Holiness is not an Option

Men’s Small Group // January 24, 2022

This is a lesson I prepared for a men’s small group and is based on the book “Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges (Chapter 3)

Necessity of Personal & Practical Holiness

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
(Hebrews 12:14)

• Main point of this chapter is that there is a holiness we have in Christ before God, and a holiness which we are to strive after.
• These two aspects of holiness complement each other. Our salvation is a salvation to holiness.
• We are through Christ made holy in our standing before God AND called to be holy in our daily lives.
• As Bridges says, “If there is not, then, at least a yearning in our hearts to live a holy life pleasing to God, we need to seriously question whether our faith in Christ is genuine.”

1. Required for Fellowship with God
   • Psalm 15
     • V.1 Who may live in fellowship with you?
     • V.2-5 He who lives a holy life
   • God does not require perfect obedience to have fellowship with him, but he does require seriousness about holiness in our life.  There is a necessary earnest effort on our part that is needed in pursuing holiness.
   • This is what Psalm 15 is speaking about. Verses 2-5
     • V2 Speaks truth in his heart
     • V3 Values people and relationships
     • V4 Swears to his own hurt
     • V5 Generous
   • This is just a basic summary of the heart of Christ.
2. Required for our own well being
   • Psalm 32
     • When I kept silent
     • Your hand was heavy upon me
     • I acknowledged my sin (speaking truth in your heart, Psalm 15)
   • As we persist in disobedience, we increase the necessity of discipline from the Lord. When we keep silent, the hand of the Lord is heavy upon us. His discipline calls out to us for repentance.
3. Required for Effective Service to God
   • 2 Timothy 2:20-22
     • Cleanses himself from what is dishonorable.
     • Will be a vessel for honorable use.
     • Set apart, useful, ready
   • It’s not the type of vessel that sets it apart… Not gold, silver, wood, clay. It’s the cleansing away of dishonor that brings honorable use.
   • “We cannot bring our service to God in an unclean vessel.” Bridges p. 37
4. Required for Assurance of Salvation
   • 2 Corinthians 5:16-19
     • Look at v.17. If we are in Christ, then we are a new creation.
     • Our former life, our life before Christ, has passed away. It has died. It has perished. It has been removed.
     • In its place is a new life founded in Christ. We live and breathe through the Spirit. Our new heart, our new mind, our new eyes, our new everything draws strength from the Spirit dwelling within.
   • This is how we pursue holiness. This is why we pursue holiness.
   • It’s not an option!
5. Diagnostic questions from p.38 that Bridges says every Christian should continually ask himself.
   • Is there evidence of practical holiness in my life?
   • Do I desire and strive after holiness?
   • Do I grieve over my lack of holiness and earnestly seek the help of God to be holy?