Welcome to the For the Gospel podcast. My name is Kosti Hinn, and I have the pleasure of being your host. For the Gospel is all about providing sound doctrine for everyday people. And over the last few weeks, we've been taking a deep dive into the topic of healing, different aspects of it, how God heals, if he heals, what we're supposed to do when the healing doesn't happen, and understanding his will in the midst of trials and suffering. A lot of the material was centered around my new book, More Than a Healer. If you haven't ordered that yet, it's available on Amazon, Christianbook.com in various versions, paperback, Kindle, and audio version as well. But on today's episode, I want to get back to talking through Christian doctrines, and we have been walking through what the Bible says about certain things, and we're coming up on one straight year of podcasting, and I want to discuss Christian holiness in this episode. The question is, how do we grow in holiness? How do you become more holy? Now, first of all, I want to make sure we're clear. Only God can do that. Only God can make you more holy. But knowing more about Christian holiness is very important to helping you understand how you're to live out your Christian life. To say that only God can make you more holy is not to say that you do nothing, you just sit around and live however you want. But it is to first put the weight on the Lord in the sense of He's the one who does the heavy lifting and he helps you grow in holiness. We want to understand first, though, what holiness is not. Holiness is not a kind of legalism to get yourself saved. The definition of legalism is literally trying to do good works or living out some law in order to earn God's favor and make him save you. That's not what holiness is. Holiness is not being a monk. It's not sitting up in a monastery somewhere by candlelight and riding with a fountain pen and being real spiritual. Holiness is not going to church. It's not your good works. Although all of those things can come out of a life that is holy. Holiness is not doing good things to get yourself saved. How does this sort of teaching get abused and twisted? Is a question that I really want to answer up front here as well. The first way is antinomianism, big word that just means antinomianism, which is against law or against anything legal, against the rules. Antinomianism is the idea today that grace is free. And since God's grace is free, you could just live however you want. And if I call you out on your sin or the way you're abusing the grace of God, you call me a legalist, and round and round we go. That's antinomian. It's the idea of, hey, I'm saved. I do what I want, I live how I want, ain't nobody can judge me. And if you try to tell me that I have to obey some commands or obey some rules, you're just a big legalist. God's grace covers and I can do whatever I want. Paul actually preaches strongly against this idea. If you read both Romans chapter 6 and Romans chapter 7, you'll come upon various verses in which he says, you know, since grace abounds, shall I sin all the more? Paul says, No, may it never be. Grace is not a license to sin. Another way that the idea of holiness gets abused and twisted is legalism. And we need to play fair here. The idea that if I don't go to movies, I don't cuss, I don't drink, you know, I never miss church, that I'm saved. Or if I can work myself up into a disciplined frenzy where I'm so crazy about all of my rigid rules, and I look put together and I sound put together, and everything on the outside is so well put together that I am somehow better than you or more spiritual. Well, God doesn't really look at the outside. He looks at the inside. In fact, when King David was anointed, do you remember the story when uh Samuel comes, he lines up all of Jesse's sons, and he says, Well, you know, isn't there another one? I mean, they were all looking pretty good there, you know, from tall to short, maybe I think of in my mind, oldest to youngest, and all these great-looking, handsome dudes, perfect to anoint as the next king of Israel. And God reminds the prophet, man looks out the outward appearance. I look at the heart. Well, when it comes to legalism, we got to remember God sees the heart. And out of a transformed heart, neither antinomianism nor legalism is going to count for your salvation. But the transformed heart looks to Christ. And when we look to Christ and we love Christ and we want to live for Christ, holiness follows. The idea being, Jesus, I love you. You've saved me, you are for me, you have called me, you know me. I want to follow you. Why would I want to do anything that's against you? And even when I do, I hate it. I hate my sin. I want to follow. That's the kind of life that we want to be living, and the kind of attitude and response and how we should approach holiness. Uh, important question as well: why do we run from it? Why do we run from holiness? Well, if we're really honest right now, this is gonna end our vices. Holiness is gonna TKO our bad habits. Holiness is gonna mean dying to ourself. Holiness is gonna mean that God's truth and his power are gonna whittle away and chisel out my sinful habits in my own way that appeals to my flesh. And sometimes that can hurt or be scary or be daunting, and people think, well, I don't really want to deal with that, or I don't want to face that, or I don't want to confess that. So I'll just keep putting up a front. Well, I say we embrace holiness, we run headfirst into it and view it the way that the Bible teaches it and not the way that anybody twists it. In 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 15 and 16, Peter says, But like the holy one who called you, he's talking about God, be holy yourselves in all your behavior. So he's definitely talking about your external behavior being impacted by your internal transformation. Because it is written in verse 16, you shall be holy, for I am holy. Well, right off the bat, we need to realize the Bible teaches that we are to be holy. We don't put off holiness, we don't minimize holiness, we don't mitigate unholiness, we make a big deal about holiness, but only the kind of holiness that the Bible teaches about. A few key things that I want to put in front of you that can help you grow in holiness. The first is this you want to remember who you belong to. And that is important because the world calls to us, our sin and flesh call to us. And when we remember who we belong to, it can help us remember who we are living for. In Peter's statement, be holy, like the one who called you. Well, that's helpful because if I remember that God has called me and he saved me, and I'm to imitate my Lord and Savior Jesus, and even Paul said, Imitate me as I imitate Christ, well, then I don't belong to this world. I don't belong to my sin. I don't belong to the devil, I don't belong to the flesh, I don't belong to this culture, I belong to God, the one who called me. David Helms says, understanding God as your father will be pivotal to your ability to live as a worthy member of his family. When you remember your last name, if you will, the family you're a part of. J.I. Packer says this if you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he or she makes of the thought of being God's child and having God as his or her father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he or she does not understand Christianity very well at all. Father is the Christian's name for God. What a beautiful statement by J.I. Packer reminding us that when we really grasp Christianity and what it means to be a Christian, that is going to go part in parcel with knowing God is our Father. You are God's children if you're saved. You don't belong to the world. He is yours, you are his, he's perfect, he's worthy of following more than any other father you'll ever know, even if you have a great father on earth, or maybe you have an abusive or a horrible father on earth, or maybe you didn't even know your father. Regardless, God is your perfect, holy, loving, all-fulfilling father. And so when you're finding it hard to live holy or you're struggling with sin, remember who you belong to. That is so important. When we're talking about the holiness of God and what it means to be holy in all of our conduct, it's important to understand the aspects of who God is. Remember Him and who He is, and Him is holy helps us realize two things. One, you're never going to be as holy as Him, but two, you are called to follow after Him. The divine position of God means that He is set apart. No one can be like Him or as perfect as Him. He is holy. There's also the divine perfection of Christ, which is the status of Jesus. He's perfect, He's without sin, and He came to earth. He took on the form of man, though was still God. He was tempted and did not sin, holy in every way, and His divine perfection is imputed to you. That's what the Father sees when he looks at you. He doesn't see your filthy sin. He sees his Son, Jesus, whose blood has washed you white as snow, just like we sing in the great hymn. So the divine position of God is important to understand in holiness conversations. The divine perfection of Christ as well important to understand. And now realizing that you're never going to be Jesus and you're never going to be the Father, there still is the daily pursuit of the Christian. That's what's Peter's, that's what Peter's getting at when he says, be holy as I am holy. He's not saying you're going to be God. He's not saying you're going to be Jesus. He's saying you need to be a follower of your perfect, heavenly, and holy father. Holiness means to be set apart. And that is important because we need to remember we are in this world, but not of it. We are resident aliens, if you will. We're passing through this world. And sometimes you're going to be tempted thinking, well, you know, am I missing out on something? Is there something better in this world? Maybe I could just live in both worlds. Maybe it's not a big deal if I do this or if I do that. I'm just enjoying my life, but I'm also a Christian. Well, the daily pursuit of the Christian life is to holiness. It's important for us to be asking God constantly to bring conviction upon our heart and our mind through the Holy Spirit and His work as we read the Bible, as we spend time in prayer, as we get around other Christians and we're sharpened by them. God, what are the areas in my life you want to expose? What are the ways in which you are calling me to greater levels of holiness? What have I heard now and been taught that I'm going to be responsible for? Where are the places in my life that I can no longer make excuses and say, well, I never knew that, or nobody ever taught me that? Those are important questions to be asking in prayer as you seek to live in holiness. One of the most important elements that we want to cover in holiness is the idea of being set apart. Peter, when he writes these words, is talking to an audience that is in the middle of a crazy culture. Nero is persecuting Christians. Most scholars agree either just before the letter was written or just after. People hate Christians. It would have lessened the persecution and made them more accepted if they would have lightened up, if they would have acted like the world, if they would have not been so set apart. Believe me when I say that nothing has changed. You know that nothing has changed. In today's world, there is a constant temptation to quiet your Christian life, to dampen your Christian flame, to avoid taking a stand for truth. And that is a dangerous temptation. We are set apart. We are in the service of the King. We are owned by Him. We do not downplay our Christianity. We do not dampen the flame of our faith in order to appease the world and the culture around us. That doesn't mean we need to be rude or nasty. It doesn't mean we need to be pompous or prideful, but it means we need to push away the temptation to succumb to the culture and to mitigate when it comes to living boldly and courageously for the gospel. Charles Spurgeon said it this way: Christian men are not to be used for anything but God. They are a set apart people. They're vessels of mercy. They are not for the devil's use, not for their own use, not for the world's use, but for their master's use. He has made them on purpose to be used entirely, solely, and holy for him. O Christian people, be holy, for Christ is holy. Do not pollute that holy name wherewith you are named. Let your family life, your personal life, your business life be as holy as Christ your Lord would have it be. Shall saints be shams when sinners are so real? What a convicting quote from the Prince of Preachers. That last line especially. Shall saints be shams when sinners are so real? You know the world's not afraid to be who they are. So why should we as Christians, those people who are carrying a divine saving message, ever be scared to be who we are? Finally, you don't just remember who you belong to, you don't just realize that you've been set apart. You do respect what God requires. This is the part of holiness that we need to all face and more than just face, we need to embrace. In 1 Peter 1 16, you shall be holy, for I am holy. Simply put, if you and I were to ever wonder why we should live a life that is holy, let me give you this response at least just once on this episode, so we've had the tough truth talk because God said so. I'm reminding myself of that too. As a Christian, do I need a softened, appealing, mitigating, lessened, easy introduction to God's commands? Do I need somebody to water it down for me to be able to accept it? If my answer is yes, perhaps my heart is more rebellious than I ever thought. If I have a problem with because God said so, well, maybe I have a problem with God. I think it's important for you and I to face the simplicity of Scripture sometimes. Why should we live holy? Well, because our God, who is holy, has said, be holy. If he's our Father, if we love him and he tells us to do something, then it shouldn't really bother us to do it. I think Peter spent a good deal of time explaining the gospel to his audience. I think we do well to explain the gospel to people. I think that Peter did a great job putting grace in front of his readers, and we ought to, and I believe we do it for the gospel and in our local churches as well, put grace in front of people all the time. That helps us understand the indicatives, which are the things that show us or tell us that we're saved and what the gospel is. The indicative facts about what the gospel has accomplished in our hearts are vital to know. Then there's these things called imperatives, though. Those are the commands. It's hey, the gospel has changed you. Jesus has called you, He loves you, He is for you, He has laid up an inheritance that is untouchable and imperishable. It's in glory waiting for you. You are his and he is yours. Now go and live for him. It's the idea of the woman who is caught in adultery when Jesus says, Neither do I condemn you. Then he tells her, Go and sin no more. Friend, if the gospel has changed you, if you know God loves you, then live holy. Love holiness, hate your sin. Embrace the imperative commands of the New Testament. Even from Peter, who knows it well. He blew it so many times. And here he is telling the church, you and I and his original audience, like it is and like it needs to be. And the idea that God has commanded holiness, he requires it of us, crushes, presses in on the inner rebel that's in all of us. More than that, though, the kindness of God should motivate our obedience to him because of what he has done for us, because of what the gospel means. Well, I don't need to be arm-twisted into submission. You don't need to be arm-twisted into submission. If it wasn't for him, I know where I'd be. You probably know where you'd be too. So we want to obey him. In first John 5, 2 and 3, uh, by this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. Basically, a life of holiness is evidenced through a life of obedience, not fake, shallow, superficial obedience, but genuine love for God, wanting to obey him, enjoying even the process of seeking to obey him. A love for God is what drives obedience to God. And the ultimate expression of love really is trust. To say I love you is good, but to say I trust you is even better. And that's really what obedience and holiness is. You're saying I trust you, Lord. I trust your way. I trust that doing it the way you say to do it is the best way to do it. All you've got to do is say the word and tell me what to do, and I'm gonna do my best to follow you. That kind of trust is an expression of your deep love for God, and that is where a life of holiness begins. And so let me give you a three-step takeaway here. Three steps that you can put into practice. Number one, ask God to do his part in you when it comes to holiness. Philippians two says, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now not only is in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This is Philippians two, twelve and thirteen, verse thirteen, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. It is God who works in you. God's the one who grows you. And if you've never done so before, I would encourage you to get on your knees at some point today, or if you're driving, just cry out to the Lord in humility and transparency with him. Be desperate for his work in your life, your motive being that you want to be closer to him, you want to be used by him, you want him to grow you. Tell him that. Pray for it, ask it. And just remember, he may grow you and answer your prayer through trials and challenges as well. But ask God to work in you according to his will and for his good pleasure. If you've never prayed for that, when it comes to holiness, that is really your step one when it comes to how to grow in holiness. Ask God to do it. The second thing that I want you to take away from this episode is that you have a part to play. Acknowledge that you play a part. Philippians 2, 12 and 13, the same passage I just read before it says, for it is God who works in you both to will and work for his good pleasure, says, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Why would Paul say that if holiness was just a passive sit around, do what you want, live how you want, God will do it, who cares anyway? Oh no, there is a working out, if you will. Some of us can be a bit lazy or passive, maybe with our spiritual maturity. We use God's work as an excuse to do no work. And this is usual. Usually evidenced through us saying, you know, it's God who does it. I just sit back and let it happen. Well, we still want to be taking our sin before the Lord. We want to be talking to faithful and humble, mature brothers and sisters in the Lord, confessing our sin to one another, like the Bible teaches, being sharpened by other people. You can certainly set an alarm in the morning to spend time with Jesus. That won't save you, but it is something that can grow you. That's a way that you can work out your salvation with fear and trembling. But even how about fear and trembling? Just the idea that holiness matters. Taking your holiness more seriously is something you can do. And maybe you've been told over and over and over again you ought to be praying, reading the word, taking initiative, confessing sin, getting honest, seeking the Lord. And you brush those things off as though they're just some kind of Christian thing that you're supposed to do. And if you have time to do it, maybe now is the time to acknowledge the part you play in your spiritual maturity. And maybe now's the time to get honest and realize if you've not been prioritizing your spiritual growth, God's not going to force you to wake up and set an alarm in the morning. He's given you his word, but he doesn't shove it down your throat. You need to eat it. You need to digest it. You need to hit your knees. God's not going to take his big old anthropomorphic divine hand, the idea, you know, God doesn't have hands, he's spirit, but let's just say it a big hand. He's not going to shove you on your face in the morning and say, pray. You've got to wake up and seek him. So acknowledge the part you play and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Take it seriously. And finally, follow godly examples. In in-person discipleship is vital, should be a part of your life. And so ask somebody you trust to guide you. Eat up biblical teaching. Look at how mature people talk, how they walk, how who they marry, how they dress, the way they schedule their time, how they pray, how they treat their spouse, how they raise their children. On and on and on it goes. I've got a buddy in my life who calls this drafting, like in racing. Get your life up behind somebody who's going somewhere and draft with them. And then eventually, just like in race car driving, they do this, you'll slingshot out in front of them and they'll cheer you on in that. Get your life behind somebody. Follow in some faithful footprints. Just like Paul says, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Do that with someone else. When I first got saved, I remember I started reading about heroes in the faith and following their example as best as I could. I watched documentaries and read books about Spurgeon and Martin Lloyd Jones and missionaries and so many other people that were an inspiration of gospel boldness. And pretty soon I started thinking, how could I not live my life boldly for the gospel? It's not like I'm special. This is just what Christians do. Maybe you'll find that some of the greatest world-changing Christians were just like you, and they had weaknesses and they had challenges. Hudson Taylor was a sickly and weak child. He was pampered by his mother and ends up being a gospel warrior in China, one of the greatest missionaries to ever live. You have Corey Tenboom, who is really just another suffering Jew in a concentration camp, but is a woman every young woman can learn from now and was godly in her resolve, her sister as well. You have women like Katie Luther, Catherine Luther, wife to Martin Luther, who was married to a man who certainly led the Reformation out in many ways, but was also a challenge to be married to. She possessed so much poise, and many of women in the church today could learn from her. You think Charles Spurgeon, he's a leader who suffered greatly throughout his ministry, emotionally through betrayal, he had bouts with depression. Socially, he was constantly criticized in public, physically with suffering. He had gout and suffered bodily, yet he applied the Bible that he studied and the sermons he preached to his own life, too. What is that all a reminder of? Well, Christian, you are not standing alone. You stand on a heritage of faith that reaches back two thousand years way beyond modern church history and even our wonderful modern day heroes of the faith, all the way to the early church, to the apostles, and more importantly than all of them, to Christ. Follow his example, seek him, and watch him grow you in holiness. My prayers, this episode will help you foster next steps for holiness and your growth and build a greater appreciation in your mind for the priority of holiness. Thanks for being with us today on the For the Gospel podcast. For free video teachings, go to our YouTube channel to give and support our ministry financially. You can do that tax-free at forthegospel.org. And don't forget, uh, we have lots of things going out on social media every single week. And so be sure to follow us and check out Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and more. And we'll be back next Monday with another episode. Keep on living for the gospel.