www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15
The Real "Purpose" for Christians
Preface:
"The Purpose Driven Church" movement is a false gospel preached by false teachers and preachers. It is the biggest deceptive danger to churches that is flashing across America right now - and it poses to increase it's satanic influence in the near future as they have promised to have a Purpose Driven church in every neighborhood in America.

It is the highest form of imitation which, unfortunately, only leads folks to the lowest place of eternity - Hell and the Lake of Fire!  Does your church show 'signs' of sneaky underhandedness from your pastor as he is slowly turning your 'conservative' and 'traditional' church to a contemporary 'growing' church?


Introduction:  What is Our Real Purpose as a Christian?

Revelation 4:11 - Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
I Corinthians 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Ask yourself, is what you are doing/saying/seeing, etc. pleasing to God?
Is it giving Him pleasure?  Is it giving Him glory?

Or... are you just abusing and using His grace and longsuffering -
are you just continuing to ask for forgiveness claiming I John 1:9 - by reminding Him He HAS to forgive you, etc.?

In order to do this, we must seriously consider Romans 8:8,9b - So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you...

How does one get "out of the flesh" and "in the Spirit?" and what happens when all that takes place?" and then what should happen...?

What then should we be doing as a Christian and HOW can we do it?
Can we do even "it?"

"It" is called...
Holiness

The teaching of "holiness" is a serious thing for serious Christians!  Unfortunately, most "Christians" seem to be:
1) doing their 'holiness' walk their own way - or by their own feelings (as well as church and family traditions, following the wrong people, flesh, etc.)
2) according to wrongly divided preaching and teaching which is truthfully called "vain babblings" - and which actually leads to more ungodliness, even though the folks may be thinking they are walking a walk of holiness!

Holiness - What is it?

What must we do to be holy?
Can we even 'be' holy today?

The Gospels say yes; Paul says yes; Peter says yes!
Is there any difference in those?

Is 'holiness' really as 'unfun' as folks must think?

There is massive confusion and false teachings about holiness!
There is also a strong desire to ignore holiness - especially by Bible Believing folks!

Holiness - Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense.  Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections.  Hallowed; consecrated or set apart to a sacred use, or to the service or worship of God;  1828 - Websters
We must be holy to stay out of Hell and the Lake of Fire...
but also...

We must be holy in order to be used of God!
We must be holy to serve God!
We must be holy to be called His friend!
We must be holy to be able to have fellowship with God!
We must be holy in order to please God!
We must be holy in order to give God pleasure!

In other words, WE MUST BE HOLY!
Are you?

Note:  We must follow Paul for rightly divided and proper holiness!

Jesus Holiness in the gospels was TO the Jews!
Hebrews through Revelation is TO the Jews!
Even Peter has Jewish as well as Gentile flavouring!
Peter is only putting what Paul taught him to Jews AND Gentiles.

We must follow Paul's gospel for Paul's teaching on holiness - we must!

Part I - Introduction to Holiness
Holiness in the Scriptures - Genesis to Revelation
(these are only some of the verses...)
Angels
Matthew 25:31
Mark 8:38
Luke 9:26
Acts 10:22
Revelation 14:10
No more 'holy' angels / visions, etc. today!		 Sabbath
Exodus 16:23
Exodus 20:8
Exodus 31:14,15
Exodus 35:2
Leviticus 23:3
Isaiah 58:13
Ezekiel 22:26
No more 'holy' sabbath today!		 Temple of God
Psalm 5:7; 11:4; 79:1; 138:2
Ezekiel 41:4
Jonah 2:4,7
Micah 1:2
Habakkuk 2:20
Acts 21:19-30
No more 'holy' buildings today!
Church today - body of Christ...
I Corinthians 3:16,17
I Corinthians 6:19,20
Ephesians 5:27		 Prophets & Apostles
Luke 1:70
Revelation 18:20
Revelation 22:6
II Peter 1:21
II Peter 3:2
Ephesians 3:5
No more 'holy' leaders today!		 The Ground
Acts 7:33
Exodus 3:5
II Peter 1:18
No more 'holy' ground today!
Things
garments
sanctuary
chambers of the priests
vessels of God
etc.
No more 'holy' things today!		 Most Holy Places
Sinai - Psalm 68:17
city - Revelation 11:2; 21:2,10
Hebrews 9:12,24,25
No more 'holy' places today!		 Commandments & Law
Romans 7:12 - see 7:9
II Peter 2:20
Psalm 119
No more 'holy' laws today!		 Women
I Peter 3:5
No more 'holy' women today!		 Israel
Leviticus 21:6
Deuteronomy 26:19
Romans 11:16
Luke 1:72 - His covenant with them.
Matthew 7:6 - Not Gentiles
No more 'holy' nations today!
Faith
Jude 20
There IS a Holy faith - HIS!		 Spirit of God
Ephesians 4:30
Ephesians 1:13
I Thessalonians 4:8
There IS a Holy Spirit!		 Scriptures
Romans 1:2
II Timothy 3:15,16
I Thessalonians 2:13
Psalm 12:6,7
a process - using men with holiness "in" them!
There IS Holy Scriptures - KJB!		 God
Leviticus 20:3; 22:2,32
I Chronicles 16:10,35
Psalm 33:21; 99:3; 103:1; 105:3; 106:47; 119:9; 138:2; 145:21
Isaiah 57:15
John 17:11
God is still Holy!		 Jesus
Acts 4:27,30
Revelation 3:7; 4:8; 6:10; 15:4
Mark 1:24
Luke 1:49; 4:34
Hebrews 7:26
Jesus Christ was and is and always will be Holy!
Lost are called unholy - I Timothy 1:9
People in the last days will be unholy - II Timothy 3:2 (including the walk of Christians, as you read the entire context along with thinking like a lost person in Ephesians 4:17-21 and being a Laodicean Christian as described in  Revelation 3:14-22)

There is one more thing that can & should be
& must be holy today!
See Part II