- Jan 1, 2024
- 718
- 341
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Messianic
- Marital Status
- Widowed
"The New Testament
The New Testament underscores all the Old Testament teaches on holiness. It develops a greater emphasis, however, on the themes of holy Trinity and holy saints. Now holiness is often ascribed to each Person of the Godhead. The God of love is the Holy Father (Joh 17:11); Jesus Christ is the Holy One of God (Mar 1:24; Joh 6:69); and the Spirit of God is denominated “Holy” ninety-one times!
In terms of saints, the New Testament highlights three themes. First, it accents the ethical dimension of holiness. The stress is on inward rather than ritual holiness. Basic to this is the witness of Jesus Himself, Who as the Son of man lived out a life of complete holiness, for He “committed no sin; nor was any deceit found in his mouth” (1Pe 2:22). He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb 7:26). As a result of His redemptive work, believers in Him are declared righteous and enter into holiness: “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10).
Secondly, the New Testament emphasizes the normativity10 of holiness among believers. Holiness belongs to all true followers of Christ. A common term for all believers is holy ones
(hagioi), usually translated “saints.” “Saints,” therefore, does not refer to persons preeminent in holiness, but to the typical believer, who is holy in Christ (1Co 1:30). Holiness is an internal reality for all who are united with Christ. Even though a child of God feels often how unholy he is in himself and would not dare to call himself a “saint,” God views all His elect as holy and saintly in and through the perfect active and passive obedience11 of His well-beloved Son. For Christ’s sake, their state is holy before God, and their condition is made holy by the indwelling Spirit.
Thirdly, the New Testament envisions holiness as transforming the total person: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Th 5:23). Though this “whole holiness” falls beyond the reach of the believer in this life, it nevertheless remains his goal and prayer. He delights to pursue holiness and seeks to “perfect holiness in the fear of God” (2Co 7:1)."
*10 normativity – quality of being a standard held in common.
*11 active and passive obedience – Christ’s active obedience was His perfect fulfillment of the Law during His life on earth. His passive obedience was His perfect submission to the will of the Father in His death on the cross.
Full Booklet here:
www.chapellibrary.org
Just one note on the last paragraph: "Though this “whole holiness” falls beyond the reach of the believer in this life, it nevertheless remains his goal and prayer. He delights to pursue holiness and seeks to “perfect holiness in the fear of God” (2Co 7:1)."
I believe it is attainable, except for our flesh and sin nature will not be perfected in holiness till our glorified body is received. As I've said in other messages, God wouldn't call us to something that cannot be obtained through His indwelling Spirit.
We can indeed have days where we can pray like david did in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
There can be days, or SHOULD be days where we look back at the day and realize we didn't do any outward sin, and didn't even have any sinful thoughts, and for all intent and purpose you spent the day as 2 Peter 1:4-10 and your thoughts as Philippians 4:8,
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things..."
Having such days we should still pray Psalm 139, because God searches our hearts and if there can be found any wicked way, His Spirit can seek it out. If you've never had a day like that, seek a deeper fellowship with our Saviour. He is fully capable of bringing us into holiness. Consider Joseph, Samuel and Daniel, who are the three prominent men in the Scriptures that nothing is written of their falling. Mary, the Mother of Jesus for women, and Job was also called a perfect man, though he struggles partway into his trials. These are our examples of people who were born in sin with the sin nature: But of course CHRIST is our perfect example, and we are told to walk even as He walked. (1 John 2:6)
The New Testament underscores all the Old Testament teaches on holiness. It develops a greater emphasis, however, on the themes of holy Trinity and holy saints. Now holiness is often ascribed to each Person of the Godhead. The God of love is the Holy Father (Joh 17:11); Jesus Christ is the Holy One of God (Mar 1:24; Joh 6:69); and the Spirit of God is denominated “Holy” ninety-one times!
In terms of saints, the New Testament highlights three themes. First, it accents the ethical dimension of holiness. The stress is on inward rather than ritual holiness. Basic to this is the witness of Jesus Himself, Who as the Son of man lived out a life of complete holiness, for He “committed no sin; nor was any deceit found in his mouth” (1Pe 2:22). He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb 7:26). As a result of His redemptive work, believers in Him are declared righteous and enter into holiness: “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10).
Secondly, the New Testament emphasizes the normativity10 of holiness among believers. Holiness belongs to all true followers of Christ. A common term for all believers is holy ones
(hagioi), usually translated “saints.” “Saints,” therefore, does not refer to persons preeminent in holiness, but to the typical believer, who is holy in Christ (1Co 1:30). Holiness is an internal reality for all who are united with Christ. Even though a child of God feels often how unholy he is in himself and would not dare to call himself a “saint,” God views all His elect as holy and saintly in and through the perfect active and passive obedience11 of His well-beloved Son. For Christ’s sake, their state is holy before God, and their condition is made holy by the indwelling Spirit.
Thirdly, the New Testament envisions holiness as transforming the total person: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Th 5:23). Though this “whole holiness” falls beyond the reach of the believer in this life, it nevertheless remains his goal and prayer. He delights to pursue holiness and seeks to “perfect holiness in the fear of God” (2Co 7:1)."
*10 normativity – quality of being a standard held in common.
*11 active and passive obedience – Christ’s active obedience was His perfect fulfillment of the Law during His life on earth. His passive obedience was His perfect submission to the will of the Father in His death on the cross.
Full Booklet here:
Chapel Library
Just one note on the last paragraph: "Though this “whole holiness” falls beyond the reach of the believer in this life, it nevertheless remains his goal and prayer. He delights to pursue holiness and seeks to “perfect holiness in the fear of God” (2Co 7:1)."
I believe it is attainable, except for our flesh and sin nature will not be perfected in holiness till our glorified body is received. As I've said in other messages, God wouldn't call us to something that cannot be obtained through His indwelling Spirit.
We can indeed have days where we can pray like david did in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
There can be days, or SHOULD be days where we look back at the day and realize we didn't do any outward sin, and didn't even have any sinful thoughts, and for all intent and purpose you spent the day as 2 Peter 1:4-10 and your thoughts as Philippians 4:8,
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things..."
Having such days we should still pray Psalm 139, because God searches our hearts and if there can be found any wicked way, His Spirit can seek it out. If you've never had a day like that, seek a deeper fellowship with our Saviour. He is fully capable of bringing us into holiness. Consider Joseph, Samuel and Daniel, who are the three prominent men in the Scriptures that nothing is written of their falling. Mary, the Mother of Jesus for women, and Job was also called a perfect man, though he struggles partway into his trials. These are our examples of people who were born in sin with the sin nature: But of course CHRIST is our perfect example, and we are told to walk even as He walked. (1 John 2:6)
