Holy Living

(Leviticus 19:2)…… Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. (KJV)

This chapter begins with a command, “Ye shall be holy,” coupled with the ever gracious revelation, “For I the Lord your God am holy.”
The holy life is the most useful of all lives. The most useful individuals are those live holy lives.

I. NOTICE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A HOLY LIFE.
The features of a holy individual:

1. HONORS THEIR FATHER AND MOTHER.
(Leviticus 19:3) Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. (KJV)
As Christians we are to honor our parents. I firmly believe that parents can teach their children to honor them from the time they are born on up through their adult years. The thing of honor is up to the parents when the children are young and up to the children as they get older and become adults.
Teaching our children to honor the Sabbath is part of teaching them to honor us. The children cannot honor their parents as they should, if they do not honor God first.
Our Christian character will have little influence if it has not first of all been rooted in the home life.

2. A HOLY INDIVIDUAL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IDOLS.
(Leviticus 19:4) Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. (KJV)
Idolatry is anything that is first in your life above God.
Nothing is allowed to take the place of God in the Christian life. Holy individuals seek first the kingdom of God, and have more joy in the presence of God than with anyone else. They flee from idolatry.
(1 Corinthians 10:14) Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. (KJV)

3. A HOLY INDIVIDUAL MAKES SACRIFICES WILLINGLY.
(Leviticus 19:5) And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will. (KJV)
Holy individuals are willing to give for the work of the Lord even when it is a hardship to do so. And they always willingly suffers loss for Christ’s sake. The true Christian delights to do the will of God at any cost. What may be a great hardship to others is a joy to him.


4. THOSE WHO LIVE HOLY LIVES REMEMBER THE POOR.
(Leviticus 19:9-10) And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God. (KJV)
The holy person follows the example of the Master and preaches the Gospel to the poor. We can do that in a number of ways, such as – giving of our abundance to those in need, listening to someone unburden their hearts to us, praying for them, helping with their chores when they are sick or unable to do it themselves etc.. We are but stewards of what God has given us. Our possessions, abilities, and time are all on loan from God and we are answerable to Him for how we use them. We must do our best to help others as we help ourselves.

5. THE HOLY PERSON DEALS HONESTLY WITH ALL OTHERS.
(Leviticus 19:11) Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. (KJV)
Even to our own hurt we must be honest. Those who are holy would rather suffer in their business than to deal falsely, lie or defraud another. If we are to be holy we must carry a just balance in our hand and not be guilty of dishonest silence.
An example of this is when we trade vehicles we tell the one we are dealing with what is wrong with the car we are trading. It is better to suffer loss than to take someone for a hooking.
Our Christian character must show up even in our business dealings.

7. THE HOLY PERSON CONSIDERS THEIR SERVANTS.
(Leviticus 19:13) Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. (KJV)
Wages are paid when due and paid in a manner that makes the receiver feel that it is a pleasure for him to pay them. If we hire someone to do a job we gladly pay them the agreed amount.
I sold a pickup truck to an individual a few years ago and we set up payments so they could pay a little bit at a time. Getting the payments was like pulling teeth and I never did get it all. The individual still owes me. Even though this individual claimed to be a Christian his life showed differently. A holy individual is a responsible person and pays his debts.

8. A PERSON LIVING A HOLY LIFE WILL NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A WEAKER BROTHER.
(Leviticus 19:14) Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. (KJV)
The true Christian overlooks a lot of shortcomings of others. It is so natural to be impatient with the deaf or with those whose mentality may not be up where ours is, and if we are not careful we can unintentionally walk roughshod over their feelings by being impatient and put a stumbling block in the their way. We must always show love to those who are less fortunate than we are.
(Deuteronomy 27:18) Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. …... (KJV)

9. THE CHRISTIAN IS IMPARTIAL IN THEIR MANNER.
(Leviticus 19:15) Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. (KJV)
Our interest in the Lord’s poor ones must be just as great as those who occupy the high places in our churches, or our communities. The impartial love of God must be in our heart. The Christian fears God and honors all men.

10. The Christian is no tale-bearer.
(Leviticus 19:16) Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. (KJV)
Gossip that enters our ears must find its grave there. People who confide in us must know that they can trust us to never speak of it to anyone else.
(Proverbs 11:13) A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. (KJV)
As Christians we are always very careful what we say.
(James 3:5-6) Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (KJV)

11. THE HOLY INDIVIDUAL REBUKES THE ERRING IN LOVE.
(Leviticus 19:17) Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. (KJV)
On the job or in the home, there is no hate in their heart to any brother or to any mortal. Such murderous feelings have no place in the heart of the Christian. Yet at times we must speak sharply and be faithful in rebuking sin, because we love the truth and the erring one.
(1 Timothy 2:4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (KJV)

12. THE CHRISTIAN DOES NOT AVENGE OR KEEP A GRUDGE.
(Leviticus 19:18) Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. (KJV)
Do not return evil for evil but wait on the Lord.
(Proverbs 20:22) Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. (KJV)
The Christian leaves vengeance to whom it belongs and by the grace of God is able to bear no grudge to his enemies.
(Romans 12:19) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (KJV)

13. THE CHRISTIAN DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THINGS THAT DIFFER.
(Leviticus 19:19) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. (KJV)
Also in the spiritual realm the Christian knows that they cannot serve God and mammon and that light and darkness do not mix.
(2 Corinthians 6:14-16) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (KJV)
We separate ourselves from the world.

14. THE HOLY INDIVIDUAL DISREGARDS UNHOLY METHODS.
(Leviticus 19:31) Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. (KJV)
For success in the work of God the Christian depends entirely upon the power and wisdom of the Spirit of God. A Christian has no faith in familiar spirits of men or devils, and will not trust the wizardly methods of ungodly men and women.

II. THE GREAT INCENTIVE OF A HOLY LIFE.
(Leviticus 19:2) …. Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. (KJV)
Therefore:

1. YE SHALL BE HOLY.
We must walk as Christians. Are you living a life so that you are worthy to be called a Christian?
(1 Thessalonians 2:12) That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. (KJV)

2. GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT TO HELP YOU TO WALK THAT KIND OF LIFE.
(2 Corinthians 12:9) …. My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. …. (KJV)
(Philippians 4:19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (KJV)

3. FEAR NOT IN TIME OF TRIAL.
(Matthew 28:20) ….. lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. … (KJV)

4. SERVE WITH GLADNESS.
There is a reward at the end of a Christ lived life.
(1 Corinthians 3:14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (KJV)

5. BE IMITATORS OF GOD.
(Ephesians 5:1) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (KJV)
Is Christ living in you?
Jesus prayed for His followers He said,
(John 17:23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (KJV)

Is He living in you today?
Are you serving Him the best that you know how?
Are you living the holy life that God calls us to live?
This is what God requires. How do you measure up?

Good message. Thank you.