Pursuing Holiness
Hebrews 12:12-17
Chris Patton
September 1, 2024
Sermon Recap PDF
Introduction and Sermon Theme:
- One of the wrong ideas that is out there in evangelical culture is that to speak much of pursuing holiness of life, putting to death sin, and wholehearted obedience to God is in fact legalistic.
- Legalism biblically is seeking to earn or achieve our justification and right standing with God by means of our obedience and holy living.
- In the New Testament, God requires believers, believers to live obedient lives, to holy lives not in order to earn their justification, but as a grateful response of love and worship.
- Biblically sin is not just “no big deal.” All sin is always a big deal because of WHO our sin is against. Our sin — even the smallest of sins — is high treason against the Holy God of the universe — and deserving of eternal punishment (for the wages of sin is death.)
- When we sin, we ought to always appropriately grieve our sin, flee to the Cross, seek God’s forgiveness and repent! And I trust you know brothers and sisters, that’s not legalism that’s biblical Christianity.
Sermon Theme: Hebrews 12:14 “STRIVE for peace with everyone, and FOR THE HOLINESS without which no one will see the Lord.” The central idea is, ‘Christian, in the strength God Himself provides— Strive for, diligently pursue, seek after holiness and purity in heart and life and don’t allow weariness, exhaustion, persecution, the allurement of the world or anything at all to dissuade you from that pursuit.’ May God by His Holy Spirit grant us fresh vision in full dependence upon the Holy Spirit and resting in our justification, to pursue God-glorifying holiness with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Overview of the Passage followed by three points of application:
I. Pursue Holiness With All Your Heart
“Make every effort….to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14 (1984 NIV)
Now, see, my dear friends, the text says, “Follow holiness;” follow it, that is to say, you will not gain it by standing still. Nobody ever grew holy without consenting, desiring, and agonizing to be holy. Sin will grow without sowing, but holiness needs cultivation. Follow it, it will not run after you. You must pursue it with determination, with eagerness, with long-continued perseverance, as a hunter pursues his prey. You have not yet gained all the holiness which you may have and ought to have. I do beseech you, beseeching most of all myself, listen to this word—“Follow holiness.”
– Spurgeon
II. Don’t Allow Discouragement to Take You Down
“But,” I hear someone say, “it is impossible; I have tried it, and I have broken down; I did try to get better, but I did not succeed; it is of no use, it cannot be done.” You are right, my dear friend, and you are wrong. You are right, it is of no use going about it as you did; if you went in your own strength, holiness is a thing you cannot get, it is beyond you. The depth says, “It is not in me;” and the height saith, “It is not in me.” You can no more make yourself holy than you could create a world. But you are wrong to despair, for Christ can do it; he can do it for you, and he can do it now. Believe on him, and that believing will be the proof that he is working in you. Trust him, and he that has suffered for thy sins, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, shall come in, and put to rout the lion of the pit. He will bruise Satan under thy feet shortly. There is no corruption too strong for him to overcome, there is no habit too firm for him to break.
— CH Spurgeon
III. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
Questions for Discussion/Application:
- Consider taking time to read Hebrews 12:12-17 out loud. What initial insights or observations of the text do you have?
- Let’s start our discussion by reviewing some fundamentals.
- What is justification?
- What is sanctification?
- Read verse 14 again. What is God by His Holy Spirit saying to us through this verse?
- Chris said at the outset of the sermon, “May God by His Holy Spirit would grant us fresh vision in full dependence upon the Holy Spirit and resting in our justification, to pursue God-glorifying holiness with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.” Biblically this is the way we pursue sanctification. We pursue sanctification (A) In full dependence upon the Holy Spirit. What does it look like practically for us to do that?
- We pursue sanctification (B) resting in our justification. What does that mean? How can we pursue sanctification wholeheartedly while “resting in our justification” ? How does that work?
- We pursue sanctification (C) with all of our hearts. Read the entire application point “Pursue Holiness With All Your Heart” above. What does it look like practically for us to cultivate a passion for growth in holiness? What steps can we take to grow in our zeal for spiritual growth?
- What are one or two ways you personally want to grow in your pursuit of holiness? Consider dividing into men and women for discussing this point.
- Consider taking time to pray, asking God to help us to grow in pursuing holiness in a gospel-driven manner.