Post by pitbull on Dec 12, 2005 9:16:31 GMT -5
Consider the following verses:
“And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” [Exodus 19:6]
“And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.” [Exodus 22:31]
“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy…ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” [Leviticus 11:44-45]
“Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” [Leviticus 19:2]
“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God… And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.” [Leviticus 20:7, 26]
“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” [Deuteronomy 7:6]
“And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” [Isaiah 62:12]
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48]
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” [Romans 12:1-2]
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” [1 Corinthians 6:11]
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” [Ephesians 1:4]
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” [Colossians 1:28]
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” [Colossians 3:12]
“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” [1 Thessalonians 4:7]
“Abstain from all appearance of evil. 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.” [1 Thessalonians 5:22-23]
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” [James 1:4]
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” [1 Peter 1:15-16]
These verses bring out three principles that teach Biblical standards:
1. Holiness – The term “holy” merely means separated from sin. This is an attribute of God and should be an attribute in the life of each believer. We need to separate ourselves from sins.
2. Sanctification – The term “sanctify” means to set aside for a specific purpose. For the believer, we need to sanctified for God’s usage.
3. Perfection – The term “perfect” means mature. Our level of spiritual maturity is demonstrated by the lifestyle of the believer.
This is where standards come in. Standards are the tools that we use to separate ourselves from sin and temptation. You are less likely to sin if you separate yourself from temptation. Standards are the tools that we use to set ourselves aside for God’s usage. God will not use us if we do not make ourselves available.
Want to demonstrate spiritual maturity? That is demonstrated by how much we live our lives according to God’s Word. We use standards to do that also.
This is summarized in Philippians 2:15 – “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” We are to live without anything that the unsaved world can accuse us of. We may not be sinless perfect, but we should live above rebuke. This is impossible without the usage of standards. 1 Peter 2:12 reinforced this concept, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” The word “conversation” means lifestyle. It covers your thoughts, words, and actions. Standards are what we use so that our lifestyle or conversation is honest before others.
“And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” [Exodus 19:6]
“And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.” [Exodus 22:31]
“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy…ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” [Leviticus 11:44-45]
“Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” [Leviticus 19:2]
“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God… And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.” [Leviticus 20:7, 26]
“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” [Deuteronomy 7:6]
“And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” [Isaiah 62:12]
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48]
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” [Romans 12:1-2]
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” [1 Corinthians 6:11]
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” [Ephesians 1:4]
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” [Colossians 1:28]
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” [Colossians 3:12]
“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” [1 Thessalonians 4:7]
“Abstain from all appearance of evil. 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.” [1 Thessalonians 5:22-23]
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” [James 1:4]
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” [1 Peter 1:15-16]
These verses bring out three principles that teach Biblical standards:
1. Holiness – The term “holy” merely means separated from sin. This is an attribute of God and should be an attribute in the life of each believer. We need to separate ourselves from sins.
2. Sanctification – The term “sanctify” means to set aside for a specific purpose. For the believer, we need to sanctified for God’s usage.
3. Perfection – The term “perfect” means mature. Our level of spiritual maturity is demonstrated by the lifestyle of the believer.
This is where standards come in. Standards are the tools that we use to separate ourselves from sin and temptation. You are less likely to sin if you separate yourself from temptation. Standards are the tools that we use to set ourselves aside for God’s usage. God will not use us if we do not make ourselves available.
Want to demonstrate spiritual maturity? That is demonstrated by how much we live our lives according to God’s Word. We use standards to do that also.
This is summarized in Philippians 2:15 – “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” We are to live without anything that the unsaved world can accuse us of. We may not be sinless perfect, but we should live above rebuke. This is impossible without the usage of standards. 1 Peter 2:12 reinforced this concept, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” The word “conversation” means lifestyle. It covers your thoughts, words, and actions. Standards are what we use so that our lifestyle or conversation is honest before others.