The Pursuit of Holiness
Lesson 1 Notes
“What is Sin”?
SIN DEFINED:
There is a conflict between our conscience and our conduct, between our better judgment and our natural disposition. Animals do not contend against inherited tendencies to do evil. They are governed by instinct, which naturally leads them to there highest attainments. Man has an inveterate tendency to go astray, to entertain all kinds of misleading errors- it is an endless struggle for him to do good. Something has happened to man to change his nature. The difference between animals and man is SIN.
Sin is the world’s blood poison. SIN is the tendency or disposition to sin we inherit from Adam-it is internal. SINS are the specific acts of sin that we commit as the result of our tendency to sin-which are external. Jesus came to make atonement for sin not sins. To remove the natural depravity or tendency to sin, of the human heart. To impart a new nature. To remove the desire to commit sinful acts, by removing the tendency to sin. We know that sin progressively takes the human heart to a point of more and more evil, i.e. the days of Noah. Gen. 6:5{And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually} (the Hebrew word signifies not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires)
Imagination Heb. is yester (yay'-tser) - a form; figuratively, conception (i.e. purpose):--frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work.
Five definitions of sin in the New Testament:
LAWLESSNESS IS SIN-to break any law of God or man. All disobedience of God’s commandments is sin, whether by commission or omission.
1 John 3:4
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN
1 John 5:17
17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
DOUBT IS SIN- Anything incompatible with faith in God is sin. If we believe something is wrong or have doubts about it, but do it anyway, we have gone against what we believe to be the will of God. We manifest a willingness to rebel against God. This attitude is sinful. Even if the act is not wrong for someone else, it becomes wrong for us because it violates our conscience and contradicts the faith principle.
Rom 14:23
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
NEGLECT IS SIN- A choice between immorality and morality. Not every failure to do a good deed or the best thing in a given situation is sin (1Cor. 7:26-28). Not every mistake, fault, or personality flaw is a moral sin, even though we sometimes label them as “sins”. We should seek to improve in theses areas, ask God to help and forgive us. Examples of this is rudeness, oversleeping, habitual lateness and insensitivity at particular times.
James 4:17
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
UNBELIEF IS SIN-The greatest sin of all sins is to not believe in Jesus
John 16:9
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Ps 90:8
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Ps 19:12-14
12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Cleanse thou me from secret faults.] From those which I have committed, and have forgotten; from those for which I have not repented; from those which have been committed in my heart, but have not been brought to act in my life; from those which I have committed without knowing that they were sins, sins of ignorance; and from those which I have committed in private, for which I should blush and be confounded were they to be made public.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Presumptuous-From known and evident sins, such as are committed against knowledge, against the checks of conscience, and the motions of God's spirit.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 50: 16-23
There are OPEN sins, publicly committed. Lying, profanity, theft.
SECRET sins-impure murderous thoughts, feelings of envy, jealousy, pride, hatred, and revenge.
1 John 3:15
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Matt 5:27-28
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
1 Cor. 6:9-10
9 ¶ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
REVILE- means to villify, heap reproach on,
Gal 5:14-21
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
LASCIVIOUSNESS- A KJV term referring to unbridled lust, licentiousness, wantonness.
UNCLEAN- To be defiled, foul, unfit. To be unclean refers to foods that are unfit, to defilement of a moral or religious character, and to spiritual impurity.
In the gospels, the word unclean describes those who are possessed by undesirable or even demonic spirits. Jesus exercised command over these unclean spirits (Luke 4:36) and effectively rebuked them (Luke 9:42). The disciples were also given power over unclean spirits (Mark 6:7; Acts 5:16). Jesus often cast out unclean spirits (Mark 1:23,26-27; 5:2)
Verse 20. Idolatry] Worshipping of idols; frequenting idol festivals; all the rites of Bacchus, Venus, Priapus, &c., which were common among the Gentiles.
Witchcraft] farmakeia, from farmakon, a drug or poison; because in all spells and enchantments, whether true or false, drugs were employed. As a drug, farmakon, might either be the means of removing an evil, or inflicting one, etymologists have derived it from feron akov, bringing ease, or feron acov, bringing pain. So spells and incantations were used sometimes for the restoration of the health; at others, for the destruction of an enemy. Sometimes, these farmaka were used to procure love; at other times, to produce hatred.
Hatred] ecyrai. Aversions and antipathies, when opposed to brotherly love and kindness.
Variance] ereiv. Contentions, where the principle of hatred proceeds to open acts; hence contests, altercations, lawsuits, and disputes in general.
Emulations] zhloi. Envies or emulations; that is strife to excel at the expense of another; lowering others to set up one's self; unholy zeal, fervently adopting a bad cause, or supporting a good one by cruel means. Inquisitions, pretending to support true religion by torturing and burning alive those who both profess and practise it.
Wrath] yumoi. Turbulent passions, disturbing the harmony of the mind, and producing domestic and civil broils and disquietudes.
Strife] epiyeiai. Disputations, janglings, logomachics, or strife about words.
Seditions] dicostasiai. Divisions into separate factions; parties, whether in the Church or state.
Heresies] aireseiv. Factions; parties in the Church separating from communion with each other, and setting up altar against altar. The word, which is harmless in itself, is here used in a bad sense. In stead of aireseiv the Slavonic has skandala, scandals, offences or stumbling-blocks.
Eph 5:1-8
5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
God provides the potential for resisting sin, we have the responsibility to resist sin.
In respect to God holiness means absolute purity and moral perfection. In respect to man holiness means conformity to the character of God.
1Pet. 1:1-16
1 ¶ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, {abundant: Gr. much}
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, {for you: or, for us}
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 ¶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 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:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 ¶ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 ¶ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; {to the end: Gr. perfectly}
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Holiness Is…..
1. Separation from sin and worldliness
2Cor. 6: 14-18
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Separation from sin allows the original communion between God and man to be restored. Two families-family of God and the family of Satan.
2.Dedication to God and His will.
Ro 12 :1-2
Eph 4 :22-24
Can’t love this ungodly world system, identify with it, become attached to things in it, or participate in sinful pleasures or activities.
James 4:1-5
¶ From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Holiness includes attitudes, thoughts, and spiritual stewardship as well as actions, appearance and physical stewardship.
Matt 5: 27-28
David and Bathsheba 2 Sam 11 and 12 chapters
Holiness requires personal effort
Phil 2 12-13, Rom. 6:11-13
We cannot do what God must do-God will not do what we shoud do.
A farmer is dependent on God for rain and sunshine, yet unless the farmer plows, plants cultivates, and fertilizes he will not reap a harvest. The pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian.
Holiness is imparted by the Holy Ghost
Man becomes holy through divine assistance. God law is written upon our hearts.
Heb. 10: 15-23
Holiness is taught by Holy Ghost filled pastors and teachers
Eph.4: 11-16
Holiness cannot be legislated. It must come forth through a changed heart for God, motivated by His Holy Ghost. It is maintained by a love for God.
1 John 2:15-16 John 14:23- If any man love me, he will keep my words…
A victorious Christian must understand- Rom 7:20 The law of sin. Greater than the law of Moses and the law of the mind. The process of mental reasoning or assent has not the power to overcome the old sinful nature that is in man.
Rom 8:2-law of the Spirit is the only way we gain power over our flesh and sin, because of a new nature from being born again. This new nature does not desire to sin-it has God’s law implanted in it.
1 John 3:9 This means we do not practice sin.
Rom 6:2 we are dead to sin
2Cor. 7:1
1 ¶ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Flesh-physical element. Spirit-spiritual element.
The Pursuit of Holiness
Lesson 2 Notes
How Perfect Are You ?
The Devil tries to convince us that we cannot live holy, since we are in the flesh-and the flesh is weak. Jesus condemned sin in the flesh.
Rom 8:1-5
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Christ put on flesh so that through death he could destroy Satan.
Heb 2:14
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Matt. 5:48, 43-48
Perfect- Gk. teleios- found in the new testament 17 times. Defined as: complete, complete in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, full age.
Gen. 17:1, 1-5
Perfect- Heb. tamiym,- entire (literally, figuratively, morally). Integrity, truth, without blemish, complete, full, whole.
Absolute perfection- Jesus Christ
Relative Perfection- We are in a growth process to achieve perfection, relatively perfect if we are growing properly