christ more than before and in every day until He returns in the same fashion He left.

Who is Worthy of Worship?

Take a look at Scripture at a few examples...

Is Peter?

Acts 10:25–26 "When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, 'Stand up; I too am a man.'"

How about Paul? And Barnabas?

Acts 14:11, 14–15 "And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, 'The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!' 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 'Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.'"

Try Angels?

Revelation 19:10 "Then I [John] fell down at his feet to worship him [the angel that spoke to him], but he said to me, 'You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.'"

Jesus?

Matthew 13:31–33 "Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' 32 And when they [the disciples] got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'"

Matthew 15:25 "But she [the Syrophoenician woman] came and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, help me.'"

Matthew 28:9 "And behold, Jesus met them [women after His resurrection] and said, 'Greetings!' And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him."

John 9:35–38 "Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?' 36 He answered, 'And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?' 37 Jesus said to him, 'You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.' 38 He said, 'Lord, I believe,' and he worshiped him."

Surely if Jesus was only a man like Peter, Paul or Barnabas, or even if He was an angel, He would have rejected the worship offered to Him throughout His life. Rather, Jesus accepted worship and commended men and women for their faith in Him.

Logical conclusion: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so worship Him and Him alone for He is God!