Sermon on Holiness – “More Holiness Give Me”

1. It is no secret that God is holy.

1) Isaiah 6:3 “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

2) 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.”

2. And God wants us to be like Him in this regard.

1) Leviticus 19:2 “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy; for I Jehovah your God am holy.”

2) Peter reiterates in 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

3) Ephesians 4:24 exhorts us, “and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”

3. Do we desire to be holy like God is holy? If we want to be like God, we will so act.

1. To be holy is to be pure.

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

2) 1 John 3:2-3 says, “Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

2. Becoming pure isn’t necessarily an easy thing to do – illustration: baked politician.

3. We become holy by purging ourselves of sin.

1) Paul wrote to Timothy, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

2) Sometimes this means strong trials. Peter said, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7).

3) Zechariah 13:9 prophesies regarding the Messiah’s people, “And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is my God.”

4. Is our desire to be pure? Then let us be holy.

1. This earth is not going to endure forever.

1) Because the earth isn’t going to endure forever, we must prepare for the new heavens and earth.

2) We do that by holy living.

3) Peter writes, “Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.” (2 Peter 3:11-14).

2. Heaven is a place that is reserved for the holy.

1) Hebrews 12:14 says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

2) Revelation 22:14 states, “Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.”

3) Revelation 21:7 says, “He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

3. Is our desire to enter heaven? Then let us determine to live holy lives.