By Rev. Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
2. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Introduction
Jesus died on the cross for our sins, his death set us free from the bondage of sin that we may become holy. His blood washed our sins away and his death paid for our sins.
His death broke the power of sin and paid the penalty of sin.
Romans 8
1. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2. because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
He also gave us his Holy Spirit to empower us to live holy lives or in holiness.
His Holy Spirit reveals God’s thoughts, teaches, and guides believers into all truth, including knowledge of what is to come. The Holy Spirit also helps Christians in their weakness and intercedes for them.
Holiness is being redefined.
We are living in very wicked times when compromise is becoming the norm.
Evil is quickly becoming acceptable and rules for holy living are being readjusted
Culture is defining holiness and holiness is becoming relative and subjective.
We are making a distinction between what we believe in our heart and how we live in the body.
We now have all manner of believers.
Gay and lesbian believers. Drunk believers. Naked believers. Immoral believers
But God never changes neither his standards.
No Holiness without wholeness.
Until we offer ourselves wholly to God, we will never experience holiness.
We must therefore as believers make a deliberate decision to live as per the word of God. We must devote our whole being, body, soul and spirit to God. We must offer ourselves wholly if
We are to be holy.
What is holy
According to Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, to be Holy means to be set apart for a specific purpose. To be set apart from everything else in order to serve a specific purpose. When we get saved we are set apart for God. The whole of our being is set apart to serve God only. We become holy unto God.
Romans 6:18.
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
There are certain fundamental truths that will never Change
God is Holy
Isaiah 57
15. For this is what the high and exalted One says he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
We must be Holy
If God is holy and lives in a holy place, then those who want to live and relate with him must be holy.
1 Peter 1
14. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
15. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16. for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Our bodies must be holy
For us to serve a holy God, every part of us must be set apart for God. We must give ourselves fully to him not partially.
Our body must be surrendered in full not partially.
Romans 6:13.
Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
Our Bodies are Holy - Spirit - Dwelling
God the Father sent Jesus to save us and make us holy. Jesus went back to heaven but dwells in us through his Holy Spirit who dwells in us. That's why we seek to be filled by the Holy Spirit. Our bodies should therefore carry or do what is holy. It should only be used for holy activities and services.
1 Corinthians 6
19. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
20. you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Be holy or be sorry
There are no options to experiencing God. The only way to experience God is not through religion but through relationship. God demands it must be through holiness and no other way. Sacrifice without holiness is just bribery and you will only be sorry.
Hebrews 12:14.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Conclusion
Consider this
1 Corinthians 6:9.
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Revelation 22:15.
Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Revelation 22:10.
Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.
11. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
12. “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.
13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
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