Liberty Advocate

http://www.libertyadvocate.com

Be Ye Holy

by 

Karen Pansler Lam, J.D.

Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

 1 Peter 1:16

God’s Law commands holiness: “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). 

Belief in God does not make us holy. 

Even demons believe in God.

Church attendance does not make us holy.

Even hypocrites and sinners attend church.

Good works do not make us holy. 

Even atheists do good works.  

In fact, Jesus warns us that professing Christians who sin will not enter the kingdom of heaven, even if they do many wonderful works in His name:

Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then I will profess unto them,

I never knew you;

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 7:21-23

Jesus warns us that even if we do many wonderful works in His name, yet remain unholy and unclean, we are not one of His: And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Contrary to Biblical commands, the modern church substitutes social good works (social causes/social works) for righteousness and holiness. Rick Warren boasts he has shifted away from “sin issues” – like abortion and gay marriage – and is more interested in questions that are “uniting” such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change and human rights. (See "Wake Up, Evangelicals!" @ http://libertyadvocate.com/message28.htm)

My friend, when you shift away from “sin issues” you shift away from the true Gospel!

It is written in Romans 6:22, 23…

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is written in 2 Corinthians 7:1…

Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.  

It is written in Ephesians 4:24…

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

It is written in 1 Thessalonians 4:7,8…

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.  

Irrefutably, God's Law demands holiness. 

Professing Christians who are unholy are not true Christians.

Professing Christians who are unholy are sinners.

We must be filled with the spirit of holiness which is the indwelling of the Holy Ghost!

Be ye holy.

The Apostle Peter preaches, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). But false teachers like Rick Warren deny the power of the Holy Spirit.

One of the most disturbing aspects of Warren's The Purpose Driven Church is that the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing the lost to Christ is rarely mentioned. Warren and other church leaders deny the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is blasphemy! 

But though we, or an angel from heaven,

preach any other gospel unto you than that

which we have preached unto you,

let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again,

If any man preach any other gospel unto you

 than that ye have received,

let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:8, 9

A church without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a dead church  - a false church!  

A professing Christian without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a dead Christian - a false Christian!

The Truth is the Gospel proclaims that when we truly repent, the blood of Jesus Christ washes away our sins and we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost – His holy Ghost or His holy Spirit.  And when we are filled with His holy Spirit, the Spirit empowers us to be holy. In other words, when we truly repent we are baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). 

When we receive the Holy Ghost, we are purified, sanctified and consecrated. We are dedicated, or set apart, to serve the Lord God:

A true Christian is a holy temple.

A true Christian school is a holy campus.

A true Christian church is a holy sanctuary.  

In contrast, if we do not live a life of holiness but perform good works, we are a sinner and a hypocrite.  Good works may make us outwardly appear righteous to men, but Jesus said, Even so ye outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (Matthew 23:28).

Clearly, the Bible commands Christians to be righteous and holy: "For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness and holiness" (Romans 6:19). This is sanctification.

And the Apostle John warns us in plain language in 1 John 3: 8 – 10 that those who commit sin are of the devil:

He that committeth sin is of the devil;
for the devil sinneth from the beginning. 
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him:
and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil:
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,
neither he that loveth not his brothers.

God has called Christians to be “ a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).  

When we are saved and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed from a sinner to a saint!  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are no longer servants of sin. We are servants of holiness and righteousness.

The Bible declares that true Christians are a holy people led by the Spirit of God: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God...The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:14, 16).

My dear friend, do not quench the Spirit: "Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19). 

Be filled with the spirit of holiness which is the indwelling of the Holy Ghost.

Be led by the Spirit.

Be ye holy.

Liberty Advocate

http://www.libertyadvocate.com

September 2010