Discipline vs. Holiness

Visiting my sister one weekend, we had the privilege to attend church with her on Sunday morning. Pastor Brad was speaking on Hebrews 12:14-24 in his sermon titled "Rediscovering Holiness." The entire sermon was helpful but there was one section that made my heart go into double-time. I asked Pastor permission to use it for a Victory Call and he offered to send me his outline. I would like to pass along a portion of the insight I gleaned that morning. This does not represent the totality of Pastor's sermon, only a small section. I take full responsibility if I in any way misrepresent Pastor Brad's intentions, but I give him full credit for his ideas in their original form. Pastor Brad's thoughts are in CAPS.

LEGALISM VS. FAITH-BASED HOLINESS

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

SOME PEOPLE ARE BETTER ABLE TO KEEP THE MORAL CODE THAN OTHERS. Some people are naturally disciplined while others are not. Disciplined people can easily become judgmental and critical of less disciplined people and self-righteous to boot.

SOME PEOPLE ARE TREMENDOUSLY DISCIPLINED BUT SORROWFULLY LEGAlISTIC.

FAITH-BASED OR GRACE-BASED HOLINESS IS NOT NECESSARILY CENTERED ON THE RESULTS BUT THE PROCESS. This is huge. God is more interested in how we get from point A to point B than that we arrive at point B.

SOME PEOPLE MAY BE OBEDIENT AND LACK SIN IN THEIR LIFE.

SOME PEOPLE MAY STRUGGLE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES WITH ISSUES.

THE ONE WHO STRUGGLES ALONG WITH JESUS IS HOLY & THE OTHER WHO IS JUST OBEDIENT & LACKING SIN HAS ZERO OBEDIENCE.

LEGALISTIC OBEDIENCE BASED ON PERSONAL DISCIPLINE IS NOT HOLINESS. Being disciplined does not make a person more godly, or more holy. That which we do in our own strength is merely wood, hay and stubble. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

When a person is genuinely obedient by God's grace and power and through the living Christ in her, she will know she has nothing to brag about in herself, in her ability to do right, or in her disciplined life. Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

DON'T MISS THE GRACE!!! Hebrews 12:15 "See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God"

What is my point? Only this, it is not personal discipline that makes us holy but Christ in us our hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

Diane