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Vessels of Honor – Part 1 & 2 1. We know that serving God affects every area of our lives.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 And the very God of peace sanctify you Ever thought about this? say that they serve a HOLY God, that wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be their lives are governed by the HOLY , that they want to spend preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Christ. eternity in a HOLY Heaven, and that they are filled with the . Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. And yet, it is taboo in most churches today to speak about the subject of HOLINESS! Anyone who even dares to mention it is thought to be super- 2. We know that loving God means loving His commandments. spiritual, or unfashionable, or hypocritical, or unreasonable, or even Pharisaical. The devil laughs as one of his greatest deceptions continues 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his to infect the lives of so many members. Good is called evil, light is commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. called darkness, sweet is called bitter … and HOLINESS teaching is called outdated, old-fashioned, and obsolete. How could this have happened? 3. We know that living a holy life is supposed to make us stand out in an unholy world; we’re not looking for “discount discipleship.” Isaiah 5:20-21 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and 1 Peter 2:9-12 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of prudent in their own sight! him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the : Maybe a better question is this: Why does the devil fight the doctrine of which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly Holiness so much? Here are 3 reasons (I’m sure there are many others): beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest 1. A lifestyle of Holiness is God’s commandment for all of His among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as people. evildoers, they may by your , which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I In an Apostolic church, we don’t reject Holiness; we rejoice in it. We’re not am holy. embarrassed by Holiness; we embrace it. And we don’t want to underestimate Holiness; we want to understand it. We want to LIVE it! 2. Without living a lifestyle of Holiness we cannot go to Heaven. HOLINESS is one of the most ancient concepts in the Bible. Both the Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without Hebrew word KODESH and the Greek word HAGIOS carry the meaning of which no man shall see : “withdrawal, separate, apart, or different.” In the , holy 3. A lifestyle of Holiness is a fence separating us from the spirit of things, and places, and people were those SEPARATED from others the world, that constantly wars against our relationship with God. around them and CONSECRATED to God. In the , we no longer have holy things and places, but we are still called to be a holy 2 Corinthians 6:16 – 7:1 And what agreement hath the temple of PEOPLE. In both Testaments, the term SANCTIFICATION is translated God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath from the very same Hebrew and Greek words. So, sanctification is a said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and synonym for HOLINESS – they mean exactly the same thing. they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I Not everyone who ATTENDS a church is actually IN the church! And while will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my we welcome and love everyone who attends, mere attendance is NOT our sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these goal. is our goal! But it goes even further than that, because promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the New Birth is just the beginning. Real is not just the the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. decision of a moment; it is the dedication of a life! The Bible teaches us that SANCTIFICATION (being “set apart” in our lifestyle) is the WILL So mark it down - the devil hates Holiness! And he fears the Apostolic OF GOD for every Christian. HOLINESS is not optional for a child of God! church, because we are different than an average church, in several ways: We must be holy vessels! 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 For this is the will of God, even your This struggle over HOLINESS is not new, but it has accelerated in the last sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of days because knows his time is short. German philosopher Georg you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Hegel once said, “The only thing we learn from history is that we do not learn anything from history.” We live in an era when nearly every In the last letter he ever wrote, the Apostle Paul once again stressed to denomination and congregation is trying to accommodate our culture, in Timothy how important it was to live a holy life, to stand strong, to not an attempt to make Christianity more palatable. But if we look at the become entangled with the world, to depart from iniquity, to flee from lusts, history of the church, we can easily see how dangerous it is to leave a and to follow . He wanted his young protégé to be a Vessel lifestyle of holiness in order to become more acceptable to the world. of Honor, so that his life could be useful and effective in God’s Kingdom. Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, was one of the first seven deacons 2 Timothy 2:19-21 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, chosen to serve in the early church (Acts 6:5). He was entrusted with a having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one position of responsibility and leadership. However, his dedication to the that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house Apostolic message was short-lived. According to early writings on , there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of Nicolas eventually backslid and introduced the Doctrine of the earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore Nicolaitanes to the church. His teaching abused Paul’s doctrine of the purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, grace of God and introduced his followers to a new, false “freedom.” and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose That is our desire as well … to become VESSELS OF HONOR, so that Stephen, a man full of and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and God can be glorified and the devil can be defeated in our individual lives! Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: When he writes to Timothy, notice that Paul gives us four characteristics that distinguish VESSELS OF HONOR from “vessels of dishonor” … Several of the early , including Irenaeus, Hippolytus,

1. They have purged themselves from iniquity (“lawlessness”) Epiphanius, and Theodoret mention this group, and state that Nicolas was 2. They have been sanctified (“set apart, separated, purified, made holy”) the author of this heresy. In his writing “Against ,” Irenaeus lets us 3. They are meet (“profitable, good”) for the Master’s use know just how far the worldliness of this group eventually reached: “The 4. They are prepared unto every good work (“deed, action”) Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained [as deacons] by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained Think about this! If HOLINESS and SANCTIFICATION and SEPARATION ” (Book 1, Chapter 26, Section 3). and GOOD WORKS are so extremely important to God, how in the world did these very same terms become so distasteful to modern Christians? In Revelation, John listed the Nicolaitanes beside Balaam, who “cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel” (Revelation 2:14-15). Balaam In his 1995 address, “The Is Dead,” Indiana Wesleyan was unsuccessful in cursing Israel from without, but he taught them to mix University professor Keith Drury suggested 8 factors that contributed to a godliness and worldliness (Numbers 22-25) and they cursed themselves dramatic shift in doctrine and experience within the holiness movement: from within! This same spirit was behind Nicolas’ doctrine. He taught that Christians – since they were sinners “saved by grace” – could live like the 1. We wanted to be respectable. world on the outside and remain saved on the inside. 2. We have plunged into the evangelical mainstream. 3. We failed to convince the younger generation. Revelation 2:14-15 But I have a few things against thee, because thou 4. We quit making holiness the main issue. hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to 5. We lost the lay people. cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed 6. We over-reacted against the abuses of the past. unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the 7. We adopted church-growth thinking without theological thinking. doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 8. We did not notice when the battle line moved. Revelation 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the To every point on Dr. Drury’s list I shout, “NOT HERE! NOT US!” We can’t Nicolaitans, which I also hate. end up like worldly Christianity! We must remain an Apostolic church! In the Old Testament prophetic books, there are many times when God • POSITIONAL sanctification is as complete for the youngest believer declares that He HATES something. But in the New Testament, it’s as it is for the oldest. It depends only upon one’s position in Christ. different. Jesus tells us that the world hated Him, and that the world will A new Christian is as saved as any the moment they are born hate us. But the only thing that God says He HATES in the New again, but they are only beginning to walk with God; they are Testament is the doctrine and deeds of the Nicolaitanes – the doctrine that immature. says it’s okay to live a worldly lifestyle and still call yourself a Christian! And God still has a problem with people who despise HOLINESS today! • EXPERIENTIAL sanctification is one’s actual holiness of lifestyle, or what one is through Christ. It is imperative that believers allow God 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but to lead them in sanctification, for it is possible to eventually forfeit unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, salvation altogether if they do not mature in holiness. who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

• ETERNAL sanctification will occur in believers at the rapture, when An outward “standard of holiness” was the first thing to go in the great they are instantly and eternally transformed into a state of complete falling at the end of the first century, but the tide of change did not stop conformity to Christ. there. Holiness was soon followed by real repentance, water by immersion in Jesus’ name, speaking in tongues and the of the Spirit, Most of us are living in this “middle area” of salvation – you’ve already and the doctrine of the Oneness of God. As the Apostles died one by one, experienced the new birth (), and you certainly haven’t leaders with smaller vision and weaker conviction stepped in and subtly experienced the rapture yet (), so you are in the process of altered their message. Only much later, as gross doctrinal errors took root GROWING in God (sanctification), a process that takes a LIFETIME. in the church and propelled her into the Dark Ages, did it become apparent Remember that “sanctification” is a synonym for “holiness,” and think what just how much was lost when the holiness lifestyle was abandoned. that means – HOLINESS is the entire point of the Christian life!

To every error of church history I shout, “NOT HERE! NOT US!” We can’t end up like worldly Christianity! We must remain an Apostolic church! People say, “God loves you just the way you are.” True, but incomplete. God loves you just the way you are, but loves you far too much to leave

you that way! Sanctification is a lifelong renovation project, conforming you I will never forget Rev. Allison Post teaching this statement to us in Bible into the IMAGE (“ikone” = “likeness, resemblance, representation”) of College: “SALVATION IS THE MOST ELASTIC WORD IN THE BIBLE.” I can’t tell you how much that strange little statement has helped me, in Jesus Christ. And as you grow, you begin to think, talk, act, and react like understanding God’s process and people’s problems over the years. He would! As you GROW in God, your old nature is subdued by the new nature that you received when you were .

“SALVATION IS THE MOST ELASTIC WORD IN THE BIBLE” Colossians 3:9-10 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the

old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed Time Past Present Future in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be Experience “I was saved” “I am being “I will be saved” saved” conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Theological Term Justified Sanctified Glorified 1 Corinthians 15:49-50 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, I am saved from Penalty Power Presence we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, ’s that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth My holiness Positional Experiential Eternal corruption inherit incorruption. before God is My personal Imputed Imparted Implanted 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of righteousness is the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a Sanctification glass the of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to Spirit Soul (Mind) Body occurs in my glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. C.S. Lewis said it this way: “When I invited Jesus into my life, I thought He Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them was going to put up some wallpaper and hang a few pictures. But He which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. started knocking out walls and adding on rooms. I said, ‘I was expecting a nice cottage.’ But He said, ‘I’m making a palace in which to live.’” 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in The battle for holiness (sanctification) is won or lost in the MIND, purity. because it is our mind (soul) that must be transformed on a daily basis! On one side in this battle is our redeemed SPIRIT directing us to do good; on , it is your JOB to be an example! How Apostolic would our the other side is our unredeemed BODY tempting us to do evil. As we WIN church be in doctrine, in experience, in worship, in giving, in faithfulness, the battle of the mind, and as we SUBMIT to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and in lifestyle if every new Christian used YOU for a pattern? and as we GROW in God, there will be more and more “external evidence” of SANCTIFICATION in our lives, as God makes us into His IMAGE. God has patience, and Pastor and the Church have patience with new believers as they learn. They need TIME to grow, and we give them that Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, time – so they are not usually the problem! The only time there’s ever a that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, problem with SANCTIFICATION is when someone who HAS been around which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but a long time, and who DOES understand God’s commandments, puts on be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what the brakes and says, I’m not going to submit to that! “Since the church is is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. so patient with new believers, I’ve found a loophole I can use to avoid God’s rules! I’m just going to be a ‘baby Christian’ all of my life!” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, There’s only one problem with that: Although most issues of holiness are him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. MATURITY issues, not SALVATION issues, if we consistently reject God’s commands and resist His will for our sanctification, our willful Because SANCTIFICATION is about growing in the Lord, it is DISOBEDIENCE becomes a salvation issue! Disobedience is always SIN, important to remember that most issues of HOLINESS are not and sin is always a salvation issue! It is God’s will that we GROW.

“salvation issues” – rather, they are “maturity issues.” This is why we James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to give new believers lots of TIME to learn the WORD of God, and to grow in him it is sin. the WAYS of God. And this is why we love EVERYONE at our church, regardless of their level of spiritual maturity. If we love them before they Hebrews 10:24-26 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love get SAVED, we can certainly love them before they get SANCTIFIED! and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the GOD’S FAMILY IS NOT A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY! In your family more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we there are members who are mature and immature, those who are healthy have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more and sick, those who are doing well and those who are struggling. And yet, sacrifice for , you love them all the same, just like God does – and just like our church does! However, it would be a tragedy if your children didn’t GROW UP, so Even among Pentecostals, there is a war being waged today over this you teach them what MATURITY looks like and acts like. And God loves question: Does the Holy Ghost affect the actions and appearance of His children more than you love your children, so He also has some the vessel He chooses to dwell in, or not? More specifically, do the EXPECTATIONS as to how they should live and act as they MATURE. standards of action and appearance given in Scripture apply to us today? Or should we be like other churches and discard them in favor of a This is why MATURE SAINTS are such a blessing to an Apostolic church. lifestyle that is less conspicuous and less offensive to modern society? Without even saying a word, these older siblings in God’s family serve as an EXAMPLE that every young believer can imitate and learn from. Religious people talk about being “saved by grace,” as though grace was an EXCUSE for continuing to live like the world. But grace isn’t an 1 Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. EXCUSE, it’s an ENABLING – it is God’s power to live a HOLY life! They say, “I’m not saved by works,” but forget we are saved UNTO works! 1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not Pharisees are always playing “Gotcha!” with other saints, with pastors and of yourselves: it is the of God: Not of works, lest any man should with churches. Pharisees are often offended, constantly critical, and boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good hopelessly hypocritical. Why? Because they know they are not living right, works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. so they have to point out everyone else’s flaws in order to justify their own hidden sins and failures. Teaching and obeying God’s standards of Titus 3:5-8 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but HOLINESS is definitely NOT Phariseeism! However, relying on our according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of , and OWN opinion of what “holiness” is would most definitely be Phariseeism! renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be 3 Holiness 3 Kinds of made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, Source Implementation Teachers Standards and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things Bible are good and profitable unto men. The Bible Precepts Immediately Standards

James 2:17-20 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Spiritual Church Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith Principles Gradually without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou Leadership Standards believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, Personal and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is The Holy Spirit Promptings Personally dead? Standards

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Holiness standards are GUARDRAILS in our lives. Guardrails are not located in the most dangerous place – that is just BEYOND the guardrail. James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without Rather, guardrails are located in a place of SAFETY, to keep us from works is dead also. moving into dangerous areas. Guardrails are our “MARGIN FOR ERROR.”

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your GUARDRAIL: a personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. conscience (i.e. breaking your “rule” bothers you and brings you guilt)

Have you ever noticed that to every church in Revelation 2 and 3, God The great Hebrew writer Ahad Ha’Am said it this way: “More than Israel says, “I KNOW THY WORKS”? They all have faith, but God pronounces kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath kept Israel.” MORE THAN YOU KEEP judgment on each church based on WORKS! And it’s the same with us. HOLINESS STANDARDS, HOLINESS STANDARDS KEEP YOU!

“But I thought doing good works was just Phariseeism or Legalism!” Sadly, When it comes to big Bible issues like Salvation and Sanctification, you’ve been duped by one of the devil’s greatest deceptions. He doesn’t you don’t have to understand completely to obey immediately! care how much people talk about, sing about, or even preach about Jesus – as long as they don’t BECOME like Jesus! That’s what he fears most of True holiness is intended to be IMPOSSIBLE without the Holy Ghost! all! He’s not scared if we ATTEND church, only if we BECOME the church! Just like speaking in tongues, holiness is a work of the Spirit, not a work of the flesh. So it’s GOOD if you think HOLINESS is HARD to accomplish! The proper alternative to legalism is not the permanent removal of God’s laws, but the proper relationship to God’s laws. We realize that we have a WORLDLINESS puts ME first and asks "How can God fulfill MY desires?" relationship to God on the basis of GRACE, but also responsibilities to HOLINESS puts GOD first and asks "How can I fulfill HIS desires?" God on the basis of GRATITUDE. That’s not LEGALISM – that’s LOVE! In reality, Pharisees are people who trust in their own interpretation of Who changed holiness from being BEAUTIFUL to being BONDAGE?!

God’s laws! They focus on the few things they are doing right in order to Psalm 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship condemn others for what they are not doing, and to avoid conviction. the LORD in the beauty of holiness.