Highway to Holiness

Highway of Holiness

The life of a salmon is very interesting. From the freshwater rivers, they go through their normal life cycle like eggs and fingerlings and eventually live in the sea. But once they reach maturity, they have an absolute resolve to go back to their spawning grounds, hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. The trip back to their spawning grounds is a seemingly impossible task, full of dangers, traps, and obstacles, as they will be swimming against the overbearing current of the rivers. Many of the salmon die going back to their grounds as bears, and birds of prey catch them and eat them. Some of them hit the rocks, logs, and other obstacles along the way and die. Sometimes they have to swim through shallow waters just to get through their journey. But they never stop or rest from swimming against the current – otherwise, it would carry them away from their destination. The incredible thing is, in order for them to reach their spawning grounds, they have to jump upstream, up against a waterfall and sometimes more than once in their journey.

Many of their jumps fail but they persist – until they get through the waterfall or die trying. Against all odds, many of them eventually reach their spawning grounds and a new generation of salmon eggs are laid and later hatch to become fingerlings. You can probably count yourself lucky not to be a salmon! But if you are a Christian, like the salmon, the odds are also stacked heavily against you if you are resolved to follow God and become more like Jesus as you travel the highway of holiness. There is a very strong current that is sweeping across the face of the earth. A current of wickedness, immorality, blatant and not so blatant sin and acceptance and practices of ungodly values and activities pervade the world we live in. Sometimes, it’s hard to know who is in a better place – the salmon swimming upstream to their spawning grounds or Christians trying to live holy lives in an unholy world.

But no matter how hard or difficult the highway of holiness is, God calls every Christian to a life of holiness. Six separate times in Leviticus, God commands His people to be holy as He is holy. And in 1 Peter 1:15-16, it says, “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.” That last part is quoted straight from Leviticus. Also, depending on your version, the words “holy” and “holiness” are used over 900 times in God’s Word. We have mentioned before that we can tell what is important to God by how many times it is mentioned in His Word. Holiness is one of the most important if not the most important words in the Bible. For a Christian, holiness is not a request or a suggestion; it is a command. If we are to become more like Jesus as we live on this earth. If we are to be obedient to the commands of God. If we are to fall deeper in love with God and His Word, we must be holy as our Lord God is holy. This brings us to our big idea this morning that​​ God desires His people to be holy as He is holy.

Let’s pray: Holy God, we want to be holy as you are holy and so we ask that you would open up your Word to us so that we can fall deeper in love with you, so that we can better serve and obey you and so that we can spread your Gospel in all the places we work, play and live. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There are three points this morning. The first is​​ Holiness: What Is It?​​ What does holiness mean? It means set apart and unique. God is unique and we are to be unique, as well, and set apart from this sinful and evil world. Holiness is not knowledge, religious zeal, or outward morality. You can’t become holy just by keeping company with godly people. Holiness is a habit; it is not something you do once and call yourself holy. Living a holy life is like running a marathon not a sprint. It is a habit of hating what God hates and loving what God loves. It is measuring everything by the standard of God’s Word. Holiness is living​​ a life that endeavors to keep the commands of God and live a life of sinlessness. It is living in a fear of the Lord, a reverent fear of displeasing God more than displeasing the world. Psalms 119:127-128 says, “Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.”

A life of holiness will be striving to be more like Jesus. We will want to forgive as Jesus forgave. We will want to be unselfish, loving, humble, meek, patient and compassionate as Jesus was. We will want to be pure of heart and faithful in all our relationships as Jesus was. Matthew 15:19 says, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” ​​ And Romans 12:9-13 says, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

We will also want to do the will of God as Jesus did. We will want to deny ourselves and be uncompromising of sin as Jesus was. We will want to love God and love others as Jesus did. And we will want to keep Jesus’ commands and walk as Jesus walked. 1 John 2:3-6 says, “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” And 1 Peter 2:21 says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” Lastly, we will want to set our affections on things above as Jesus did. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,​​ and all these things will be given to you as well.”

A favorite saying of mine for the past twenty some years and the way I have tried to live my life is “WWJD?” What would Jesus do? We would live more holy lives, sinning less and doing the will of God, if we would ask that question more frequently, and be obedient to the voice of God, as we travel the highway of holiness. “What would Jesus say, or what would Jesus do, in this situation or that situation, that I find myself in?” That brings us to our first next step on the back of your communication card which is​​ I will purpose to​​ ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” more​​ frequently​​ as I​​ travel​​ the highway of holiness.

Living a holy life doesn’t mean we will not sin, but we will hate our sin, mourn our sin and purpose to flee our sin. Holiness is a life of continual spiritual warfare. Sanctification is a progressive work that never ends until we get to heaven. Satan and the world will want to see us sin and work at causing us to stumble and guess what? We will stumble and sin. We will fall but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we get back up, dust ourselves off and continue down the highway of holiness. If we are truly Christ followers, we will continue to press forward and aim toward holiness. We will continue to labor to be holy as God is holy. I think Psalms 63:8 in the KJV sums it up pretty well: “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” Does your soul follow hard after Jesus?

Our second point is​​ Holiness: Why is it important?​​ Before we go on, we need to realize that holiness can’t save us. Ephesians 2:8, 9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Our own holiness cannot save us. Our righteous acts are like filthy rags as it says in Isaiah 54:6: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel​​ up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” So, if being holy can’t save us, why is it important to live holy lives? First, because God says so. I’ve already mentioned more than six places in the Bible where we are told this. And in Matthew 5:48, Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Second, living holy lives is important because it is one of the reasons why God sent His son into the world. Titus 2:14 says, talking about Jesus, “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” And to the Ephesians, Paul wrote that Christ gave himself up for the church that “He might sanctify and cleanse it.” Jesus didn’t come into the world just to save us from our sin and eternal separation from God, but to break the power of sin in our lives.

Third, living holy lives is evidence of a transformed heart and saving faith. James 2:17 says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” And Matthew 7:18-20 says, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.” Also, John 15:4 tells us that the only way we can produce good fruit is by remaining in Jesus: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” Lastly, when we live holy lives, it shows the world who we love and who our true Father is. John 13:35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” And John 8:42 says, “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.”

That brings us to some very important questions this morning. We have talked about what holiness is and why it is important. Now comes the​​ opportunity to examine ourselves. “How much do you care about holiness?” “Is holiness a goal in your everyday life?” “Are you truly striving to live a holy life and to become more like Jesus or not?” This is an important question because in Hebrews 12:14 it says, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Only you can answer these questions for yourself. And we need to be honest with ourselves and remember we can’t hide who we are from God. It has nothing to do with attending church, being baptized or taking communion. It is not about what we think or feel about God but about what we do and why we do it as saved children of the Lord, saved by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

Maybe, when it comes to living a holy life, you believe it is too difficult, or you don’t believe it can be done. And you would be right. Jesus said in Matthew 7:14, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Jesus also said that “we must take up our cross daily and follow Him” and we must be ready to cut off a hand or foot or put out our eye if they are sinning. Ryle says, “That which costs nothing is worth nothing.” And yes, you would be right in saying that living a perfect and holy life can’t be done, but we are still commanded to be holy as God is holy. Because we are sinners, we can’t live holy lives on our own, but God has given us, as Christians, the help of the Holy Spirit in order to successfully pursue holiness. We know it can be done because we have numerous examples in God’s Word: Moses, David, Daniel and the eleven disciples to name a few.

Some other questions we must ask ourselves this morning is, “Do you believe that living a holy life is important?” “Are you serious about living a holy life?” Well, it might come down to this question. “How comfortable are you with your sin?”​​ Another phrase I really believe is “it is not about religion it’s about a relationship.” It’s a relationship with Jesus that will help us understand holiness and that it is the most important thing after our salvation. Think about Judas. He was just like​​ every other disciple called by Jesus. When Jesus said that one of His disciples would betray him, how many said, “It’s got to be Judas, he is the one.” How many? None. Unholy and inconsistent Christians are Satan’s best allies. This question of importance is important because no one can make you take your personal holiness seriously. No one, but the Holy Spirit, can help you understand the seriousness of God’s holiness and that He demands holiness from His people. Only you can truly and honestly answer these questions for yourself and then repent and make adjustments to how you are living if needed. I would urge you and myself to take a long, hard look at ourselves in the area of holiness. That brings us to our second next step that​​ I will purpose to​​ take​​ my personal daily​​ holiness​​ seriously as I travel the highway of holiness.

Now, if you are not yet saved, this idea of living a holy life does not have the same motivation. You may do good things. You may help the poor, the orphan and the widow but if you are not saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, your motivation for doing these things is yourself not because Jesus saved you, called you and set you apart for His service. You must begin with Jesus and what He has done for you on the cross. The only way to be holy is to first accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord. So maybe the Holy Spirit is pricking your heart this morning about living a holy life. Maybe you are feeling a desire to know Jesus more personally and are ready to be in a relationship with Him. He is the only one who can make you holy and only one who can help you succeed on the highway of holiness. The third stanza of the hymn “Rock of Ages” says, “Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, flee to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace.” So, if you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior and the Holy Spirit is prompting you this morning, this third next step is for you:​​ I will​​ admit​​ that I am a sinner,​​ believe​​ that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, was buried and rose again, and​​ confess​​ Jesus as Lord of my life.​​ If that is the first​​ time you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, please make sure to put your name on the front of the card so I can talk with you. Now that you have been justified by your faith in Christ, your sanctification, your highway of holiness can begin.

Now that we have talked about what holiness is and why it is important, our third point is​​ Strategy.​​ I would be remiss not to give strategies for winning the war for holiness. First, ask the Holy Spirit for power and strength. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Second, decide every day to put the flesh to death. Romans 6:12 says, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” Third, guard your heart, flee temptation and take every thought captive. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” And 1 Timothy 6:11 says, “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” You know if the salmon stops swimming, it will be carried back by the current – if we let your guard down, we will fall and be carried away by the evil current of this world.

Fourth, find a Christian brother or sister and be accountable to each other. Fifth, fill your mind with the things of God. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Sixth, develop good holy and spiritual habits such as daily Bible reading, Bible study, prayer and acts of service. And finally, don’t give up. As Paul says in Philippians 3:14: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Remember it’s a marathon not a sprint; it’s a war not just one battle. Like the salmon, keep swimming against the current and jumping up against the waterfall.

In conclusion, I want to talk about how holiness and our consciences relate to each other. Our conscience is not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is holy and perfect, and our fallen consciences are not. But if we are living holy lives then what we are thinking, saying and doing will inform our consciences. I want to illustrate this with the true story of Avianca Flight 011. On November 27, 1983, Avianca Flight 011 crashed into the side of a mountain in Spain. When the investigators retrieved the “black box” cockpit recorder they made a disturbing discovery. Several minutes before impact, a shrill, computer-synthesized voice from the plane's automatic warning system told the crew repeatedly in English, "Pull up! Pull up! Pull up!” The pilot, evidently thinking the system was malfunctioning, snapped, "Shut up, Gringo!" and switched the system off. Minutes later the plane plowed into the side of a mountain, killing 181 people, and leaving only 11 survivors with serious injuries.

John MacArthur tells this story in his book, “The Vanishing Conscience.” I am going to be quoting John MacArthur a few times here. He says, “When I saw that tragic story on the news shortly after it happened, it struck me as a perfect parable of the way modern people treat guilt — the warning messages of their consciences. Your ability to sense your own guilt is a tremendous gift from God. He designed the conscience into the very framework of the human soul. It is the automatic warning system that cries, "Pull up! Pull up!" before you crash and burn.” As I said earlier, as we aim to live a life of holiness, there will be times we fail and we sin. That is when our conscience can be our guide; but only if we are living a life of holiness that informs our conscience. Again, MacArthur says, “The conscience has an innate ability to sense right and wrong . . . entreats you to do what you believe is right and restrains you from doing what you believe is wrong.” “When you violate your conscience, it condemns you . . . when you follow your conscience, it commends you.” The Hebrew word for conscience is​​ usually translated "heart" in the Old Testament. When David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God", he was seeking to have his heart and his conscience cleansed. Earlier I quoted Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart (or conscience), for everything you do flows from it.”

MacArthur again says “Its role is not to teach you moral and ethical ideals, but to hold you accountable to the highest standards of right and wrong you know. The conscience, to operate fully and in accord with true holiness, must be informed by the Word of God.” “The conscience functions like a skylight, not a light bulb. It lets light into the soul; it does not produce its own. Its effectiveness is determined by the amount of pure light you expose it to, and by how clean you keep it.” We need to be careful because as Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 8 and 1 Timothy 4, our consciences can become calloused, wounded and seared. “Don’t train yourself to ignore your conscience but respond quickly to its warnings. If you do sin, then cleanse your conscience through consistent confession as you seek forgiveness from those you've sinned against — whether God or others.” It is so important to live a life of holiness which will inform your conscience, so that when your conscience tells you to "Pull up! Pull up! Pull up!” you will and not crash and burn.

As the Praise Team comes to lead us in a final song and as the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offerings, let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to join together in your house with other like-minded people. Thank you for demanding holiness from your people. I pray that with the help of your Holy Spirit, we will pursue holiness. Help us to look to you as our example of holiness and to imitate you. And help us to take our personal daily holiness seriously, striving to become more like your Son Jesus in our speech, our thoughts and in our actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ​​ 

Opening:​​ Pursuing Holiness in an Unholy World, Tom Caballes​​ https://swordofthespirit.net/pursuing-holiness/

Conclusion: The Conscience, Revisited;​​ Grace to You​​ John MacArthur​​ https://www.gty.org/articles/A273/the-conscience-revisited