Matthew 7:1-6
Judge not, that ye be not judged.2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
This is not easy
Romans 7:21-25 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Our own sin often seems smaller than someone else’s sin
All growth is preceded by cleansing
Erwin Lutzer – pastor emeritus of Moody Church “We must not part with sin as with a friend, with the purpose of seeing it again and have the same familiarity with it, or possibly greater…we must shake our hands of it as Paul did the snake the viper off his hand into the fire”
Sin – anything beyond the will of God or short of the will of God
James 4:11-17 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? 13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
ALL PERSONAL SIN MUST BE DEALT WITH
MOVING TOWARD HOLINESS
Do not defend your sin
- Your sin is not less then the next person’s sin
- Your sin is not the result of someone else action
- Your sin is not the devil’s fault
- Your sin is entirely your own fault
NO ONE CAN MAKE YOUR SIN!
James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
This is where both personal and corporate revival begins
Begins at salvation
Continues through phases of spiritual growth
Spiritual growth is often
• A time of growing
• A leveling off
• Sometimes a slip backward
• Then moving forward
• Then leveling off (digesting what God has taught you)
It is more than
• Worship
• Praise
• Devotions each day
• Attending church once a week
You can do all these and still not be in the will of God – back to James 4 and II Chronicles 7
I Must cleans myself and learn to commune with Him (to share my emotions and feelings with Him, to be in close contact with Him, have intimate communications, a closeness)
Most people here today can quote II Chronicles 7:14
Few practice it
Did you seek personal holiness this week or just continue as usual?
Let us examine today
- Do you actively pursue your personal sin?
- Does sin just happen in your life by accident, you did not mean too?
- Do you try to avoid sin most of the time?
- Do you feel regret when you do knowingly sin?
- Do you become angry with your sin?
- Do you become deeply grieved with your sin?
- Do you hate and detest your sin and turn from it?
- How does God feel about your sin?
Where do you stand
- Rejection of cleansing because of the hardness of your heart?
- Some cleaning because of outside influences such as a message or sermon?
- Initial dee cleansing and an intense inward desire for a deep relationship with God? Humbled, prayed, sought after Him, and turn from?
- Repeated deep cleaning and a hunger to be holy – desire to be more Christ like
- Regular cleansing and a deeper relationship with Jesus
I Corinthians 15:31-34 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
