Romans * 86

Holy

October 27, 2002

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

 

ROMANS 12:1    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. 2 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. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

 

As we stated last night there are 10 things that the apostle Paul mentions here in these first 2 verses of chapter 12. 

 

ROMANS 12:1    I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye    #1-present your bodies –this speaks of how important the presentation is.

#2- a living sacrifice,  - this speaks of a sacrifice that has been made alive, by God’s very life in us. Therefore what remains to be examined is the following seven points.

#3- holy,

#4- acceptable unto God,

#5- which is your reasonable service.

#6- And be not conformed to this world:

#7- but be ye transformed

#8- by the renewing of your mind,

#9- that ye may prove

#10 what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

Last evening we continued in our study of the Book of Romans chapter 12 and verse 1-2. and we spoke on the Living Sacrifice.

 

The Apostle Paul is speaking here no longer of a blood sacrifice which represents a dead sacrifice, but he is speaking of a living sacrifice. one which is not dead, but rather one which has been made alive. And in HEBREWS 9:13 he tells us that we are to purge our minds of our dead works, to serve the Living God. purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

So we see by this that it s not the works but rather our consciousness of God that that counts. Paul is telling us here to purge our conscience fro dead works, in order to serve the Living God.

 

In ROMANS 12:1-2 he tells us how we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and it is by renewing of our minds. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed (How are we to be transformed? ) by the renewing of your mind,(And what will that do for us? He says,) that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (It’s all about the Will of God. Jesus said, It is written in the volume of the Book, I have come to do thy will O God. Jesus, said Father, not my will but thy will be done. And Paul said in Colossians “Let this mind (this attitude) which was in Christ be in You.) Notice here, as he continues

 

Now, this morning I would like to focus our attention on the next element in Paul’s view on how to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. And this morning, we will look at what it means to be Holy. He said this living sacrifice is one that is Holy, and so we want to know what it means to be a living sacrifice that is holy.

 

Notice, point # 3, He said, Holy. We are to present to God not only a living sacrifice but a Holy sacrifice.  And how is this possible, for there is none holy but the Lord.

 

HEBREWS 6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

 

So we see that our works are considered dead before God. Those are works without Faith. For Works that express Faith have been anointed by the Holy Spirit, and have become an expression of His Life.

 

HEBREWS CHAPTER 5 AND 6  57-0908M  184-106    We could take it verse by verse, each one of those things. Baptism, we believe it. "There's one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism." We believe that there's a baptism. We believe in the resurrection of the dead: absolutely. We believe Jesus died and rose again. We believe that. Laying on the hands for the sick, that's what it said: "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." We believe that. But what is that? Paul said, "It's all dead works." It's something that you do. Now let's go on to perfection. Oh, my.

 

Notice brother Branham is telling us here that the things that we can do for God is all dead works. There is nothing we can do that will merit anything, for if we can do anything then Christ died in vain. God does not want a dead sacrifice, he wants a living one. Br. Branham continues by saying, …

 

“We're coming into the Tabernacle, not the foundation, the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle Itself. That's the foundation: the law, and the righteousness, and joining church, and being baptized, and laying on of hands. Them's all orders of the church, but now let's go into perfection. And there's only One that is perfected; that's Jesus. How do we get into Him? Through the Methodists? No. Pentecostal? No. Baptist? No. Through any church? No. Roman Catholic? No.

 

Now, Paul told us our living sacrifice is to be Holy, and the word he used here is the Greek word,    hagios    pronounced, (hag'-ee-os)  and it is made up from two root words, hagnos which means pure, chaste, clear, sacred, pure from carnality, modest, immaculate and clean. The other root word is Thaipo and it means, to cherish with tender love. Or tender care.

 

So we see that bringing these two words together we have a purity that comes as a result of tender love and care. Therefore, we have purity out from the motive of true tender care,  and we see modesty that comes from tender love, and we see a sacredness out from and in response to pure love.  We have a life pure from carnality one that is modest, immaculate and clean, not from a fear of retribution, nor from a fear of penalty, but as a result of an inner motive of Tender Love and Tender Care for our Savior. This holiness that Paul is speaking of here as not the result of a rigid and disciplined life style, but a result of true caring and tender love for God.

How contrary this is to the disciplined and rigid life of the legalist. Those are people who through fear of retribution from a Holy God live in fear and walk in fear and tremble at the thought of eternal separation from God and Heaven. These are people who do right not because it is the right thing to do, but they do right because of fear of penalty for doing wrong.

 

But Paul said this sacrifice is Holy out of a different kind of motive. A motive that is stimulated by tender Love and tender care for the One Who gave them new birth. Oh, how different the two motives are. One binds you while the other sets you free, and yet they both will produce the same works, and the same outward acts. But as I mention going into the study of these two verses, the things Paul begins with here is setting our minds on the importance of the presentation.

 

If you will recall the man who comes home after a hard days work to the aroma of  an apple pie baking in the oven, and fresh baked bread sitting out on the counter and the aroma of  a nice cooked meal, and the atmosphere has been set to give a wonderful presentation of this gift of supper to him, while on the other hand we saw the man who came home and his wife hands him a frozen TV dinner and says, put it in the oven at 325 and I’ll see you in an hour after I get home from shopping.

 

Both men receive the gift of a supper from their wife, but what a difference in the presentation of that gift. And that is the same way God looks upon what we do. Your Holiness ads nothing to God, but if you present your gift with tender love and care to Him, He looks upon your motive, He looks to the very recesses of your heart, and He knows your presentation, if it is motivated by Love or by fear.

 

LEVITICUS 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God.   8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I [am] the LORD which sanctify you.

 

Our Holiness is a result of a cleaning act which can only come from God’s word. It is not an act in our flesh, produced by our disciplines life, but it is an expression which begins in our mind, and is conveyed outwardly through the actions of our bodies.

 

In PSALMS 119:9 we read,   ¶ Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word.

 

So we see that it si taking heed to the Word that brings cleansing in our Life. Listen, I have seen Women who live so high and mighty, and are so heavenly bound that they have their noses up in the clouds, and look down in disgust upon mortal man as though they are mere sinful creatures and a much lower race than they themselves are. Do you think God is pleased with that? Do you think you can bring that kind of an attitude before God and it be an acceptable attitude? I don’t think so!

 

Jesus met those kind of self starched people in his day and they were the Pharisees. So he told them a story about the two different ways of approaching God.

 

LUKE 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12    I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

It’s the approach that counts. One man approached God with a broken and contrite heart and God openly accepted his prayer while the other man had lived no doubt a much more disciplined life, but look at his approach. He wasn’t looking for forgiveness! He was proud, and gloating how much better he was than the sinner next to him. And look at Jesus words concerning that man.  Jesus said he was not even justified, whereas the man who approached God in contrition went away justified, cleansed, and free from all guilt and stain in the eyes of God.

 

Paul said, ROMANS 4:1   What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6    Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 9    [Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which [he had] being [yet] uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression. 16 Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

 

Jesus said in Luke chapter 7, them whose sins, are many, and are forgiven; loveth much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little.

 

 

LUKE 7:36   And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that [Jesus] sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw [it], he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman [this is] that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43  Simon answered and said, I suppose that [he], to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped [them] with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. 48    And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

 

Notice then that forgiveness produces much more love in the individual than all the doing will ever produce. Jesus is letting us know that when we have a willing heart, ready to forgive, we will be loved more. And in the same illustration he tells us that if we are perfect in our actions but have a rigid and stony attitude toward others we can love only little. 

 

Notice how the Word of God shows us that our cleansing brings forth two things, holiness and Love.  And it is these two things together that merit with God. We are not clean and therefore holy. We are cleansed by the Love of God and the tender mercy of God and therefore, have become holy unto to. Set aside for service because we have a right heart, and our heart first has become holy. Our heart first has been cleansed, and because we can see our own condition is as filthy rags, and we have been made clean by the blood of the lamb, we then have a tender heart for others and a forgiving heart for others and as we love, and tenderly care we are made holy.

 

Therefore our holiness is not a state of our actions, but a condition of the heart. And if it is true holiness it will bubble over with Love.

 

EPHESIANS 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

 

Notice Paul is saying Love that you may sanctify. Love that you might cleanse. Love that you might make holy.

TITUS 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

 

It seems we so overlook the simple things, and yet that is where God hides, is in simplicity. Everyone wants the challenge to do the big things, and yet it is in those simple acts of love that cleansing and therefore holiness are born.

 

I KINGS 5:1  Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, [but he was] a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord [were] with the prophet that [is] in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 4 And [one] went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that [is] of the land of Israel. 5  And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of raiment. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have [therewith] sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, [Am] I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. 8 And it was [so], when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9       So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11    But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12  [Are] not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13    And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, [if] the prophet had bid thee [do some] great thing, wouldest thou not have done [it]? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15    And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that [there is] no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 16 But he said, [As] the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take [it]; but he refused. 17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. 18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, [that] when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.

 

PSALMS 51:7   Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 

Holiness and cleansing is born out of Love. JOHN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

And our Love comes from being loved first. I JOHN 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. 11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14    And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17    Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18    There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

ISAIAH 1:16  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 

IT WASN'T SO FROM THE BEGINNING  60-0306   E-54 Sent His Holy Spirit down here to come into our flesh, which He has sanctified with His own blood... You believe in sanctification? "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Now, you cannot be holy. I'm not depending on my holiness. I have none. But I'm depending on His holiness. It's His holiness that I'm looking at. Not what... Well, not what I was, but what He is. That's it. Go back to the beginning. There it is: Jesus Christ the same yesterday...

 

Notice then our holiness is not what we do for Him, but what He has done for us.

 

I SAMUEL 2:2 [There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God.

 

There is none that is Holy but the Lord, and when He cleans you up and fills you with His HOLY Spirit, then having the same Spirit and same Life in you as in Him, you are now made a Holy people.

 

LEVITICUS 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God. The cleansing comes first and then Holiness follows. But it all begins because of Love, for He first Loved us, and then gave of Himself, a part of Himself to us to live through us.

 

I THESSALONIANS 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 9  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

 

Notice how you cannot separate Holiness in the scripture from Love for that is what it is. It is Hagios, it is a Tender Loving Care. That’s what Holiness is. And that is what is expressed through holiness.

 

I PETER 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently:

 

Oh, my Peter begins by speaking on being holy even as God is Holy, and then he swings right into showing how we express this holiness, and that is by loving the brethren.

 

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24   For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

 

And if this God life comes forth from God’s Word, and lasts forever, then our love of the brethren will not diminish and become less, but will rather grow. And if our Love for the brethren does diminish, then our holiness is waxing hard and becoming mere works as well.

 

DEUTERONOMY 7:6 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 earth7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye [were] the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

 

Because He loves us we are made Holy. Then let’s take that attitude and do the same. Let this mind which was in Christ be in you. Let this attitude which was in Christ be in you.

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:1  If [there be] therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. 3 [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

 

Let us pray. Dear Gracious Father we are so thankful that you first loved us and have shown us the way, and expressed your love to us through the death of your only begotten so, that the very Life that you placed in Him might come back into us, and that through that act of love, we have been freed from our own self righteousness and have become Holy, by a Holy God, whose Holy Spirit has come through Your Holy Word to live your Holy Life full of Love and compassion and Loving tender care through our own vessels, that we might become the very Holiness of God. And we thank you Father for what you are continuing to do through your Word in this hour. Amen.