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Published April 1, 2006 |
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Are We Holy?
Will We See The Lord?
Hebrews 12:14 Without holiness no one will see the Lord.
By J. C. Ryle
Our text for today opens up a subject of deep importance. That subject is practical holiness. It suggests a question that demands the attention of
all professing Christians-Are we holy?
Will we see the Lord?
That question can never be out of season. The wise man tells us, there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to be silent and a time to
speak, Ec 3:4,7. But there is no time, no, not a day, in which a man ought not to be holy. Are we?
That question concerns all ranks and situations of
men and women. Some
are rich and some are poor-some educated and some
uneducated-some
masters, and some servants; but there is no rank or
state in life in
which a man or woman ought not to be holy. Are we?
I ask to be heard today about this question. How
does our account stand
between our souls and God? In this hurrying,
bustling world, let us stand
still for a few minutes and consider the matter of
holiness. I know I
could have chosen a subject more popular and
pleasant. I am sure I could
have found one easier to handle. But I feel deeply I
could not have
chosen one more seasonable and more profitable to
our souls. It is a
solemn thing to hear the Word of God saying,
"Without holiness no one
will see the Lord."
A man may go to great lengths, and yet never reach
true holiness. It is
not knowledge-Balaam had that: nor great
profession-Judas Iscariot had
that: nor doing lots of things-Herod did that: nor
zeal for certain
matters in religion-Jehu had that: nor morality and
outward
respectability of conduct-the rich young ruler had
that: nor taking
pleasure in hearing preachers-the Jews in Ezekiel's
time had that: nor
keeping company with godly people-Joab and Gehazi
and Demas had that. Yet
none of these was holy! These things alone are not
holiness. A man or
woman may have any one of them, and yet never see
the Lord.
What then is true practical holiness? It is a hard
question to answer. I
don't mean that there is any lack of Scripture on
the subject. But I fear
lest I should give a defective view of holiness, and
not say all that
ought to be said; or lest I should say things about
it that ought not to
be said, and therefore cause harm. Let me, however,
try to draw a picture
of holiness, that we may see it clearly before the
eyes of our minds.
Only let it never be forgotten, when I have said
everything, that my
explanation will be nothing but a poor imperfect
outline at the best.
- Holiness is the habit of agreeing with the mind
with God, in
accordance as we find His mind described in
Scripture.
- A holy person will endeavor to turn away from
every known sin, and to
keep every known commandment.
- A holy person will strive to be like our Lord
Jesus Christ.
- A holy person will pursue meekness, endurance,
gentleness, patience,
kindness, and control of their tongue.
- A holy person will pursue self-control and
self-denial.
- A holy person will pursue love and brotherly
kindness.
- A holy person will pursue a spirit of mercy and
benevolence towards
others.
- A holy person will pursue purity of heart.
- A holy person will pursue the fear of God.
- A holy man will pursue humility.
- A holy man will pursue faithfulness in all the
duties and
relationships in life.
- Last, but not least, a holy person will pursue
spiritual mindedness.
Such is the outline of holiness. Such is the
character that is pursued by
those who are called "holy." Such are the main
features of a holy man and
a holy woman.
But here let me say, I trust no one will
misunderstand me. I am fearful
that my meaning will be mistaken, and that the
description I have just
given of holiness will discourage some tender
conscience. I wouldn't
willingly make one righteous heart sad, or throw a
stumbling block in any
believer's way.
I don't say for a moment that holiness shuts out the
presence of
indwelling sin-No, far from it. It is the greatest
mystery of a holy
person that they carry around with them a "body of
death;"-that often
when they want to do good "evil is right there with
them;" that the "old
self" is clogging all their movements, and, as it
were, trying to draw
them back at every step they take.
Ro 7:21
But it is
the quality of a
holy person that they are not at peace with
indwelling sin, as others
are. They hate it, mourn over it, and long to be
free from its company.
The work of sanctification within them is like the
wall of Jerusalem-the
building goes forward "even in times of trouble".
Da
9:25
Neither do I say that holiness comes to ripeness and
perfection all at
once, or that these graces I have touched on must be
found in full bloom
and strength before you can call a person holy-No,
far from it.
Sanctification is always a progressive work. Some
persons' graces are
like the sprout of a plant, some like the almost
grown plant, and some
are like the fully mature plant with fruit. All must
have a beginning. We
must never despise "the day of small things." And
sanctification at the
very best is an imperfect work. The history of the
holiest saints that
ever lived will contain many a "however," and
"nevertheless" and
"although," before you reach the end. The gold will
never be without some
dross-the light will never shine without some
clouds, until we reach the
heavenly Jerusalem. The blazing sun of our solar
system itself has spots
on his face. The holiest men and women have had many
blemishes and
defects when compared with the holy standard of the
Word of God. Their
life is a continual warfare with sin, the world, and
the devil; and
sometimes you will see them not overcoming, but
overcome. The flesh is
always fighting against the spirit, and the spirit
against the flesh, and
"we all stumble in many ways."
Ga 5:17, Jas 3:2
But still, for all this, I am sure that to have the
type of character
that I have weakly drawn is the heart's desire and
prayer of all true
Christians. They press on towards it, even though
they do not reach it.
They may not attain it, but they always aim at it.
It is what they strive
and labor to be, if it is not what they are.
And boldly and confidently I say, that true holiness
is a great reality.
It is something in a man and a woman that can be
seen, and known, and
marked, and felt by all those around them. It is
light: if it exists, it
will show itself. It is salt: if it exists, its
savor will be perceived.
It is a precious perfume: if it exists, its presence
will be apparent.
I am sure we would all be ready to make allowance
for some backsliding,
for some occasional deadness in professing
Christians. I know a road may
lead from one point to another, and yet have many a
twists and curves;
and a person may be truly holy, and yet be detoured
by many weaknesses.
Gold is not any less gold because it is mixed with
an alloy, nor light
any less light because it is faint and dim, nor
grace any less grace
because it is young and weak. But after every
allowance, I cannot see how
any person deserves to be called "holy," who
willfully allows themselves
to continue in habitual sins, and are not humbled
and ashamed because of
them. I dare not call anyone "holy" who makes a
habit of willfully
neglecting known duties, and willfully doing what he
knows God has
commanded them not to do. Owen said it best, "I do
not understand how a
man can be a true believer to whom sin is not the
greatest burden,
sorrow, and trouble."
Such are the leading characteristics of practical
holiness. Let us
examine ourselves and see whether we are acquainted
with it. Let us test
our own selves. It is my prayer that we would find
ourselves ready to
meet the Bridegroom.
In His Service,
Pastor Donald Pierce |
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Scripture References |
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Hebrews
12:14
-
Ecclesiastes 3:4,7
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Romans
7:21
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Daniel
9:25
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Galatians 5:17
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James
3:2
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