Separation Anxiety

=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>1) 12-30-07…..AM…..SBC 2)“Separation Anxiety”

Romans 6:12-14

Sources: Pursuit of Holiness (Bridges); Be Ye Holy (Moritz); Humility (Mahaney)

Introduction: The beauty of a fresh blanket of snow and the infiltration of impurity to it.

Ø Just a few days ago, on Christmas, we saw a beautiful fresh blanket of snow.

- the trees hung down from the weight of the snow

- yards, parking lots and sidewalks were covered until our Winter Wonderland had a fresh blanket of winter on it

Ø Just a short time after that the fresh blanket of snow was turned into a dirty sloppy mess.

- The plows churned up the dirty ground and threw it in with the new snow

- The salt and sand of the road crews mixed with the dirt of the vehicles to transform the new snow into a shadow of its former self

- parts of the new snow still remained in areas that were untouched by the impurity

- but most of the snow, in the high traffic areas had become dirty, impure and ugly

- it hasn’t ceased being snow, but it hasn’t taken on a different look to it

When we confess our sins in repentance to God our lives becomes like a fresh blanket of snow
But, when we sin we take on a different look before God – we don’t cease being a Christian but the impurity we have allowed in has altered what kind of Christian we look like

? – What do we do about those sins that constantly trip us up over and over?

- lying, cheating, anger, gossip, complaining, lust, pride, selfishness, discontent

A- We fight and fight and keep fighting – Like Rocky did when he was getting beat up in the ring by an opponent

Ø in the ring of life, when Satan fires off a barrage of punches at us and we seem to be losing the battle and we are ready to throw in the towel – we must fight!

Ø We fight because God’s holiness in us is at stake

Proposition: As we begin a series on our own personal quest for holiness, we must see that the quest for holiness

requires humility, hard work and help.

- We must first understand one thing as a precursor to our quest for holiness…

“holiness is a process, something that we never completely attain in this life. Rather, as we begin to conform to the will of God in one area of life, [God] reveals to us our need in another area. That is why we will always be pursuing as opposed to attaining holiness in this life.”[1]

? – Maybe you are asking, “Why study holiness?”

- because many leaders have advanced false concepts of holiness

- many have created lists of sins that lead away from holiness while others have attached certain styles of dress and mannerisms (Oh, my gosh!) that they say aren’t holy

- While these ideas may be accurate to some degree they all miss the true concept of holiness

Definition of Holiness

ἅγιος = pure, morally blameless or religious, consecrated[2] (1 Thess 4:3-7 – holiness vs. immorality) #. Holiness may also include the ideas of consecration to God and purity from what is evil or improper. [3]
both the Hebrew and Greek words for holiness involve the idea of separation as part of their meanings
spiritual disciplines in the life of faith is also called sanctification
Sanctification begins at justification and if you are truly justified you will show growth
There may be times of decline but true regeneration means you will come back

Transition: To live a sanctified life (separated from sin and dedicated to God) we must first of all see that…

1) Holiness requires Humility v12

A- Ultimately, sin is “anything in the creature which does not express, or is contrary to, the holy character of God.” (Buswell’s Theology quoted in Ryrie)

1. if God says he hates a lying tongue then when we sin when we lie

2. if God says he hates pride then we sin when we exalt ourselves over God and others

B- To be holy we must be humble enough to assess ourselves in light of God’ holiness and our sinfulness

1. We must call our wrongdoing what it is – sin.

a. we must take sin so seriously that we can see it’s potential to control and ruin our lives

b. a little bit of compromise with God’s law can lead to greater downfalls

Illustrations of “little” compromise

“it is just a little white lie to not hurt someone else”
“I know I’m suppose to wear my seatbelt but I’m just going across town”
“I’m supposed to tithe but I just can’t afford it right now”
“I know pornography is wrong but it is a natural desire”

Application:

? – Are we willing to call sin, “sin”, not because it is big or small but because God’s law forbids it?

? – Are we going to obey the Lord in all things, whatever it is that He commands?

Ø We cannot categorize sin, if we are to live a life of holiness.

Ø Holiness requires humility because it takes us humbling ourselves before God and recognizing our own sin

C- Humility is the sworn enemy of pride and selfishness

1. the real issue is not if pride exists in your heart; it’s where pride exists and how pride is being expressed in your life.

2. “Pride lifts up one’s own heart and contends for supremacy with Him”[4]

3. Pride only has one logical end – self-glorification

4. “Pride then is to rob God of legitimate glory and to pursue self-glorification, contending for supremacy with Him.” [5]

Ø To embark on a quest for holiness it begins by being humble enough to assess ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness

Transition: Besides Holiness requiring humility, secondly…

2) Holiness requires Hard Work v12-14a

Ø Let’s get something straight right from the start, fighting sin and changing our lives to be more dedicated to God is hard work

1. But that doesn’t eliminate our responsibility to not allow sin to be our Master

A- Holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian

1. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, and no one will attain it without effort on their own part

2. God has made it possible to walk in holiness but He has given us the responsibility of doing the walking.

Illustration: The Farmer

§ a farmer plows his field, plants the seed and fertilized and cultivates

§ he knows that after that he is completely dependent on outside forces to make it grow

§ he can’t make the seed germinate

§ he can’t make the rain come or the sun to shine

§ the farmer is dependent on these things from God but the farmer knows that unless he pursues his responsibility to plow, plant, fertilize and cultivate, he cannot expect a harvest at the end of the season

§ the farmer cannot do what God must do, and God will not do what the farmer should do

C- Holiness comes when we give the rule of our hearts over to Christ and not sin v12 (βασιλεύω)

1- the apostle urges believers constantly to be on guard against this great danger of surrendering to evil passions, passions which are often associated with the body and its functions, a body which, in man’s fallen state, tends toward sin and death [6]

2- What Paul is saying then is this, “Do not continue to put your bodily parts at the disposal of sin, as weapons of wickedness. Stop doing this; and instead, right now, completely and decisively, put yourselves at God’s disposal. Offer yourselves to him!”[7]

D- to pursue holiness means living out Ephesians 4:22-24

Ephesians 4:22 put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.[8]

1- find out what you need to work on (list it out, do this for family devotions)

2- then find the godly characteristic to replace it with and begin to fight

Application: Will you work as hard at holiness as you do to get that raise at work?

Transition: Not only does Holiness require humility and hard work, but thirdly…

3) Holiness requires Help v14

A- Law is able to do many things: it commands, demands, rebukes, condemns, restrains, even points away from itself to Another. There is, however, one thing law can never do. It cannot save.[9]

1. The sending of the Son is the very essence of God’s grace. And this grace not only pardons but also cleanses.[10]

2. Grace dethrones sin. It destroys sin’s lordship and enables the believer to offer himself, and whatever pertains to him, in loving service to God![11]

3. The child of God is able to do this because he is not under law but under grace, since in His infinitely condescending love and mercy Christ has redeemed him from the curse of the law, having become a curse for him [12]

4. Now they are “under grace”41 in that they have entered the new era in which the power to overcome sin is readily attainable.[13]

Ø Without the grace of God Holiness is not possible (Remember the Farmer has to depend on God for help)

Ø Thank God for His grace and ask him for His help in revealing your sin to you so you can glorify God more in a sanctified life.

Conclusion:

1. The quest for holiness is not easy because it requires humility, it is hard work and we need help to accomplish it

2. “holiness is a process, something that we never completely attain in this life. But, as we begin to conform to the will of God in one area of life, [God] reveals to us our need in another area. That is why we will always be pursuing as opposed to attaining holiness in this life.”[14]

3. Let’s remember that…

· change is a process, and therefore it takes time

· change requires daily practice

· change requires continuous practice

· holiness is for you

· holiness is a holy endeavored to be sought after by all God’s children

? – Will commit this New Year to fighting against sin harder than ever before?

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[1] “The Pursuit of Holiness” – Jerry Bridges, p10.

[2]James Strong, The New Strong's Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1996), H8674.

[3]Paul J. Achtemeier, Publishers Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature, Harper's Bible Dictionary, Includes Index., 1st ed. (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985), 400.

[4] Humility: Mahany, p31.

[5]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 202.

[5]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Eph 4:22-24.

[5]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 203.

41 E. F. Harrison says that to be under grace reflects its disciplinary power. Here in 6:14 that aspect of grace is “in line with the apostle’s effort to show that grace is not license” (“Romans,” EBC 10, ed. F. E. Gaebelein [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976], 72). [5] Ibid, p32.

[6]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 201.

[7]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 202.

[8]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Eph 4:22-24.

[9]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 203.

[10]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 203.

[11]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 203.

[12]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 12-13, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 203.

41 E. F. Harrison says that to be under grace reflects its disciplinary power. Here in 6:14 that aspect of grace is “in line with the apostle’s effort to show that grace is not license” (“Romans,” EBC 10, ed. F. E. Gaebelein [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976], 72).

[13]Robert H. Mounce, vol. 27, Romans, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1995), 154.

[14] “The Pursuit of Holiness” – Jerry Bridges, p10.