What Is The Relation Of My Heart To Holiness?
Gerry White
August 21, 2005

What is holiness? Transfigured morality blazing with indwelling God! It is:

  • Untarnished walk with the feet
  • Untarnished talk with the tongue
  • Untarnished thinking of the mind
  • Untarnished transactions of bodily organs
  • Untarnished life of the heart
  • Untarnished dreams of the imagination

1 Timothy 3:16 - 4:11

If you are going to understand the gospel mystery of sanctification and fully experience it, you must be born from above by the Spirit of God...

2 Questions:

  1. Am I born again by the Spirit of God?
  2. What is the relation of my heart to holiness?

In John 15, Jesus said "every tree is known by its fruit and you know whether you are born of the Spirit by the desire of your heart."

  • Do you desire holiness more than you desire anything else?
  • Do you desire your motives, your heart, your life, everything in you, should be as pure as God wants it to be?

4 Deep Desires Strong in the Heart of Everyone Born from Above

  1. The Word of God awakens great desires in you
  2. You want to pray
  3. You want to worship with other believers
  4. You want to be baptized by the Holy Spirit to bear a strong family likeness to Christ.
  • Do you long for holiness?
  • Are the deepest desires of your heart God-centered?

For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus. He showed us God's plan of salvation; he was the one who made us acceptable to God; he made us pure and holy and gave himself to purchase our salvation.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (Living)

Sanctification does not mean the Lord gives you the ability to produce by a slow, steady process, a holiness like His; it is His holiness in you.

  • His holiness in you is imparted, not an imitation you try to live up to.
  • Christ is formed in you, not the Christ life, but Christ Himself.
  • Not the start of holiness, but the holiness of Jesus Christ.

At the moment you are saved, the baptism of the Holy Spirit puts you into the very life of Jesus.

How is my desire changed?

1. God has cleaned my heart from the desires to practice evil.

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 9:14 (NLT)

But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and his benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life.

Romans 6:22 (Living)

2. God has cleaned my heart from the strongest of passions.

For God has not called us to be dirty-minded and full of lust but to be holy and clean.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (Living)

...let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)

How do you benefit from Holy Living?

1. My Character is developed

People of character don't make up the rules as they go along. You don't ask "what's right for me?" You ask "what's right?" You believe there is a standard of right and wrong that overshadows the entire human race.

According to God's nature, He has set the limits on human behavior.

He has determined:

  • What is and is not permissible?
  • What is and is not fair?
  • What is and is not moral?

2. I agree with God's code of ethics and morality

Personal obedience takes priority over personal achievement.
Self-control takes precedent over self-fulfillment.
You gained an ability and willingness to obey.

If you are not holy, you will not be tempted to be unholy, because you do not hold holiness.

If you make holiness a cause instead of an effect, you become shallow, no matter how profound you are. It means you are more concerned about being speckles than about being real; far more concerned about keeping your garments white than about being devoted to Jesus Christ.

There's only one kind of holiness and that's the holiness of Jesus Christ.

The only test of spirituality is holiness, practical, living holiness, and that holiness is impossible unless the Holy Spirit has brought you to your "last day." That was the day that you died to self and accepted Christ Jesus as your savior.

What does it cost you to be holy?

1. I cannot keep practicing the same sin.

Well then, shall we keep on sinning so that God can keep on showing us more and more kindness and forgiveness?

[2] Of course not! Should we keep on sinning when we don't have to? [3] For sin's power over us was broken when we became Christians and were baptized to become a part of Jesus Christ; through his death the power of your sinful nature was shattered. [4] Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died; and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy.

Romans 6:1-4 (Living)

2. I should not take advantage of God's forgiveness

So since God's grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! [16] Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval. [17] Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new teaching God has given you. [18] Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness.

[22] But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:15-23 (NLT)