What does the Bible say about holiness?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of holiness in the life of believers, stating that without sanctification, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). The Scriptures present holiness as a crucial aspect of a believer’s life, establishing that without sanctification, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). This teaches us that God's work in our lives includes ongoing growth in holiness, which is a sign of true conversion. Holiness is not merely about outward behaviors but is rooted in the transformation of the heart, influencing every area of a believer’s life, including body, mind, and actions. Through his letters, Paul urges believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, indicating that our physical selves are involved in our worship and service to God (Romans 12:1). This comprehensive approach to holiness means that all aspects of our lives should be under the lordship of Christ, requiring us to consider how we think, what we watch, and how we interact with the world. A life marked by holiness reflects God's presence and assures us of our status as His children, demonstrating the work of God within us.

How do we know that sanctification is true?

Sanctification is evident through a believer's growth in holiness and obedience to God's commands, as they are transformed by Him. We can know that sanctification is true by observing the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. When God truly converts a person, He promises to continue that work, leading to gradual transformation and growth in holiness. This process is evidenced by a believer’s increasing desire to obey God’s commands and to submit all areas of their lives to Christ (Romans 12:1). The discipline of God also plays a crucial role in sanctification, as seen in the lives of biblical figures such as Jacob, who experienced continuous correction and refining. The absence of such discipline in an individual’s life may suggest that they are not truly children of God. Hebrews 12:8 clarifies this by stating that if we are not experiencing discipline, we are illegitimate children. Therefore, true sanctification is marked by a believer’s increasing separation from sin, a deeper commitment to holiness, and a consistent pursuit of God's will.

Why is separation from the world important for Christians?

Separation from the world is essential for Christians to maintain holiness and to fulfill God's call on their lives. Separation from the world is imperative for Christians because it reflects God's call to live in holiness and obedience. The Bible makes it clear that believers should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, emphasizing the stark contrast between righteousness and lawlessness, light and darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). This separation is not merely physical but involves a heart’s posture against the values and practices of the world that are contrary to God’s will. Being separate requires believers to consciously choose lifestyles and behaviors that align with their identity in Christ. It calls for a commitment to holy living that can manifest in various forms, from avoiding partnerships with those who do not share their faith to setting boundaries with worldly influences (1 John 2:15-17). This commitment is crucial, for without it, the witness of a believer can become compromised, and their relationship with God can be hindered.

Indictment 9: Silence on Separation & Holiness - Paul Washer

Eighth indictment, a silence
on separation. There is a void of serious teaching
about holiness. My dear friend, general teaching
on holiness, everyone agrees. Let's be holy. We need to be
more holy. Let's have a holiness conference.
But when you get specific about what that means. That's when everything turns
into a turmoil. Pursue peace with all men, the
writer of Hebrews tells us, and sanctification without which
no one will see the Lord. Does anybody believe this? Brother Paul, I have been blamed
so often for teaching, you know, works. Listen to me, listen.
Again, it goes back to regeneration and the providence of God. If
God truly converts a man, he will continue working in that
man through teaching and blessing and admonition and discipline.
He will see to it that the work he has begun will be finished.
And that's why the writer says without sanctification, without
holiness, no one will see the Lord. Why? Because if there's
no growth in holiness, God's not working in your life. If
he's not working in your life, it's because you're not a child.
Look at the difference between Jacob and Esau. Jacob I loved,
Esau I hated. Yet God fulfilled all his promises
to both of them. Jacob was blessed, Esau was blessed. How did God demonstrate his judgment
and wrath against Esau and his love toward Jacob? I'll tell
you how. He let Jacob run wild. He let
Esau run wild. No work of discipline, no work
of godliness, nothing. But he beat Jacob to death almost
every day of his life. The loving discipline, the correction
of God to bring us to holiness. Now, there's so much teaching
on this, but let me just say this. Therefore, I urge you,
brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living
and holy sacrifice. Romans 12, 1, and then go on
to 2. Your bodies. Why does he say body? I think
to avoid all this super spirituality. Well, I've given Jesus my heart.
And you can't judge a book by its cover. Well, as a matter
of fact, you can judge a book by its cover. Jesus never said
you couldn't judge a book by its cover. He said you could.
You will know them by their fruit. And if you think that you've
given Him your heart, then He will have your body. And I'll
tell you why. The heart, my friend, is not
some blood-pumping muscle or some figment of a poet's imagination. It refers to the very essence
or core of your being. Don't tell me Jesus has the very
essence and core of your being and it doesn't affect your body.
It's just not going to happen. And so what do we do? We go through
Scripture. What? Legalistically? No. Drawing
inferences? No. Just standing on the commands
of Scripture. About what? I do not agree with
everything the Puritans said, but I love the Puritans. And
one of the reasons why I love them, because I believe they
honestly made an attempt to bring everything in their life under
the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Their mind. Because they wrote
800 page books on what should I think about according to the
scriptures? What should not enter into my
mind according to the scriptures? What should I do with my eyes?
What should go in these ears and what should not go in these
ears? How should the tongue be ruled? What should be the direction
of my life? And yes, I'm going to scare you
to death. How should I dress? Now here,
I want to be careful here. I don't want to draw inferences
and things. My dear friend, my wife says it this way. If your
clothing is a frame for your face from which the glory of
Christ springs forth, it is of God. But if your clothing is
a frame for your body, it is sensual and God hates it. Enough
said? Now, I can't go through everything
of holiness, and holiness isn't just outward expression, but
we've become to be a people that uses the interior work of the
Spirit as an excuse to say nothing is ever going to happen on the
outside, and that is not true. Some of you young men, you cry
out probably more than I do that the Spirit of God would fill
you and work in you, but it only takes one half hour of television
to so grieve Him, He'll be a miles from you. 99% pure, 1% sewer. I'm not drinking. One time I was struggling and
Leonard Ravenhill was talking to a dear friend of mine who
was saying, Brother Leonard, young man, Brother Paul, he's
really struggling. And he sent a track. I still
got that track. I'll never, never part with that. And said, others can, you cannot.
I don't necessarily agree with everything. Young man, listen
to me. I don't go to malls. I don't. Not because I'm more holy than
you. It's because I know what I am. There's a story of one of the
finest, greatest violinists in Europe playing his final concert,
Old Man. And when he finished, a young
man walked up to him, violinist, and said, Sir, I'd give my life
to play like you. And the old man said, Son, I
have given my life to play like me. I want the power of God on
my life. Then something's got to go. I want to know Him. Then some
separation has to occur. Let me tell you something, young
man. Everyone else is running around to all their little retreats
and all their conferences and getting together with group hugs
and singing Kumbaya and everything else. Maybe you need to get alone
in the wilderness with God and fast for seven days on your knees,
studying the book of Psalms. It's being alone with God. Belonging
to Him. To be a man of God, there's got
to be a sense where sometimes even your wife, who is of your
own flesh, one with her, she looks you in the eye and she
knows she can't go where you're going. Silence on separation, I think.
Do not be bound together with unbelievers. For what partnership
have righteousness and lawlessness? Nothing. What fellowship has
light with darkness? Nothing. Darkness is the opposite
of God's revelation. Or what harmony Christ with Belial? Nothing. Or what has the believer
in common with the unbeliever? Nothing. He says come out from
their midst. Come out from the midst of what?
Come out from the midst of lawlessness, darkness, satanic devices and
the life and worldliness of the unbeliever. Come out from it.

Indictment 9: Silence on Separation & Holiness

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about holiness?

How do we know that sanctification is true?

Why is separation from the world important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Washer

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Indictment 9: Silence on Separation & Holiness

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about holiness?

How do we know that sanctification is true?

Why is separation from the world important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Washer

Comments

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