Called To HolinessExodus 19

April 7, 2013First Baptist Church

Jackson, Mississippi, USA

APRIL MEMORY VERSEMicah 6:8“Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

Sunday, April 28 — 175th Anniversary of First Baptist JacksonOne Worship at 10:30 a.m. Message by Dr. Frank PageMusic led by Larry BlackNO SUNDAY SCHOOLDinner on the Grounds followed by the service on The Capitol LawnDetails of what to bring and instructions are in The Baptist Record.

VBS at DOWNTOWN CAMPUSJune 3-7, 20139:00 AM to 12:10 Noonfor children entering 5K in August 2013- completion of 6th grade

Next week:

Leviticus 5 and 6

Honoring God’s Holiness

Today:

CALLED TO HOLINESS

Exodus 19

Holiness is the state of being holy or sacred.

Holiness is being clean or pure, to be holy is to be like God.

Antonyms of holiness: godlessness, ungodliness, unholiness.

How do we become holy? An unsaved person cannot be holy in God’s eyes. Jesus makes us acceptable to God. Salvation is both an event and a process.

SALVATIONJustification (of spirit)

Sanctification (of soul)Glorification (of body)

Justification is the act of the righteousness of Christ being imputed to you.

Because of justification, God sees you just as holy as He sees His Son right now!

1 Corinthians 1:3030 “…you are in Christ Jesus, … our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,”

1 Corinthians 1:30

Sanctification is the process of becoming holy. To sanctify is literally “to set apart for special use or purpose”.

Sanctification is the process of the righteousness of Christ being imparted to you. You get to partake and participate in that process.

2 Corinthians 7:11 “let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God.”

2 Corinthians 7:1

Psalm 119:9&11 NASB9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.

11 Your word I have hid in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” Psalm 119:9&11 NASB

Galatians 2:20 NASB20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God , who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Galatians 2:20 NASB

John 14:21 NASB21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

John 14:21 NASB

Ephesians 4:2424 “put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.” Ephesians 4:24

2 Thessalonians 2:13b-14“… 13b God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13b-14

We are called to glorify God through our life, to decrease so that He may increase so that as others encounter a living breathing Christian who is walking in sanctification, they encounter Christ and perceive His glory and His presence.

John 3:3030 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30

Sanctify:1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.2. to purify or free from sin - Sanctify your hearts.3. to make conducive to spiritual blessing.

Etymologically, sanctification is from the Latin verb sanctificare which in turn is from sanctus "holy" and facere "to make".

With our fine china we set aside certain pieces for special occasions. Those pieces are handled with care, kept clean, and distinguished for a special

purpose.

That’s what it means to be holy, to be set apart.God separates from the world that which He chooses to devote to Himself for His purpose.We are called to holiness!

I will drink from a small glass but I will not drink from a dirty glass.

God will use a small vessel but He will not use a dirty vessel.

Glorification is the third stage of Christian development (holiness).

The first being justification, then sanctification, and finally glorification. (Rom. 8:30)

Romans 8:30b“…those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.”

Romans 8:30b

Glorification is an act of completion, the consummation, the perfection, the full realization of salvation.

The glorified body is immortal ( Rom 2:7 ), imperishable, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44 ).

1 Corinthians 15:42-4442 So it is with the resurrection of the dead:

Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption;43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory;

sown in weakness, raised in power;44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44

So the pathway to holiness is through justification, sanctification, and glorification.

God calls us to live a life of holiness, to pursue holiness (see Hebrews 12:14).

Hebrews 12:1414 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

When a person lives in a manner consistent with the divine will of God, that person is in a state of being holy: that person is living a life of holiness.

The moment we take our eyes off of Christ we begin to slide into that which is not holy and that is very dangerous territory.

How often do we take our eyes off of Christ in a day?

Let us come before Holy God seeking His holiness and let us not for a moment take our eyes off our Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ – for to do so is peril.

We are called to be holy!

Leviticus 19:2b HCSB2 “Be holy because I, Yahweh your God, Am holy.”

Leviticus 19:2b HCSB

1 Peter 1:15-16 HCSB15 “But as the One Who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.”

Peter 1:15-16 HCSB

CALLED TO HOLINESSExodus 19

Exodus 19:1-3 HCSB

Exodus 19:1-2 HCSB1 “In the third month, on the same day of the month that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai.

2 After they departed from Rephidim (REF ih dim), they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.”

Israel was brought to Mount Sinai in the fulfillment of a promise made to Moses by Yahweh in Exodus 3:12.

Exodus 3:11-12 HCSB11 But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

Exodus 3:11-12 HCSB

Exodus 19:3 HCSB3 Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob, and explain to the Israelites:”

Exodus 19:3 HCSB

1. Moses eagerly went up the mountain of God in order to hear from Him.2. Not only was Moses eager to meet with God but God was eager for Moses and

Israel to arrive and thus unite a family of God.

Exodus 19:4-6 HCSB

Exodus 19:4-6 HCSB4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me.

5 Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine,

6 and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”

Exodus 19:4-6 HCSB

Here, in verses 4-6, God spells out the call to covenantal holiness by which He and His people were to live.

He begins by helping them remember His saving acts:the 10 plaques, and thecrossing of the Red Sea.

When Yahweh mentions that He carried them on eagles’ wings He was referring to His supernatural provisions in the wilderness.

In verse 5, God lays down two conditions: James 1:211) If you will listen2) If you will carefully keep My covenant

If Israel kept the commandments and the spirit of the covenant, then out of all peoples Israel would become Yahweh’s own possession or treasured possession.

Peter made clear that this was not just specific instruction to the Israelites in the wilderness, but it applies to Christians as well (1 Peter 2:9-10).

1 Peter 2:9-10 HCSB 9 “But you are a chosen race, (Dt 7:6; 10:15; Is 43:20)a royal priesthood, (Ex 19:6; Is 61:6) a holy nation, (Ex 19:6) a people for His possession, (Dt 4:20; 7:6; Is 43:21) so that you may proclaim the praises (Is 42:12; 43:21) of the One Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

1 Peter 2:9-10 HCSB

But you are a chosen race: Deuteronomy 7:6 Deuteronomy 10:15b Isaiah 43:19-21

Deuteronomy 7:6 HCSB6 “For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be His own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.”

Deuteronomy 7:6 HCSB

Deuteronomy 10:15b HCSB15b “He chose you out of all the peoples, as it is today.”

Deuteronomy 10:15b HCSB

Isaiah 43:19-21 HCSB19 “Look, I am about to do something new;

even now it is coming. Do you not see it?Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,rivers in the desert.

20 The animals of the field will honor Me,jackals and ostriches,because I provide water in the wilderness,and rivers in the desert,to give drink to My chosen people.

21 The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.”

Isaiah 43:19-21 HCSB

A royal priesthood:

Isaiah 61:6a

Isaiah 61:6a HCSB6 “But you will be called the Lord’s priests ;

they will speak of you as ministers of our God;”Isaiah 61:6a HCSB

Within Israelite society the priest was the model for how the nation was to conduct itself.

Just as the priest was to be set apart for his devotion to God so also was the nation Israel to be consecrated to God. (Psalm 114:1-2)

Psalm 114:1-2 HCSB1 “When Israel came out of Egypt—the house of Jacob from a people who spoke a foreign language—2 Judah became His sanctuary, Israel, His dominion.”

Psalm 114:1-2 HCSB

You are the temple of God’s Holy Spirit!

Striving to live lives of holiness was not limited to the priests in Israel but also shown as the hallmark for the people of the nation. (Leviticus 19:2)

Leviticus 19:2 HCSB2 “Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, Yahweh your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19:2 HCSB

The book of Leviticus deals with the holy conduct that was to be the characteristic of Israel.

As a light to the rest of the world, Israel would intercede for the Gentiles (see Jonah) and thus help bridge the distance between God and man.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) were given to Israel and it was their privilege and duty to preserve and protect “these words”.

A priest has access to God and acts as God’s representative to the people who need to hear from God.

A priest facilitates people coming to God for repentance, fellowship and instruction.

How can we be holy without coming across to others as holier than thou?

A holy nation:

Exodus 19:6a

Exodus 19:6a6 “and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation”

Exodus 19:6a

A people for His possession:

Deuteronomy 4:20 Deuteronomy 7:6

Deuteronomy 4:20 HCSB20 “But the Lord selected you and brought you out of Egypt’s iron furnace to be a people for His inheritance, as you are today.”

Deuteronomy 4:20 HCSB

Deuteronomy 7:6 HCSB6 “For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be His own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.”

Deuteronomy 7:6 HCSB

God made all the peoples of the world, yet He chose the least of the great nations to be His own possession so that He would get the glory.

God Chooses the "Weak" and "Foolish" When someone asked Saint Francis of Assisi why and how he could accomplish

so much, he replied: "This may be why. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the earth and said, `Where can I find the weakest, the littlest, the meanest man on the face of the earth?' Then He saw me and said, 'Now I've found him, and I will work through him. He won't be proud of it. He'll see that I am only using him because of his littleness and insignificance.'"

Christian Herald

So that you may proclaim the praises:

Isaiah 42:12 Isaiah 43:21

Isaiah 42:12 HCSB12 “Let them give glory to the Lord and declare His praise in the islands.”

Isaiah 42:12 HCSB

Isaiah 43:21 HCSB21 “The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.”

Isaiah 43:21 HCSB

Exodus 19:10-14 HCSB

God revealed something about Himself when He set strict boundaries between himself and the people and by setting forth such harsh consequences for those who crossed those boundaries.

The distance that was to be maintained was symbolic of the distance between the holiness of God and the unholiness of man.

God was about to give them the Ten Commandments and He knew that they would not obey His commandments if they did not have awe and complete respect for Who He was and is.

Holiness without a relationship with God is a delusion and is no holiness at all.

Isaiah 64:6 NIV6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean,and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;”

Isaiah 64:6 NIV

Exodus 19:10a HCSB10a “And the Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.”

Exodus 19:10a HCSB

Consecrate to set apart as sacred to make hallow to dedicate solemnly to a sacred purpose

This spectacle at Mount Sinai was to awaken the people to the fact that we approach God with deep reverence on His terms not on our terms.

God still expects us to consecrate ourselves today.

How do we prepare our hearts and minds to meet God in worship?

How do we purify (cleanse) ourselves before coming to worship God?

We worship Him all week.

We worship a holy God and should always worship Him with a sense wonder and awe at the expectation of meeting with Him.

Exodus 19:16-19 HCSB

Exodus 19:16 HCSB16 “On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.”

Exodus 19:16 HCSB

The thunder and lightning served to get the people’s attention and to demonstrate to them that they were entering into a covenant with an extremely powerful God.

His holiness demands our respect and reverence as we encounter His presence.

How God revealed Himself:Isaiah 6:1-81 Kings 18:20-39Acts 2:1-21, 36-47Revelation 4:1-11

Isaiah’s Call and Mission Isaiah 6:1-81 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above Him; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts;His glory fills the whole earth.

4 The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 Then I said:

Woe is me for I am ruinedbecause I am a man of unclean lipsand live among a people of unclean lips,and because my eyes have seen the King,the Lord of Hosts.

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said:

Now that this has touched your lips,your wickedness is removedand your sin is atoned for.

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:Who should I send?Who will go for Us?

I said:

Here I am. Send me.Isaiah 6:1-8

Elijah at Mount Carmel 1 Kings 18:20-3920 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount

Carmel. 21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word.

22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God.”

All the people answered, “That sounds good.”

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.”

26 So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!” 28 They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. 29 All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down: 31 Elijah took 12 stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel will be your name”— 32 and he built an altar with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons. 33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, “Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “A second time!” and they did it a second time. And then he said, “A third time!” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.

36 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. 37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back.”

38 Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and

the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”

Acts 2:1-211 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

5 There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking the magnificent acts of God in our own languages.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re full of new wine!”

Peter’s Sermon

14 But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 And it will be in the last days, says God,that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,your young men will see visions,and your old men will dream dreams.

18 I will even pour out My Spiriton My male and female slaves in those days,and they will prophesy.

19 I will display wonders in the heaven aboveand signs on the earth below:blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned to darknessand the moon to bloodbefore the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes.

21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:36-4736 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”

Forgiveness through the Messiah

37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”

38 “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

A Generous and Growing Church

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.

The Throne Room of HeavenRevelation 4:1-111 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, 3 and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. 4 Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. 5 Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle and around the throne. 7 The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living

creature was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying:

Holy, holy, holy,Lord God, the Almighty,who was, who is, and who is coming.

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:

11 Our Lord and God,You are worthy to receiveglory and honor and power,because You have created all things,and because of Your willthey exist and were created.

Revelation 4:1-11

Exodus 19:18 HCSB18 “Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.”

Exodus 19:18 HCSB

The people of Israel were granted a theophany – a physical manifestation of Yahweh upon the earth!

Micah 1:2-4 HCSB2 “Listen, all you peoples;

pay attention, earth and everyone in it!The Lord God will be a witness against you, the Lord, from His holy temple.

3 Look, the Lord is leaving His placeand coming down to trample the heights of the earth.

4 The mountains will melt beneath Him,and the valleys will split apart,like wax near a fire,like water cascading down a mountainside.”

Micah 1:2-4 HCSB

Yahweh showed Himself to the people in both wonder and awe in the theophany which accompanied their meeting.

Three descriptions stand out of this theophany:1) fire, 2) thick smoke, and 3) the mountain shaking violently.

Mount Sinai served as a temporary sanctuary for the interval of the theophany and it was likened to the tabernacle in the wilderness.

Both at the base of mount Sinai and in the court of the tabernacle (where the non-priests were allowed) smoke and fire would be seen from the presence of God.

When Yahweh appears, He does so with an expectation of holiness on the part of His people.

God did not stay at the mountain but He moved with the people in the pillars of cloud and fire.

He constantly reminded them that He went before them.

We don’t only meet God here at church but He goes with us in our everyday activities.

Ask Him to keep your eyes open to His presence so that you will see Him in the smallest events of each day.

Open my eyes, Lord!

With our fine china we set aside certain pieces for special occasions. Those pieces are handled with care, kept clean, and distinguished for a special

purpose.

That’s what it means to be holy, to be set apart.

God separates from the world that which He chooses to devote to Himself for His purpose.

We are called to holiness!

He will use a small vessel but He will not use a dirty vessel.

Seven Biblical Truths of this Lesson: God declared that those people who faithfully kept his covenant would be His

special possession, kingdom of priests, and holy nation.

Remember that God’s grace does not excuse us from holy obedience; instead it sets the stage for our obedience.

Determine to accept your role as part of God’s holy priesthood.

Understand that we always must approach God on His terms.

Understand where God puts boundaries, and mark those boundaries in your own life to avoid the unholy and to embrace the holy.

Before coming to worship, practice the discipline of confession and repentance, preparing to meet Holy God.

Come to church with the expectation that you will meet the holy God.

God’s character has not changed.

On a scale of 1 to 100 (100 is the highest level), what level of holiness is exhibited in your daily life?

There are two events that occur during glorification, these are "the receiving of perfection by the elect before entering into the kingdom of heaven," and "the receiving of the resurrection bodies by the elect".

Glorification as a term is modified by its target, aka, who is being glorified, God or the Christian?

The third stage of Christian development is Glorification.

Open Doors publishes a list of the top 50 countries where persecution of Christians for religious reasons is the worst.

The 2013 list has the following countries as it's top 4 offenders:1) North Korea2) Saudi Arabia3) Afghanistan4) Iraq

Personal holiness is a work of gradual development.

It is carried on under many hindrances, hence the frequent admonitions towatchfulness, prayer, and perseverance. (1 Cor. 1:30-31; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 4:23, 24)

1 Corinthians 1:30-3130 “But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:30-31

2 Corinthians 7:1“Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God.”

2 Corinthians 7:1

Ephesians 4:20-2420 “But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, 21 assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth is in Jesus. 22 You took off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires; 23 you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24 you put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.”

Ephesians 4:20-24

A. Bible timing from Ramses to Mt. Sinai is 44 days:The Bible tells us that it was a 44 day journey from Goshen to Sinai. They left Goshen on Passover (14th day of the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th day of the second month and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st day of the third month. This equals 44 days.It took 24 days to travel 490 km to the Red Sea and they spent 8 days camped there waiting for Pharaoh's army to come. It took 20 days to travel 260 km to Sinai after the Red Sea including 7 days camping in the wilderness of Sin and 2 days battling the Amalekites at Rephidim.Exodus 12:51 tells us Israel was driven out of Egypt by Pharaoh on Passover night (Nissan 14): "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover." Leviticus 23:5. "Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, "Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said." Exodus 12:31. "And on that same day (Passover) the Lord brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts." Exodus 12:51Exodus 16:1 tells us that when they entered the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th day of the second month (Iyar 15). This means they were only 15 days away from reaching the Mt. Sinai. "Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month (Iyar 15) after their departure from the land of Egypt." Exodus 16:1

Exodus 19:1 tells us they ended the trip when they reached the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st day of the third month (Sivan 1): "In the third month (Sivan 1) after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai." Exodus 19:1B. Jewish solar calendar had 28 days per month: 44 Days

F. Calculating the day of the week they crossed the Red Sea: SundayIn a most natural calculation backwards from the wilderness of Sin, we discover something incredible, that they crossed the Red Sea on a Sunday. This would fit the New Testament antitype of water baptism very well. Paul tells us in 1 Cor 10:1-4 that passing through the Red Sea with the wall of water on either side and the cloud over head was an antitype of our full immersion into Christ for the remission of our sins. Israel was "baptized into Moses" and Christians are Baptized into Christ. The Hebrews were saved from the slavery of Egyptian bondage, Christians are saved from the slavery to sin. Any Hebrew who refused to cross the Red Sea and be Baptized into Moses would be killed the Egyptian army. Likewise anybody today who is not water baptized will be lost in hell because their sins are not forgiven. See these verses: Mk 16:16; Acts 2:28; 22:16; Rom 6:2-4; 1 Pet 3:21 and take this on line interactive study on water baptism.Rom 6:3-4 tells us that our baptism is a symbol of the death burial and resurrection of Christ and that we are raised from the dead to new life when we rise from the waters of Baptism. Since Christ was raised from the dead on a Sunday and since water baptism is a symbol of this resurrection and since the crossing of the Red Sea was an antitype of water baptism, it is most natural to expect that God would orchestrate, through his power and providence, that Israel would be baptized into Moses on a Sunday.Israel crossed the Red Sea on a Sunday.

Hebrews 2:10-1110 “For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—all things exist for Him and through Him—should make the Source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For the One Who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers,”

Hebrews 2:10-11

All who truly have faith in God follow the way of holiness. Hebrews 12:14

HOLINESS – The state or quality of being holy.

The God of the Bible is the very essence and source of that which is holy.

Three attributes which demonstrate that God is holy are:[1] The fact that He is morally pure.

Example: God always speaks the truth.[2] God is righteous.[3] As God is righteous, He always acts in a manner that is just.

Example: Because God is righteous and just, He cannot overlook sin and must punish wrong.

However, God is merciful; in His great love for humanity, He wanted to give people a chance to avoid eternal punishment.

By allowing His Son Jesus Christ to suffer punishment for our sins, God can justly forgive sinners who repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord.

When a person lives in a manner consistent with the divine will of God, that person is in a state of being holy: that person is living a life of holiness.

Isaiah 43:21 HCSB21 “The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.”

Isaiah 43:21 HCSB