Holiness 101

NW Men’s Camp 2016

Salvation Army Doctrine #10

  We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

William Booth on Holiness

  Holiness to the Lord is to us a fundamental truth; it stands in the front rank of our doctrines. We inscribe it upon our banners. It is with us in no shape or form an open debatable question as to whether God can sanctify wholly, or whether Jesus does save his people from their sins.

  Salvation Soldiery, 1880

3 Opening Statements

1.  ALL UNSAVED INDIVIDUALS ARE TOTALLY UNHOLY (Romans 3:10-23).

2.  HOLINESS MEANS SEPARATION FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS AND CONSECRATION TO GOD (1 Peter 1:13-16).

3.  IN THE EARLY STAGES OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE, DELIVERANCE IS ONLY PARTIAL (Philippians 2:1-16a).

Learn Christ (Ephesians 4:17-24)

“So I’m telling you this, and I insist on it in the Lord: you shouldn’t live your life like the Gentiles anymore. They base their lives on pointless thinking, and they are in the dark in their reasoning. They are disconnected from God’s life because of their ignorance and their closed hearts. They are people who lack all sense of right and wrong, and who have turned themselves over to doing whatever feels good and to practicing every sort of corruption along with greed.

Learn Christ (Ephesians 4:17-24)

But you didn’t learn that sort of thing from Christ. Since you really listened to him and you were taught how the truth is in Jesus, change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.”

Becoming Like Christ

  “…it became clearer and clearer to me that it was absolutely necessary to have the mind of Christ and to walk in the way that Christ walked. I began to realize that it was vitally important to have not just a part of the mind of Christ, but to have all of the mind of Christ – His mind should fill my head and thoughts. It was equally important to walk as Christ walked, not in some or most ways, but in all ways” (Wesley).

Becoming Like Christ

Romans 8:28-30 “We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters. Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified.”

Becoming Like Christ

Romans 12:2 “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is – what is good and pleasing and mature.”

Becoming Like Christ

  “…real Christianity is when our whole life – inner and outer – conforms completely to the life of Christ, our Master” (Wesley).

Next Steps – Habitual Submission   “When the Bible talks about holiness, it is talking about having a soul whose habits are always inclined to live God’s way. To create that habitual life, God must cleanse your heart from sin – clean out the habits of rebellion, disbelief, and disobedience to Him. God will flush away all the filth from your body and spirit and replace your life’s filth with virtues – the character qualities of Jesus Christ” (Wesley).

Next Steps – Habitual Submission Galatians 5:16-26 “So I say, live by the Holy Spirit’s power. Then you will not do what your desires controlled by sin want you to do. The desires controlled by sin do not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the desires controlled by sin delight in. The two are at war with each other. That’s why you are not supposed to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the authority of the Law.

Next Steps – Habitual Submission Galatians 5:16-26 The result of sin’s control in our lives is clear. It includes sexual sins, impure acts and wild living. It includes worshiping statues of gods and worshiping evil powers. It also includes hatred and fighting, jealousy and fits of anger. Sinful desire is interested in only getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups. It wants what others have. It gets drunk and takes part in wild parties. It does many things of that kind. I warn you now as I did before. People who live like this will not receive God’s Kingdom.

Next Steps – Habitual Submission Galatians 5:16-26 But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others.”

Next Steps – Habitual Submission Philippians 4:8 “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.”

“You must be holy to me, because I the Lord am

holy, and I have separated you from all other

peoples to be my own.”

Leviticus 20:26