OUR POSITION IN HOLINESS

Today we will finish Philippians chapter one by looking at four specific verses:

Philippians 1: 9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:27 only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come to see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel

Before we look into the focus of this session, I want to touch on the very last part of verse 27, to reiterate what we said in previous sessions; Jesus's desire for His church is that we be, in one spirit, in one accord, in unity, working together in the kingdom of God, remaining steadfast in the gospel of Christ. Refresh your memory by looking again at Acts 2:42 and 46. As it was in the first church so it should still be in today's church. And because the church was in one accord Acts 2:47 happened: "praising God and having favor with all people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Yet we do not have to go much further in the New Testament to realize trouble, strife and division came into the church then and today. This is a tool of Satan to cause discord within the body of Christ, God is never the author of strife or division, He never wants to see churches split and people go off and start their own church, because they became offended where they were and collected their supporters to stand with them and leave with them to begin their own church. I experienced this in the 70's  it was not of God and it did not succeed because God was not in it. Now God does give seasons to His people to be in one church and when that season is over God will place you in another church to fulfill His purpose. But enough of this onto the focus of this session:

1. Our position of holiness/ righteousness

2. Our behavioral holiness/ righteousness.

In looking at verse 9 in Philippians we see Paul speak about their love may abound more and more in knowledge and discernment. This love we have for our Lord and Savior, for our God and for others will cause us to press deeper into the very word of God and will enable us to listen to the Holy Spirit and discern what is in keeping with God verses our flesh, the devil and the world. In 2017 we see a definite need for the people of God to have and use discernment as we see more and more of the world and its standards, based on the lies of Satan, entering not only the homes but even many churches. Now in verse 10 we see the reason we need both knowledge and discernment: that we may approve the things that are excellent. That word excellent means "superior" . Our daily walk should reflect a lifestyle that is a more excellent lifestyle than what this world can offer. Yet, no one on their own can choose the more excellent way, many people are morally good people, they may do great deeds, accomplish many humanitarian awards, yet their righteousness/ holiness is as filthy rags.

Romans 3:10 As it is written:There is none righteous, no, not one;

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our inquiries, like the wind, carry us away.

About 4 am I woke up with specific scriptures on my mind Ezekiel 33:12-17. We will be looking at what these scriptures mean in relationship to this Bible study. I will not write all these verses but those that spoke to me.

Ezekiel 33:13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity he has committed, he shall die.

Pay close attention to the verse above, if God felt it important enough to place in my thoughts as I slept, then it must be something we need to really get an understanding in. Now the verse is saying that we cannot trust in our own righteousness,  our own righteousness can not stone for our sins, because God sees our sin since we are still sinners. Too many are seeing good works as a means to salvation. Yet, man can not achieve salvation by good works, if that were so why would we need Jesus?

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, least anyone should boast.

We know that the Jews looked to following the letter of the law as a basis for their righteousness. Look at what Paul says in:

Philippians 3:4-7 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. Of anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcized the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

To study more about the law, I suggest you go to my website and do the study on the book of Galatians.

God's word goes on to says "Be holy, for I am holy". We will actually look at this more closely a little later. So if our righteousness is nothing, and our righteousness cannot atone for our sins, then what?

At the very moment we surrendered and received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior our position before God the Father changed.

A substitute took place on the cross, just as all our sins were placed on Jesus; I used a personal tone in this because salvation is very intimate and personal, one on one. He took your sins on the cross. And just as He took He also gave, He gave us His righteousness/holiness. Now something new has taken place, I no longer trust in my righteousness, my good works, but I trust in the righteousness of Christ that He placed in me.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him

As a Christian we now are in right standing with God, because God sees the Righteousness of Christ in us. Here is our position before God the Father.

In Ezekiel 33:14-16 He is speaking of the wicked if they turn from their wicked ways and do what is right they will live. Some would think that this shows works, but you must remember this is before the cross. At the moment of our salvation, we repented from our past, a good illustration has been we "repented" from the direction we were heading which was away from God and turned around and headed toward God. Yet repentance doesn't end there, but in our daily walk, as we find ourselves in sin, in our thoughts, words and actions we repent of these sinful ways and turn toward God. In both the verses in Philippians and Ezekiel we are given choices to make each day we choose to follow Christ or the pleasures of sin.

Well, I am not surprised are you, that I did not finish the focus of this session. I will do a part B and we will look at what our behavioral righteousness/holiness is and is it really important in the kingdom of God?