There is little or no emphasis on sin in the modern church. It lies breathing its last, buried below mega star preachers, flamboyant preaching, worship teams that could find work in many Broadway productions, large "crusades", exciting "revivals", one manmade creative program after the other, and glitz and glamour that Hollywood could be proud of. Yet the Bible says "Without Holiness, No Man Shall See God!" (Hebrews 12:14) in view of which perhaps it would be wise to know exactly what it means by holinessâ€.
Part I - Introduction HERE
The Holiness of God
One of the primary attributes of God is that He is holy. However, He does not conform to a standard of holiness - He is the standard of holiness. The Call To Holiness in Both Testaments Holiness Is Not Optional
Too many modern day teachers say "just believe" -
the Bible says "Pursue... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Who are you going to believe? The Warnings
Jesus did not say you should not serve God and mammon, but you cannot serve God and mammon Both Holiness and Sinfulness Have Eternal Consequences
A lack of holiness is an insurmountable barrier to a relationship with God. Modern 'Holiness'
Reading inspirational 'Christian' messages, daily doses of wisdom from Proverbs, uplifting Bible verses and listening to a 15-20 minute sermon every Sunday is NOT holiness Part II - What is Holiness? HERE
Separation
Separation - Emphasized From Cover to Cover of The Bible
"...Come out from their midst and be separate (Gk. aphorizo) ," says the Lord. "and do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. (2 Corinthians 6:17" However, since it is obvious that we cannot physically leave this planet, how do we 'come out from among them'? Do Christians have to isolate himself from the world and everything in it? Perfection
When Abraham was instructed to "be perfect" in Genesis 17:1 (KJV) and Noah was described as such in Genesis 6:9 (KJV), the Hebrew word used in both cases was tâmîym that means entire (literally, figuratively or morally) without blemish, undefiled, upright etc. In Matthew 5:48 and 19:21 Jesus echoed His Father's instructions to Abraham telling His listener/s to "be perfect" (Gk. teleios). In other words, 'perfection' means both 'completeness' and moral uprightness.
Part III - Applying The Principles of Separation HERE
The great importance the Bible places on separation brings up the question of how exactly a believer in the 21st century is to distance himself from the world. To what extent can a Christian be involved with secular society? Do they have to isolate themselves from the world and everything in it in order to be considered 'holy'? Are Christians supposed to look and sound religious? What about material possessions?
Part IV - Overcoming Sin HERE
Sin Causes Us to Fall Short of Perfection
We forget that although many sins often seem to be fun, pleasurable, or beneficial in some way, they estrange us from the Father. Even if we have the desire to do what is right we often fail because we have two natures that are in complete opposition to one another. So if you find yourself in the position of falling over and over again it is time to go beyond good intentions and employ a more concrete strategy to defeat whatever it is that is tempting you.
Three Additional Thoughts
Spend your time on the right things.
Learn to control your thoughts
Be accountable
Three Words of Caution
Do not think you, have "arrived"
Do not look back
Do not assume someone else is "holy" because of what they do or the position they hold Also See The Armour of God HERE
Unquestionably Paul's words in the book of Ephesians are very familiar to most Christians who often see themselves as an offensive army marching across the land slaying demons with "the sword of the spirit". The various parts of armour seen as some kind of coded checklist to be referred to before battle. What is often missed is the fact that virtually all the weapons mentioned are defensive weapons. In fact, Paul emphasizes that we put on the full armour of God so that we may be able to withstand in the evil day... (Ephesians 6:13). AND The Myth of Faith Alone Perhaps one of the all time greatest delusions in the Christian world, is the innumerable number of people who are under the impression that, in order to be forgiven their sins and thus inherit eternal life, all they have to do is believe Jesus died for their sins on the cross. The vast majority of Christians would tell you to "accept Jesus as your personal savior", "ask Jesus into your heart" etc. However, while the terminology may vary, the answers would almost all boil down to all you have to do is believe... all you have to do is have faith. What one never, or very rarely, hears is that anything other than faith is required to be saved. In fact the suggestion that anything other than faith is required for salvation, is not only militantly opposed by most of Christendom, but denounced as an unbiblical, works based, false teaching. But is this true? While it is certainly a fact that the Bible teaches that faith is an essential ingredient, without which it is impossible to please God, it never ever teaches that faith is the only requirement for salvation. Jesus And The Law The Bible contains both Old and New Testaments each with seemingly different teachings and commands, which has led to more than a little confusion for those that have not grasped the seamless relationship between the Old and New Testaments, and struggle with the tension between the Old Testament emphasis on regulations and the New Testament emphasis on grace. Certainly many Christians are not clear what our relationship to the Old Testament should be, especially when it comes to the Old Testament Laws in general and the Ten Commandments in particular, also the keeping of the Sabbath and/or other Feasts of the Old Covenant. The Bible and Alcohol With the rampant abuse of alcohol in this country there is good reason for alcohol to be a source of concern. However, Our attitude toward alcohol may well be conditioned by our tradition and culture more than we realize. Even a casual look at the Scriptures reveals a much different perspective than what most modern American Christians have about this topic. Nadab and Abihu
“Remember Nadab and Abihu!" has been the mantra of rigid religiosity for generations. There is no question that these two sons of Aaron committed "sin unto death." For our God to punish them as He did (indicates extreme displeasure on His part with regard to their attitudes and actions. Something was greatly amiss but, what was it? Those who frequently use them as an example of why not to deviate from a particular pattern of worship seem to have missed what the brothers were really guilty of. Perhaps it would behoove us to first determine the exact nature of Nadab and Abihu’s fatal error. Rewards in Heaven
Apparently there are those that will make it to heaven, but who have earned little or no additional rewards The Problem With Creeds
The word creed is from the Latin credo, meaning, "I believe." Of course, there is nothing wrong in itself with stating a belief. This is, in fact, necessary if we will take a stand for truth. One might even agree generally with the teaching of the material in a creed; but a "creed" goes beyond stating a belief. It is essentially an authoritative statement of a particular position (or positions) to which others are expected to assent. The Inclusiveness of Jesus It’s true that the inclusiveness of Jesus was extraordinary. Unlike his religious contemporaries, Jesus included among his followers those who were generally excluded from religious life, if not polite society - people such as tax-collectors, “sinners,” lepers, and women. Yet, the inclusiveness of Jesus was not of the “come as you are” sort. Jesus offered new, transformed life in the kingdom of God, not acceptance of all people as they were in their sinful state. | 
