Which one of you convicts me of sin?

John 8:46

Which one of you convicts me of sin? John 8:46

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 25 (second to last chapter): The Holiness of Jesus where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• "There is but one name in human history with which we can link that glorious name. What do we mean by holiness? We mean wholeness, full-orbed perfection. A holy man is a man without a fleck or flaw, a character without a blemish or a stain."
•  "[S]o far as we can discover there is nothing in Jesus' consciousness which indicates that he was guilty of any sin. There is no trace anywhere of regret, no indication anywhere of remorse. From first to last he is serene, jubilant, confident, free, so far as we can see, from that shadow which the consciousness of sin always casts."
• "There is no [sinless] exception in the whole list from Abraham down to the latest of the apostles. Every heart cries out in the language of the Psalmist: 'Have mercy upon me, O God, and blot out my transgressions,' 'Wash me from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for my sin is ever before me.'"
• "Other men, even the strongest, have asked others to pray for them — he never asked prayers of any man."
• "Not only did he hold himself immeasurably above the heads of all other men, but he forgave sins, he spoke as one having authority. No other man had ever exercised such a prerogative. Even the worst sinners when penitent at his feet received from him authoritative assurance of forgiveness. Moreover he was a man without a human ideal."
• "All good men have looked up to some man better than themselves; Jesus looked up to no man. He placed himself above Moses. He said, 'A greater than Solomon is here.' He said to men, 'Follow me, I am the ideal.' And at the same time he said, 'Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.'"
• "There was a reason why the baptism should be performed,—there was another element in baptism besides confession of sin. John was the beloved disciple, coming the nearest to the Master's heart. In the third chapter of his first letter he says this, 'He was manifested to take away our sin, and in him is no sin.' That was the impression which the Lord made upon him."
• "In the second chapter of [Peter's] first letter he says, 'He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Now [the Apostles] were with Jesus. They ate with him, drank with him, slept with him, they saw him in all conditions and in all moods, and under varying circumstances. They saw him hungry, angry, stem, surprised, disappointed, amazed, yet they believed that in him there was no sin. The writer to the Hebrews in the fourth chapter reminds his readers that while Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet he was without sin."
• "Here, then, we have reached the crowning characteristic of Jesus. It is this which differentiates him from all other men who have ever lived. Every other man has known the pang of remorse, every other man has cried for pardon."
• "It is this sinlessness which gives Jesus his power. You cannot understand the New Testament unless you acknowledge that he was holy. His life was one of suffering, persecution, ending in a horrible death, but yet the New Testament is a joyous book. There is no gloom in it because there was no gloom in him. His soul was radiant. Nothing creates gloom in this world but sin."
• "All the things which we count terrible are insignificant and have no power to cast a shadow. There is only one thing which makes the spirit droop, and that is sin. His sinlessness explains his joyfulness."
• "The reason we are drawn to him is not because of his courage, his sympathy, his patience, or his brotherliness; it is because we feel instinctively that he is far above us, a man without a sin. It is this which gives the Christian church its power. The Christian church has but one perfect possession, that is Jesus."
• "Some of you are not interested in him; it is because he is so far above you. Some of you have no sympathy with him; it is because you are not at all like him. Some of you do not understand his words; that is because you are disobedient. Some of you have no disposition to do his will; it is because you are the prisoners of sin. But the sinless Christ does not turn away from us, no matter how sinful we are. He says: 'Come unto me. He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'"

Believers see Jesus as holy - the perfect spotless Lamb of God.  We are also called to be like Him - to be holy (see also 1 Peter 1:15-16).  How is this possible?  Jesus is the King of Kings.  First, we are all made in His image - see Genesis 9:6.  Since the Fall (Genesis 3), sin separates us from God. In the Old Testament, the ceremonial rituals of sacrifice were required to atone for sin.  Yet, over time, Israel largely performed this ritual as rote, devoid of a truly repentant heart - they could claim obedience to following God's commands for atonement but God wants our heart (to love Him first, then others - the two greatest commandments - see Matthew 22:34-40), not rote sacrifice.  With Jesus, we see the end of the OT sacrificial system and those who believe in Jesus are reconciled to God, and become a new creation with the Holy Spirit in their hearts.  As we read and study the Word and see Jesus in the Word, we know more about Him and love Him more with each passing day.  It is not us, but God working in us to bring about obedience and sanctification - we become more like Him through Him.  As I approach the last chapter of this book by Charles Jefferson, I return to the beginning with a reminder of why I read this book - quoting from the Introduction: "to be a Christian is to admire Jesus so sincerely and so fervently that the whole life goes out to him in an aspiration to be like him."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is Holy, and the sinless, perfect Lamb of God who calls me to be holy and equips me with the Holy Spirit and Your Word to help me become more like You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save nor how You bless in these ways and so much more.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.    

The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5

The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. v15

As Joshua takes over leadership from Moses and as he prepares to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, he encounters an angel of the Lord who will command the Israelites into battle with Jericho.  The angel speaks to Joshua and commands reverence - or "profound adoring awed respect".  God commanded this of Moses as well when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush.

The question is - when are we NOT to feel as if we are standing on holy ground.  Since God created the Heavens and the Earth and everything in it and He is in everything and holds everything together (Colossians 1) - we should be in reverence ALL of the time.  God is everywhere and in everything.

 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Paul also claims that we are to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Reminder that we exist to glorify God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has created the heavens and the earth and everything in them and You created me in Your image and then rescued me from the pit by nailing Yourself to the cross - to free from death and from being slave to sin.  Thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time...I am not worth such a gift.  I am hard on others...too hard.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. v6-7

It's no doubt difficult to suffer any kind of trial, yet Peter encourages us to think of how our suffering serves both us and Christ.  We are refined through suffering and we share in the suffering of Christ with whom we will share eternity.  We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus while we live in our earthly bodies and bring others to Him by demonstrating how we are "set apart" or holy.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” v15

 

The call for us to be set apart is elsewhere in scripture - see here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are Holy and You lived a perfect live, then You suffered and died for me...of course You did not deserve such punishment yet You willingly laid down Your life for me...thank You Jesus!  What an amazing gift.  I am undeserving of such a gift.  I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 97

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. v10

The world is full of sin and wickedness and God calls His children to holiness.  

Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16, Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2

As I posted yesterday, we exist to glorify God - we were made in His image. We must draw near to God, daily, seeking Him.  As we seek God and draw near to Him, we reflect more of His image in us.

Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.  For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. Proverbs 8:33-35

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

My Prayer: Lord, You indeed are a great God worthy of my praise and worship.  You alone set the moon and the stars in their place and You hold all things together...wonderfully.  You know everything about me, including my sin, yet You love me anyway.  I am weak, impatient, harsh with my words and actions - please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Psalm 15

Whoever does these things will never be shaken. v5

Wow!  Great promise! This short chapter describes all the ways in which we must live for us to live on God's holy mountain.  Through the blood of Christ however, all can live with God and the Holy Spirit.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18-21

It is impossible to be exactly like Jesus but God will mold us and purify us to be more like Him.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
    but the Lord tests the heart. Proverbs 17:3    

 

The result and the promise of "doing" the things Jesus asks us to do is awesome - we "will never be shaken".

 

My Prayer: Lord, You make awesome promises and You deliver every time!  Nothing but net...awesome!  I am so thankful to have such a God, but I am not worthy.  I continue to struggle with impatience and anger...please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[W]hatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Noble
Philippians 4

[W]hatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. v8

Today's devotion is a powerful reminder that God calls us up...and we must stand up to be the men God calls us to be...there is an earthly price but a heavenly reward.


As we are called up, we know that God is holy so we must be holy (1 Peter 1:16)....We must desire to make our heavenly Father proud (see also post yesterday).  We are also Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) as He calls us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and bring others to Him (Matthew 28:16-20).

Key to thinking about "such things" as referenced in the Philippians verse is a renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2) through scripture , reading, prayer, relationships with other believers, and through service to others and Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the definition of noble...in all ways and even this definition falls short of Your greatness.  You lived solely to please Your Father and to save Your children...yet out of Your humility came greatness that we should all aspire to...You call us up...to be more like You, to please You, and to bring others to You.  Thank for being such a savior and guide - I am not worth such a God.  I wimp out often...procrastination, excuses, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You, and follow You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer, including the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me be the husband, father, son, and man You intend for me.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, Dustin, and You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” v15

Peter is encouraging the early church in modern-day Turkey that they are to be set apart...to glorify God through what they do.

This verse which I am calling is out is sprinkled throughout the Bible:
- Leviticus 11:44
- Leviticus 19:2
- Ezekiel 36:23

First of all, we are made in God's image to glorify Him.  Second, we are called to being others to Him so others should desire God through what they see in us.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are pure, holy and blameless...perfect.  All that You are, have done will do, is perfect.  Everything You have done for me and will do for me is perfect.  You know everything about me and what is good for me.  You love me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am weak, and I often do not glorify You through what I do.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me be holy!  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal her of this cancer - thank You Jesus for the healing You have already provided!  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?

1 Corinthians 8

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? v9-10

Our life should be a witness to others, and we are not be slack in our ways or a hypocrite...even in the slightest or smallest "insignificant" ways.  Unbelievers will use our ways to justify their own wicked ways.  

I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

My Prayer:  Lord, You ARE Holy...pure, holy and blameless.  Yet You willingly came to earth, for me, and then suffered and died for me.  You rose again to beat death, so that I would no longer be a slave to sin, I would have forgiveness for my sin, and that I would have new life and life in Heaven forever with You and my brothers and sisters in Christ.  How awesome You are.  I am not all of what You have done..or any of it.  I have lust in my heart, I am selfish, quick to anger and slow to listen, impatient, harsh with my thoughts, words, and actions...and there is more.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for my sin and help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do and help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.