GPS; God Positioned System (Matthew 5:43-48)
Gary McManus, 11/25/2018Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
GPS: God Positioned System
November 25, 2018
Matthew 5:43-48 (p. 959/ p. 970)
Holiness. . . sanctification. . .perfection?
Saints=holy ones=God’s holy people (14X(NIV))
R.C. Sproul:
Holiness is the characteristic of God’s nature
that is at the very core of His being.
HOLY IS WHAT GOD IS!
We are all sinful.
(Romans 3:10, 1Corinthians 15:22)
God is perfect and so was Jesus of Nazareth
who was the Messiah.
In Jesus’ day, the Jewish Elders wrestled with
the problem of sin.
The Puritans had trouble with the topic of
holiness.
Dozens of books are available even now to
help believers know or be certain that they
are saved and being perfected.
[Philippians 1:6]
It is a common problem today as holiness
was a problem for the Pharisees and even
the Apostle Paul: Phillipians 3:8, 3:12.
The short answer
Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 12:2
Sanctification is a process and we are
considered PERFECT while we are IN the process.
How do I know that I am in process?
How do I know that I am BEING sanctified?
“Holy” is in the Bible over 600 times.
The word holiness over 30.
The word growth over 120 times.
Holiness was the Pharisees problem:
Matthew 23:25-26.
People who act “holier than thou” often
quote Jesus even though Jesus was never
accused of being holier than thou.
How does anyone explain that?
So, holiness IS a problem.
If you talk about heaven for very long,
the topic of holiness is GOING to come up.
Dr. Robert Jeffress, A Place Called Heaven.
The author talked about being on the road to heaven.
Would you agree?
Dr. Jeffress suggests that there are signs or
signposts.
See Matthew 7:14
Signpost #1 You are here (not there).
The Pharisees thought they WERE there!
Need a GPS: God Positioned System?
Jesus offers one [It’s the second signpost.]
Only Jesus approved GPS! [The third signpost.]
Remaining on the way of Jesus
[John 14:6, Acts 9:2, Acts 18:25]
ACCEPT Jesus loving offer to “bring you to perfection.”
Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 10:14.
Hebrews 2:10. See also Ephesians 2:11-12, Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Colossians 3:5-17, 2 Timothy 1:9, 2 Timothy 4:18]
USE your GPS!
Other sites and sounds (See 1 Corinthians 13,
Galatians 5:22-23) and peace. Amen
Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
---|---|---|
« Thanksgiving: Are We Number One | None | The Magi Were Foreigners » |