WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING:

Since Creation, much has been sought in relation to Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding, leading to emergence of mans made Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding which has brought the Human race into much sorrow and pain over and over. Today people are so much confused than at that time Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, that fruit of Knowledge, knowledge to that which is which is good and bad.

Genesis 2:15-17 The Lord took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. 17 But you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it will you will surely die”.

Paul in his writing to the church in Corinth, state that:-

1Corinthian 10:23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything” but not everything is beneficial.

1Corinthian 6:12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything” but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

When God placed Adam and Eve, and We are told that they Genesis 2:24 “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame” but after partaking of the Fruit of Knowledge, which was forbidden of them, the Word of the Lord says there eyes opened and they realized they were naked they were naked, so they sew sewed fig leaves together and made covering for themselves Genesis 3:6-7, But when God came calling in His usual time that is in the cool of the day they (Man and Woman) hide themselves among the trees of the forest, Genesis 3:8. They turned to the ignoble forgoing the noble, Just like today many have turned to carved images, idols, fellow human being, nature, sorcery, witchcraft, world education systems in an attempt to solve numerous problems that man is undergoing because He forsook the divine source of Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding GOD.

In the Garden of Eden man depended on God totally, God was his sufficiency, he needed nothing else, he was contented but the moment he turned His back and sort other source of Knowledge, and Wisdom relying on his own understanding. His relationship with God crumbles, for the knowledge that man obtain from Satan lead him to sin against God by not only eating of the forbidden fruit but also disobeying God’s command.

The name Satan means the Deceiver, and one who deceives is one who takes the actual fact, twist with the sole aim of distorting its real meaning leading to an act which is contrary to the expected. Hence what Satan did to Eve was use the actual fact and through the questioning and answering method he leads Eve to misinterpreted what God had said command them and out of this we find Eve committing sin and even Adam is seductively induced into sinning by Eve.

Genesis 3:1-

Now the Serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the Woman, “Did God really say, “You must eat from any tree in the garden?”2 The Woman said to the serpent, “We nay eat fruit from the tree in the garden, 3 But God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the Garden, and You must not touch it, or You will die.” 4 You will not surely die, “the serpent said to the woman, 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it you eyes will open, and you will be like God, Knowing good and evil”

Result of the twisting of the facts by the devil on Eve.

Genesis 3:6-

1. The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good and pleasing to the eye. (Sensational desire crept in)
2. Noticed the fruit as desirable for gaining WISDOM. (idolizing of the fruit above God)
3. She took of it and Ate (Deriving satisfaction from the perishable)
4. She gave some to her Husband who was with her, and he ate it (Inducing others to sin)

Result

1. There eyes opened
2. Realized they were naked
3. Sewed fig leaves as covering for themselves to cover there nakedness
4. Hid from God when God came calling
5. They became filled with fear
6. lead to self withdrawal from the presence of the Lord.

In Genesis 3:5 Satan acknowledges a very important fact which am suppressed Eve and Adam did not pick up during there conversation, this fact would have made them not eat of the tree of Knowledge leading to knowing good and evil. Satan say this “…..and you will be like God, Knowing good and evil” that is powerful, Satan knew God is full of Knowledge and if Man constantly relied on God and desired for Godly knowledge then man even today would not be in his current state of afflictions.

John 1:4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God 2 He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made, 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Knowledge comes from listening to the word, through a learning processes, and learning is a continues processes, precept upon precept, line upon line

Isaiah 28:9-13 9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and taken from the breasts. 10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12To whom he said, This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Isaiah acknowledges the fact that learning is a continues processes which is systematic but due to lack of patience, we find ourselves doing that which is displeasing to the Lord and eventually leading to sinning against Jehovah YAHWE through our foolish deeds.

James 1:10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize him. He came to His own, but His own did not receive him.

In our refusal to learn from God, and see Him as the ultimate and divine source of knowledge we have become utterly foolish in our ways of like and actions bring more depravity upon us and the generation to come, If Adam and Eve would have not looked at the created, instead looked at the Creator for Knowledge the world have been a better place. Making right choice and decisions would have saved man from alienation from God, even death as a result of sinful acts, and preservation of nature, for out of mans selfishness in seeking self knowledge a life was lost that day an innocent animal died in an effort to have man restored.

Haw many still have to die in your worldly quest for wisdom, knowledge and understanding?

Off what will it benefit man to have all the treasures of the earth and still lose his soul?

Seek yea the Kingdom of God and it’s righteousness and all shall be added unto you, Solomon asked God for Wisdom and out of Godly wisdom, He become the worlds powerful Kings ever, rich, honored, well fed and dressed owning everything lacking nothing.

END OF PART ONE

The Meaning of Holiness

Scripture:  1 Peter 1:13-16

Outline:

I.                    The CHARACTERISTICS of holiness

II.                  The CONSTRAINTS of holiness

III.                The COMMAND to be holy.

Let’s get it settled at the beginning:

·         No one’s perfect  (incapable of improving)

·         We’re only human  (limited and frail)

It is to imperfect, limited, frail humans that God commands:  “Be ye holy.”   When God issues a command He also supplies the grace and power to obey!

I.      The CHARACTERISTICS of Holiness:

What does it mean to be holy like God is? 

Peter is writing to people who were familiar with the Old Testament.  The command is from Leviticus 11:44 – in the context of the food laws.

From both the Old Testament and the New Testament we are taught that holiness has three irreducible, essential, elements.

A.      The Source of Holiness:   “To be holy I must be CONNECTED  to the SOURCE  of holiness—God Himself.”

·         All holiness finds its origin and source in God.  God alone is holy (Rev. 15:4 – “for thou only art holy”; see also Exod. 15:11; Psa. 99:5).

·         Nothing is holy until it is connected to the origin and source of holiness—God himself.  All holiness proceeds from God.  The holiness of persons, things, days, and places is predicated and sustained only by being in a special relationship with the holy God.

·         All born-again Christians are connected to the SOURCE of holiness–God–through the new birth. 
  Colossians 3:3:  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

·         If you are born again, you are “in Christ” (Rom. 8:1).
Because of this connection, we become holy at the moment of our new birth, our conversion!

·         God now calls us “saints” = “holy ones.”  The normal word to describe Christians in the New Testament is “saints” – literally meaning “holy ones.” This term occurs 60 times in the New Testament.

·         Holiness begins at the new birth.

B.       Separation –Set Apart Unto God:  To be holy I must be set apart unto God.

·         “The basic idea of holiness is separation—being set apart.”

1.       To be holy, I am SET APART or SEPARATED TO God as His possession – His special treasure.

·        Exodus 19:5,6  -  “ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people … a holy nation.”  What is holy is claimed by God as his treasure, His possession.

·        Leviticus 20:24-26: -  ‘I have separated you from other people … ye shall be holy unto unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you ( separated you) from other people, that ye should be mine.

·        1 Corinthians 6:19,20 -  you are not your own – you are bought with a price – glorify God in your body and spirit.

·        When a person gets saved, he or she becomes the property of God.
God has a right to do what He wants with His property! He has the right to tell us how to live. 

2.       To be holy I must be SEPARATED FROM the common, the ordinary.

·  Exodus 3:5 – Illustration of Moses at the burning bush. 
A common, ordinary bush, rooted in common, ordinary ground is changed into a holy bush, and holy ground, because:

The bush and the ground became connected to the source of holiness – God Himself appears to Moses.

God claimed that ground as His own – He separated it unto Himself.

God separated that ground from the common, ordinary ground around about, and made it “holy” ground. It was no longer common, ordinary ground.  (The same is true about us if we are saved!)

·  Leviticus 10:10  - Priests were to teach the people to discern between the holy and the common.  NIV Leviticus 10:10:  “You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.”

·  I Samuel 21:4  “And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common (lx – hol, ordinary) bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed (kodesh) bread; (Ezek 22:26; 42:20; 44:23; 48:15   -“profane” use = “common” use)

·   This aspect of holiness means there does not have to be something “wrong” or sinful with an attitude or action before God tells you to stop it.

Ø  God has the right to separate His holy people, His personal possession, from common or ordinary things that He knows will not be good for them spiritually.

3.       To be holy I must be SEPARATED FROM that which is sinful or that which defiles me in God’s eyes.

·         1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

·         1 Thessalonians 4:3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified [holy]: that you should avoid sexual immorality.”

·         a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. ¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

·         God expects moral purity in your life. Holiness requires us to stop doing everything and anything that God says is sinful.

Summary:  The basic idea of holiness is separation—being set apart to God as His personal possession.

This means we are no longer common/ ordinary, and He has the right to ask us to stop doing anything that will not help us to grow spiritually. 
As His possession He requires us to be separated from anything that is sinful or defiles.” 

[Transition and summary:  We have been examining the CHARACTERISTICS of holiness –

·         To be holy I must be connected to the source of holiness – God himself.

·         To be holy I am set apart to God as His possession and separated from the common, and separated from that which is sinful or defiles.

We now come to the third characteristic of holiness.

C.       To be holy means I SHARE in the life & nature of our holy God – I become Christlike.

·         ^NKJ 2 Peter 1:3-4:  His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 
(4) by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

·         2  Corinthians 6:14 – 7:1:

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

I.                    The CHARACTERISTICS of holiness

II.                  The CONSTRAINTS of holiness.

1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

A.       A holy person is an obedient person – he / she obeys God’s Word & walks in the Spirit.     – “as obedient children”

B.        A holy person is a separated, transformed person – “not fashing yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.

Lusts = values, motivations, goals, lifestyle you had before you learned what it meant to be holy.

Peter tells us, a holy person will have a passion to do the will of God.

A passion is more than willingness. 

Because we are holy and now share in the life and nature of our holy God, we will purpose to be like Jesus in His passion to do the will of God.

Listen to Jesus:

·         John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

·         John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

III.                The COMMAND to be holy

I opened my message with the statement:

Let’s get it settled at the beginning:

·         No one’s perfect  (incapable of improving)

·         We’re only human  (limited and frail)

It is to imperfect, limited, frail humans that God commands:  “Be ye holy.”  

 When God issues a command He also supplies the grace and power to obey!

“What oxygen is to the physical life, holiness is to the spiritual life.”

Conclusion:

   God Created us to be holy – Eph. 1:4.  – “He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” 

    God Calls us to be holy – 2 Tim. 1:9  - “who has saved us and called us to a holy life”

  God Commands us to be holy  - 1 Peter 1:15,16 -  “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

God Requires holiness for entry into heaven  --  Hebrew 12:14  - “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

REPENTANCE AND HOLINESS

Repentance and Holiness is an end time messages that returns the Church back to our Lord Jesus Christ, this means there is no other way for the Church to be reconciled with Jehovah except through repentance leading to transformation of individuals life.

Check this space