Sermons

Holiness

WE ARE CALLED TO BE HOLY 1 Pet. 1:15-16

The highway of holiness has three important characteristics.

1. The first is found in Isaiah 35:8: “It will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.” The highway of holiness is a place of holiness. It is reserved for those who are righteous in God’s sight. No one entering the kingdom will be foolish or sinful. Christ alone provides the way of holiness, having exchanged His perfect righteousness for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). His righteousness is imputed to us, enabling us to be holy, even as He is holy. The highway is reserved for His people alone.

2. Second, the highway of holiness is a place of safety, reserved for the redeemed of the Lord. “No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return” (Isaiah 35:9–10). This is indicative of the safety and security God’s people will experience on the highway. No wicked persons, symbolized by lions and ravenous beasts, will be allowed on the highway. The redeemed of the Lord will walk there in peace and safety.

3. Third, the highway of holiness will be a place of joy: “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10). Just as the ransomed captives would return joyfully from Babylon, all the redeemed of the Lord will enter the millennial kingdom rejoicing.

Repentance

True repentance is the final component to an effective biblical apology.

Repenting not only recognizes that what we did was wrong, but it also expresses a desire to do right.

We owe it to the people we love to be at our best for them.An apology is a desire to continue growing. It is the best way to keep a contrite heart and not be at odds with the Lord. An apology is required to safeguard the important relationships in our lives, and it is necessary to do what’s right.

First, we encourage confession and repentance. We give people the chance to turn away from their sins. If they are repentant and desire restoration, we lovingly stand next to them in their Christian journey. We do this because we recognize that none of us are righteous on our own, but only through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Secondly, we take special care over our own hearts that may tempt us to think that we are better than those who’ve fallen. If not for the grace of God, we would sin outrageously. God helps us to walk in the faith with obedience to His word. If we are living a righteous life, we give glory to God for it and not take the credit for ourselves.

Church doesn’t have to hurt, instead church can bring healing and restoration. First, we show it to our own brothers and sisters in Christ, then to those in the world who are lost.

The Holy Spirit
Bible Studies

WE DEPEND ON THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR HOLY LIFE

Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.” So Solomon built the temple and finished it. I Kings 6:12-14 NKJV

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. I Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

I Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty. II Corinthians 6:14-18 NKJV

BIBLRTIME

First we need a planned, consistent time each day for reading and studying the Bible. Every Christian who strives to make progress in holiness is a person who has disciplined his/her life so that they spend regular time in the Bible.

And Satan will always battle us to convince us that

We are too sleepy in the morning We are too busy during the day We are too tired at night

METHOD

So we do not become lazy or unproductive with our time in the Word, it is important to establish a method. Traditional methods include:

Hearing the Word taught by our teachers and pastors (Jeremiah 3:15)
Reading the Bible ourselves (Deuteronomy 17:19)
Studying the Scriptures intently (Proverbs 2:1-5)
Memorizing key passages (Psalm 119:11)
Meditating on what you have heard, read, studied and memorized

Objective

The objective of our meditation is application – obedience to the Scriptures. Obeying the Scriptures may require a change in our patterns of life. Because we are sinful by nature, we have developed certain sinful patterns...habits. To break those habits requires discipline.

Perseverance One Area to achieve Holiness is to Persevere by The help of The Holy Spirit

Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 offers guidance on Christian marriage,

emphasizing marital intimacy for avoiding fornication, mutual spousal duties (affection, body rights), and faithfulness, while also affirming singleness as a valid, sometimes preferable, state for undivided devotion to God, especially given current pressures, all within God's call to live faithfully in one's given situation. Paul addresses various scenarios, including mixed-faith marriages and divorce (only for unbelieving spouse leaving), encouraging believers to remain in their callings (married/single) for peace and focus on Christ.

Key Themes & Instructions

Sexual Intimacy in Marriage (vv. 2-7):
- To prevent sexual immorality, each spouse should have their own partner; husbands and wives owe each other sexual intimacy (affection/duty).
- Mutual consent is needed for temporary abstinence for prayer; don't deprive each other.
Singleness vs. Marriage (vv. 8-9, 25-35):
- It's good for unmarried individuals (including widows/widowers) to remain single, like Paul, if they can control their desires.
- Marriage is permitted, but singleness allows for undivided focus on the Lord (pleasing Him).
- Marriage brings worldly concerns and stress, so Paul advises it for those who can't control their passions.
Married Believers (vv. 10-11):
- A wife must not separate from her husband; if she does, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled.
Mixed-Faith Marriages (vv. 12-16):
- If a believing spouse has an unbelieving partner who is willing to stay, don't divorce.
- The believing partner "sanctifies" the home, and children are considered holy, not unclean.
- If the unbeliever leaves, the believing partner is not "bound" (free from bondage).
Living in Your Calling (vv. 17-24):
- The core principle: live as God called you (married/single, slave/free). Don't change your condition; God is with you.
Remarriage After Death (vv. 39-40):
- A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; she is free to remarry, but "only in the Lord" (to another believer).

Overall Message

Paul encourages faithfulness and purity, seeing marriage as God's good provision to manage sexual desire, but also values singleness for greater devotion to Christ, urging everyone to find contentment and serve God in their present circumstances.

Baptism

Biblical baptism requires

a person to first believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, repent from sin, and confess faith, often demonstrated by a public declaration, leading to full immersion in water as a symbol of dying to the old life and rising to new life in Christ, as seen in the Book of Acts and Jesus' command in Matthew 28. It's for believers capable of understanding and responding to the Gospel, not typically infants, and symbolizes faith, not a means of salvation itself.

Core Requirements & Actions:

Belief & Faith: You must believe the Gospel and have faith in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior (Acts 8:36-38, Mark 16:16).
Repentance: A genuine turning from sin, confessing it to God (Matthew 3:5-6, Acts 2:38).
Disciple-Making: Baptism follows discipleship, as commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28:19).

The Act of Baptism:

Mode: Immersion (dipping under water) is the biblical standard, reflecting Christ's burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
Formula: In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Symbolism: It's an outward sign of an inward change, symbolizing death to sin and new life (Romans 6:3-5).

Who Should Be Baptized:

Believers: Individuals old enough to understand and profess faith in Christ (Acts 8:12, 18:8).
Followers: Those who have decided to follow Jesus as disciples.

Key Biblical References:

Matthew 3:5-6: John the Baptist baptizing those confessing sins.
Matthew 28:19: Jesus' Great Commission to baptize disciples.
Acts 2:38: Peter calling for repentance and baptism.
Acts 8:36-38: Philip baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch after belief.
Romans 6:3-4: Baptism as a picture of Christ's death and resurrection.

Righteousness

What is holiness? God has called every Christian to a holy life. To be holy is to be morally blameless. The word signifies a “separation to God,

Holiness is not an option Hebrews 12:14 tells us that “without holiness, no one will see the Lord.”

The Holiness of God

Because God is holy, He can never overlook any sin that we commit. We may try and justify to God some action which our own conscience calls into question, but we can never truly justify before Him even the slightest deviation from His perfect will.

Yes, 1 John 3:7-9 emphasizes that Christians should strive for righteousness like Jesus, explaining that

genuine believers, "born of God," practice righteousness and cannotlive a life of continuous sin, as God's "seed" (His life) remains in them, distinguishing them from the devil's children who practice sin. This means believers are identified by their ongoing commitment to doing what's right, reflecting Christ's nature, and showing they belong to God, not the devil.

Key Points from 1 John 3:7-9:

Do Not Be Deceived: John warns against false teachings that might suggest sin doesn't matter for believers.
Practicing Righteousness: The key indicator of being righteous (and a child of God) is the practice of doing what is right, just as Jesus is righteous.
The Nature of Sin: Those who continually sin belong to the devil, who has sinned from the beginning.
Jesus' Purpose: The Son of God came specifically to destroy the works of the devil, giving believers the power to overcome sin.
Born of God: A person born of God doesn't make a practice of sinning because God's seed (His divine nature) is in them, empowering them to live righteously.

In essence: While Christians still struggle, their new nature in Christ produces a life pattern of righteousness, contrasting with a life of habitual sin, and this transformation shows who truly belongs to God.