Why Do We Pursue Holiness and Peace?

WHY SEEK HOLINESS; WHY PURSUE PEACE?

PART ONE: Without these we will not see the Lord.

(Hebrews 12:14)

“Consecration means the continual separating of myself to one particular thing. We cannot consecrate once and for all. Am I continually separating myself to consider God every day of my life?” (Oswald Chambers – January 26^th).

How do we become fruit bearing believers?

One: We pursue peace (hardship and discipline produces a harvest of peace).

Two: We pursue holiness (hardship and discipline produces a harvest of righteousness).

But why do we need to pursue these and become fruit bearing believers?

Without these we will not see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).

Does this mean after we leave this world?

Does this mean right now?

There were two boys who were always getting into trouble. The story goes that the preacher pulled one of the boys aside and took him into his office. The hope of the preacher was that trouble would cease if the boy could understand the presence of God being everywhere. So the preacher said, “Where is God?” The boy said nothing. Again the preacher said, “Where is God?” No reply. Getting a little more intense the preacher said once more, “Where is God?” The boy turner toward the door and ran. He found the other boy and told him that they were in big trouble. God is missing and they think we took him.

Have you seen the Lord?

Will you see the Lord?

I can see both as a good application.

Without readiness to belong to God, being separated to God, no one will see God.

Without obvious effort to seek peace, no one will see God.

Certainly no one on the outside . . . but also no one on the inside.

We can with hope long for the day when we will see our Savior face to face. But do we know that he offers us to possibility to see Him right now?

“Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we beg you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (II Cor. 5:20).

When hostilities cease and supernatural forgiveness takes place – We have seen the Lord.

When a righteous life is lived for the right reasons:

- No pharisaic put downs (Luke 18:11).

- No boasting self-righteousness (Is. 64:6 – “But we are all as an unclean thing . . .”

- But a seeking for God’s righteousness (Isaiah 3:10-11).

- With a true picture of God’s holiness (Isaiah 6:1-8).

THERE IS HOLINESS IMPARTED THROUGH CHRIST – THIS SAVES US!

THERE IS HOLINESS PURSUED AS DISCIPLES OF CHRIST – THIS BEARS FRUIT!

“sanctity of him” or holiness (vs.10) – agiothtos

“holiness, moral purity” (BAG).

hapax logemena

;agios – holy (New Englishman’s Greek Concordance – hagos: awful thing).

“peaceable fruit of righteousness” or a harvest of righteousness and peace (vs. 11) – dikaiosunhs (also Mt. 6:33).

“conduct in agreement with God’s will”

“righteousness, uprightness as the compelling motive for the conduct of one’s whole life” (BAG)

Mt. 5:6 – “hunger and thirst after righteousness”

Mt. 5:10 – “persecuted for righteousness sake”

Mt. 5:20 – “except you righteousness shall exceed”

Mt. 6:33 – “seek first”

Mt. 3:15 – “becometh us to fulfill all righteousness”

Mt. 21:32 – “in the way of righteousness

Luke 1:75 – “in holiness and righteousness before him”

John 16:8 and 10 – “of righteousness”

Romans 1:17 – “therein is the righteousness of God”

Favorite word of Romans

Eph. 6:14 – “breastplate of righteousness”

Heb 1:9; 5:13; 7:2; 11:7 and 33; 12:11

James 3:18 – “fruit of righteousness is sown in peace”

“follow after . . . sanctification, which without no one will see the Lord” – agiasmon

“holiness, consecration, sanctification, . . . moral process or its result” (BAG).

Romans 6:19 – “Servants to righteousness unto holiness”

Romans 6:22 – “fruit unto holiness

I Cor. 1:30 – “sanctification and redemption”

I Thess. 4:3 – “will of God, even you sanctification”

I Thess. 4:4 – “vessel in sanctification”

I Thess. 4:7 – “but unto holiness”

II Thess. 2:13 – “through sanctification of the Spirit”

I Tim. 2:15 – “charity and holiness”

I Peter 1:2 – “through sanctification of the Spirit”

When a righteous life is live for the right reasons (what I obviously do, as well as what I don’t do) – We have seen the Lord.

Those who know this righteousness will see the Righteous God.

I Peter 1:15-16

I John 3:2-3

At the pro-life march and rally in Warroad yesterday, I listened to a message from Dan Hall a chaplain to our Minnesota House and Senate. He told of a pregnancy that occurred when he and his wife to be were engaged. Dan went to his pastor some 33 years ago and asked what he should do. His pastor said that they should get an abortion. That caught Dan off guard – he was not thinking that. Dan went to his older brother whom he respected and asked his advise. Dan’s brother said you should get an abortion. Again, Dan was not thinking that. They did not get an abortion and their firstborn is now their 33 year old son. It was very emotional when Dan’s family met with his brother’s family after they both had their first children. Dan’s brother realized the impact of what he had advised his brother to do. As Dan’s brother looked at their children together, he gave thanks that they did not do as he had advised.

Let’s think about what we are doing.

Let’s pursue peace.

Let’s pursue holiness.

Without these no one is going to see the Lord.