How To Be A Saint

[0:00] How to be a saint is the topic today. The Bible says how we, even we can be a saint. Think of that. So I'm talking really if you like of the most extreme makeover you could imagine. The Bible actually tells us this in Ephesians 2. It says you have you quickened. You have you made alive it says. You have you quickened made alive who are dead in trespasses and sins. Think of that.

[0:27] That you can go from being dead in sin, astray from God, far from God to being made alive in Christ. Alive and truly alive. So I'm talking about how we can be made a saint. Now the word saint it means holy one. Holy one. To think could we be holy this side of heaven.

[0:50] Now of course the Catholic Church teaches that the Pope makes saints but actually the Bible doesn't say anything about that. It actually doesn't say that is the case but it says that God makes saints. God makes the saint. A holy one.

[1:06] And it's interesting if you look at the word saint through the Bible it's repeated. It's often told us about saints. And you'd do well to get your Bible and have a look at all the references to the word saint.

[1:18] Now let's see what the Bible says. How to make a saint. It says in 1 Peter 1.15 through 16. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy.

[1:38] Be ye holy. That's what it says. Wow that's a bit dramatic isn't it? A bit confronting. To think ye. The plural congregation of God's people. You as God's believers can be holy.

[1:56] God says we can be. Otherwise he wouldn't be telling us be ye holy. We can be a saint. A holy one. It's often a remark people say oh he's no saint. Because they make a judgment about what they look like or how they act.

[2:12] And they say he's no saint. Or we might say I'm no saint. But actually if you are a believer in Christ God makes you a saint. He declares that you are a saint. Because holiness is possible. That's why it says be ye holy.

[2:27] The word holy appears some 600 plus times in the Bible. It's even on the cover. Think of that. Holy. It's in the holy Bible. Holy.

[2:37] Holy. What does that mean? How can we be holy this side of heaven? Is it possible? I put to you that it is. First a definition of holiness. Holiness. What does it mean?

[2:53] You could say it means being separated by God, for God, from sin unto a holy life. It's God who does it by him, for him. And he's taking us, he's separating us from sin unto a holy life.

[3:13] So holiness is being set apart, consecrated for God's purposes. We see through the Bible again repeated themes of sanctify, of holy, of holiness.

[3:26] Through the Old Testament, of God making things holy, of sanctifying them, in other words. What is holiness? Really it's Christ likeness. That you and me, this side of heaven, can be like our saviour.

[3:40] It's being like God and unlike the world. That's what the word means. The literal word that we translate, holy or saint, holiness, sanctifying, sanctification, all those like words, based on this word, ha-geos.

[4:02] Ha means not. Geos means earthly. Think of geography. Geology. It's about the earth, isn't it? The geos.

[4:14] But we're not of the earth. We're kind of unearthly. We're not earthly. It's a kind of strange thought, isn't it? To think actually we're not of this world, in effect. So we don't let the world's desires and ways attract us.

[4:27] All of it's tinsel and toys. We know that familiar one. I often refer to 1 John 2, verse 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

[4:38] If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

[4:53] And what does it say? It says, Friends, this world is going to burn.

[5:08] It will. It will all go up in smoke. Climate change will actually happen. In that day. It's absolutely for sure. God says it will happen. Our affection is not for this world.

[5:20] It's been said that the more of heaven that is in our lives, the less of earth we will want. More of heaven, less of earth. Because, friends, when you think of it, our allegiance is to another world, another government that we serve, another king.

[5:38] It is his will, his will, that we want. And God's will is forever. It's perfect. It's perfect. We can bow our will unto his will. So, how are we to be a saint?

[5:50] You might say, look, there's no way I'm going to be a saint. I'm just not saintly enough. But it's by God's definition that we need to see what does the Bible say of such a thing.

[6:04] Holiness is actually pictured as like a cleansing. We see 2 Corinthians 7 verse 1. Having therefore these promises, the word of God, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves.

[6:15] From all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So, think of it in that picture of a cleansing, of a cleaning.

[6:26] You see, our brother talked about the washing of the blood. The cleansing of the blood. For believers, there's an inward cleansing. Of course, when we're saved, that's the beginning, isn't it? We're saved.

[6:37] We trust Christ. We're born again. Salvation comes. When we trust the blood, we're washed in the blood. We're saved because of the blood. There's that inward cleansing.

[6:47] We're made clean from the inside out. And we see that the useful Christian is made clean. The blood of Jesus cleanses us for his use.

[6:58] And there's a process that happens. We see there a perfecting process. Paul talks in Ephesians 4 too about the work of the ministry as perfecting the saints. Now, I know for myself, I'm a work in progress.

[7:12] Amen? And you might say, me too. There's a perfecting going on. I know that I'm not as perfect as God helping me, I will be. When I see him, when I'm glorified.

[7:24] And when I put off this body of clay and he gives me a new glorified body and I'm in his presence and far from sin and the curse of this fallen planet and in his heavenly presence, his work of perfecting will be fully fulfilled.

[7:43] For the meantime, there's a perfecting going on. And it's the same I put to you for every one of us that are a believer. You know, we might say, I'm not a saint yet. Well, you are a saint. He's still perfecting you in your sainthood, in your saintliness.

[7:57] And there's a growing that's happening. It's a growing. It's a perfecting. In other words, there's a maturing, a growing, a developing. Step by step, day by day in our daily walk.

[8:08] That's God's people. God's working. God is doing a work. He started a work and he's going to finish it, it says. Amen? God does this work in his people, in his church, in you and me.

[8:19] It's a cleansing work. Think of that picture again. Imagine if you could have a cake of soap that would wash you from the inside out. Wash every stain of sin away. Cleanse everything of self and corruption away.

[8:33] And the Bible says that we do have a cleansing that happens. And it's by the word of God. So even as you're hearing it, God helping you, as you're hearing, not what I'm saying, but hearing these words of the Bible, God's words, there's a cleansing that happens.

[8:48] There's a cleansing action. It says of the church that he's called to sanctify it. In other words, make it holy. Make it saintly. Make us saints. That he affects that work of sanctifying, of making holy and cleansing it with the washing of water by the word.

[9:06] So friends, if you want to be really clean, have a daily dose of this. This is the cleansing agent. This is the cleansing power of the word of God.

[9:17] This talks about the washing of water by the word. There's a wonderful washing effect from the word of God. The more that we have it, the cleaner we feel, the cleaner we are. He'll cleanse our way.

[9:29] It talks about how the young man cleanses his way, taking heed thereto according to the word. The Lord wants to cleanse our way, our will, our words, our thoughts. And his word works that cleansing impact.

[9:43] Every believer is likened to a vessel as well, a container. To think of that. Each one of you that knows the saviour, Christ is in you.

[9:53] It says, as Paul tells Timothy, if a man purge himself, cleanse himself from these, from ungodly things, he shall be a vessel unto honour.

[10:06] A vessel for God's honour. Sanctified, it says. Made holy, it says. Made meet, or fit. Prepared for the master's use. Prepared unto every good work.

[10:18] So the vessel, it says, first has to be purged, cleansed. God wants clean vessels to fill. And he fills us. Surely he does. Think of that cleansing impact of holiness that God affects.

[10:34] There was a little boy who had trouble pronouncing some words. And one of those words he had trouble with pronouncing was the word worship. Worship. And he would go to church and he would say, we're going to go to church to wash up.

[10:48] In a way we do, don't we? We come to church to wash up. We want that washing. We want the washing of water by the word. We want God's cleansing. We want to feel clean before him to get a right heart to be forgiven.

[11:02] Of course, we don't have to wait to go to church to get that. We've got that 24-7 available. But there's that sense where we worship, we wash up. We want to have that cleansing work of God. And he helps us to choose right as we say yes to God and say no to what offends his holiness.

[11:19] So notice holiness is something we grow in. There's a perfecting of holiness. So don't condemn yourself if you feel you're not holy enough because it's a perfecting.

[11:30] We're all in different stages of his working. And holiness is likened to a real change. Really a change of clothing. I know our brother displayed the armour there before.

[11:41] But there's a sense where there's a change of clothing. And these are very real truths. If you can just picture it, again, it's a very graphic picture when you think of it, how our Lord compares our knowing Christ as likened to putting on a clothing, a set of clothing, a new set of clothes.

[11:59] In Ephesians 4.22, we read, Paul says that you put off concerning the former conversation, the formal way of living, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust.

[12:11] He's talking about putting off something. Take it off. And then verse 23, it reads, So you've seen the picture of the cleansing.

[12:37] Here we see another picture of clothing. And how simple it really is, isn't it? To think we go to the wardrobe and we take a set of clothes, we put off the old set and we put on the new set of clothes.

[12:53] Holiness is pictured as a light to that. It's a light to a change of our clothing. It's a yielding, a giving over to God.

[13:03] And it's deliberate. We make a conscious intent to consciously decide that we will put on the new man. And the word tells us how we can be renewed in the spirit of our mind.

[13:18] Think of that. There's a renewed knowledge. We actually really know what matters. There's a fullness of knowledge. And friends, I tell you, this is a complete makeover. Don't you want that?

[13:28] I know I probably need one. An extreme makeover. It's a complete new look. You take off the old set of clothes, the old man, corrupt and all that. And we put on the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness.

[13:43] What a brand new look it is. And we can have that, spiritually speaking. We can see the rags of sin replaced with the robes of his righteousness.

[13:54] We see that picture in Isaiah 61, where Isaiah says, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God.

[14:04] For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. I'm saved. He's given me new garments. And then it says, he's covered me with the robe of righteousness.

[14:15] As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments. And as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. I was fortunate enough to go to a wedding last weekend. And what a picture.

[14:26] Beautiful sight. The bride and the bridegroom look stunning. And how they were decked out. God wants to deck us out, as it were, with the robe of righteousness.

[14:36] He wants to deck us out. As a bridegroom, we'll be decked out. And as a bride. What a picture of God's robes of righteousness that he gives to us. So there's a discarding.

[14:48] And there's a renewing. The old is gone. The new has come. We shed the old man and his ways. And we're clothed with the new man. And I tell you, if you have this, imagine if you got fitted out by the tailor of your soul.

[15:04] The very God who made you. His tailor made that perfect set of clothes. That new set of clothes, as it were. You don't want to care for those old stinky garments anymore that you used to have.

[15:17] Amen? Amen to that? You don't want the old stinky garments anymore. You want to be filled with him. You want the new man. You want to put on the new man. That sense of the new nature.

[15:28] And we don't want that old man anymore that we used to be. With all of his corrupt ways. With all of that which we're ashamed of. But we want to have that new nature. That new man. That is Christ.

[15:40] Really, that's who the new man is. It's him. This holiness that you can have to be a saint. It's actually Christ in you. Christ covering you. Christ cleansing you.

[15:52] Christ. Our Lord says, be holy. He says, for I am holy. Now stop and think about that for a moment. How holy is God? We can't really contemplate the ultimate standard of God's holiness that he sets.

[16:09] This standard is far and above any human standard. No church could set a standard, I don't think. This high for its members. In a legalistic fashion, some might set a standard.

[16:22] Oh, you don't measure up. But God's standard of holiness. Look, I don't think any of us can really consider how extremely holy God is. And that measure that is used concerning holiness for the believer is no less than the standard of God himself.

[16:38] So how can we be saints in the light of that? When we think how holy God is, we should put off some things. Put off anger. Put off wrath.

[16:49] Put off malice. You know, those hateful things. Those anger things. Blasphemy. You know, words we shouldn't say. Filthy communication. Put it off. And how holy is God?

[17:14] Friends, it says there's none holy as the Lord. He's the absolute holy one, isn't he? The absolute perfect of perfects. And for us to be as holy as God, for us to measure up to God, how could that be?

[17:28] It cannot be. Surely. We need God's holiness to fill us. We need God to grant it to us. If it's God's holiness that we have, then we are truly holy.

[17:41] And, of course, it's that saving work that starts us in that working of God that he starts at salvation. And it's a perfecting that happens then as he's perfecting holiness in us.

[17:55] He's making us more like himself. But it's a gift that he gives to us, just like salvation. It's a gift we have that he gives to us. And the very gift of salvation, what's more, there's a gift of holiness too.

[18:10] The word sanctification means holiness. And it says of him, of Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

[18:23] So it says that the Lord Jesus is made unto us holiness. Think of that. He's actually gives us his very nature and character. One of the very names of God is the Holy One, a term used of the Lord Jesus.

[18:37] The word sanctification is that holiness of God. So when you think about it, sanctification or holiness is not something but someone.

[18:49] It's him. It's Christ. It's Christ in you. Christ is made unto us holiness. So thank God for that. It's not you. It's him. It's Christ in you.

[19:01] It's Christ who is our sanctification. As we lay claim on his holiness, his grace, his holy life, the very life of Christ in you is your righteousness. It says one of his names.

[19:11] As it was prophesied of him coming, that he would be called the Lord, our righteousness. Is your life hid with Christ in God? It's been said you have as much holiness as you have of God in you.

[19:27] Now it's quite true to say I can't live a holy life. But you can decide to let Jesus make you holy. Let Jesus do that work, his work. It's been said, another quote, holiness is not the way to Christ.

[19:42] But Christ is the way to holiness. Think of that. He doesn't expect us to become holy so that we can be saved. We get saved and then he makes us holy.

[19:56] You don't get the cart before the horse. We trust him. We're saved. Then he makes us holy. He makes us more like himself. The Holy Spirit makes us holy.

[20:07] So holiness is, again, it's the gift of God to us. Think of that. Salvation is a gift. We receive his work at the cross in dying, paying the penalty for our sin, the death penalty, the wages of our sin.

[20:22] He paid it there. That's salvation as we receive that gift of salvation. And then sanctification or holiness is that perfecting work, that ongoing changing of us, that imparting of his nature to us.

[20:35] And it tells us how his divine nature, his divine power has given unto us all things. He's given us everything that pertained to life and godliness. And 2 Peter 1, 4, it says, these exceeding great and precious promises are given to us.

[20:52] It says that you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. That's an amazing thought too, isn't it?

[21:02] That not only can we be cleansed, washed, we can be clothed, covered. We can actually partake of the very divine nature of God.

[21:14] We can actually take part in that. We can receive that as a gift by faith. By Christ. As he lives in us, through us, as we live for him, in him and unto him.

[21:27] So holiness also has some practical dimensions. Of course, we see that our holiness should show, there should be something that should be clear.

[21:39] That God is doing a work. When Christ truly robes us with himself, why don't we have a change of heart and mind? To want nothing that would displease him.

[21:52] To want him to continue that work. That transforming work. And his word works in us. Again, it's the word. We talked earlier of the washing of the water by the word.

[22:05] The Lord Jesus prayed, sanctify them, God's people. Make them holy through thy truth. Thy word is truth. So it's that truth of God, the very Bible, that has that washing and cleansing effect.

[22:18] God tells us how we're changed from glory unto glory. Changed into the same image. God is in the life-changing business.

[22:31] God is in the life-changing business. He's the one who makes the saints. Not any man. Not any church. Not any philosophy or program of men.

[22:42] God makes saints. God makes saints. He makes saints. And he's still making saints today.

[22:53] And the saints amongst us this morning. We've got St. Sylvia here. And St. Michael. St. Shirley.

[23:04] You know, in a way, if we are believers, we're saints. We're made saints. This side of heaven. Already. And that's not to say we can big note ourselves for that because it's him doing it.

[23:16] And this holiness that he's effecting, it's a growing, it's a developing of Christian character. It's like fruit on a tree, if you like. The tree brings that fruit.

[23:27] And it's like that with the Christian life too. There's a fruit that comes. And we'll want to make the choices and decisions that are according to his will. And what's the biggest thing that you could say that boils it all down is the will of God is your sanctification.

[23:44] The will of God is that you be holy. That you abstain from fornication. You know, immorality. That you rather determine to be holy. Make that your stand.

[23:56] It's his will for you. The will of God for you. The one who made you. It's his will. That you be holy. And really it's above all, when it comes to life's choices, we ought to decide to honour the Lord as our primary object.

[24:14] Because holiness is what God wants for us. It's his best for us. His highest purpose for our lives. And he knows best. He's made us for this. So what God wants for our life should matter.

[24:27] It should matter the most. In our decisions, in our considerations, more than any other consideration, what is the will of God? And let me choose that. Another thing about holiness, I like to put it really, is that holiness is positive.

[24:41] It's a positive thing. It's a good thing. It's a wholesome thing. It's not so much a negative. Don't do this. Don't go there. There's that element. But really it's more so a positive. It's a positive.

[24:52] What would God have for me to do? What can I do to please him? Where would I best put myself? And how do I best live? How can I live for the glory of God? It's finding that true pleasure and fulfilment of knowing and doing his will.

[25:06] Living for God. Actively seeking to please him. Telling others of his salvation. Doing that which he calls you to do. Holiness. It's a command. Be ye holy.

[25:17] Well, you might think that's a bit confronting. How can? How can it be? Holiness is a command. And it's for your good.

[25:28] Be ye holy. Holiness. It's the state of being. It's not something we only do when we feel like it too. It's who we are.

[25:39] We're saints. Saints. Think of that. And the world looks at you like that too. Believe me. Don't they? When the world sees a Christian. And aren't they quick to criticise.

[25:51] To find fault. To point the finger. Holiness. It's not something we just do on a Sunday.

[26:02] It's not something we work up as an emotion. It's a life choice, isn't it? And how far does this holiness extend? He says, be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

[26:16] In all manner of your conduct. That's all encompassing. So we don't switch it on and switch it off. It's in all manner of our conduct. In every dimension of our lives.

[26:26] All of our choices. So again, as a believer. Don't have this attitude that I'm a believer. I'm following Jesus and doing God's will on a Sunday. Or when I'm around Christians.

[26:37] The rest of the time, I'm somebody else. Don't be two-faced. Don't be consistent. So that God helping you. You'll be consistently living holy in all of your choices.

[26:51] And of course we know we're fallible and we fail. There's always that confession unto him. The washing of our sins. That sense of getting things right.

[27:01] Of keeping close accounts with him. But in all of our choices. In all manner of your conduct. In all manner of your conversation. Determine to put God and his considerations first and foremost.

[27:16] In the company that we keep. In our actions. In our affections. In our attitudes. Really it's about him having more of us. It's the decrease and increase principle.

[27:28] As John the Baptist told of himself. He said he must increase. I must decrease. It's that two-fold thing, isn't it? Him having more of us.

[27:38] Us having less of our will. Especially if our will is wrong. Holiness is not our works. But him working in and through us. And friends, when God does a work.

[27:50] When he saves. He does a complete work. He wants to touch our whole life. He wants to touch us. Sanctify us. Make us. Holy. Holy. With a W. The whole of us.

[28:02] The whole of us. The whole of our spirit. Our soul. Our body. And when God does a complete work. We can know that fullness of blessing. That he gives to us.

[28:14] And think of it. Really. It's 24 by 7. By 365. Isn't it? In all manner. All manner. Of conversation. So when you face those difficulties.

[28:25] People that are hard to get on with. Difficult. Hurtful situations. Memories. And hardships. And the daily grind. Temptations. All manner.

[28:37] Of conversation. Have that whole heartedness. Now we know. When we face this.

[28:48] This concept. Of holiness. It's pretty confronting. And we all can feel like. How can I be holy? There was a time of a young girl.

[28:59] She trusted Christ as a saviour. And a time came. Where she wanted to apply. To be a member. In her local church. And she was questioned. About her life.

[29:09] And her conduct. And whether. You know. She really. Showed the evidence. Of a fruitful. Faithful Christian life. And so she was questioned. By the old deacon there.

[29:22] In the church. And the man said this to her. Were you a sinner? Before you received. The Lord Jesus. Into your life. She said. Yes sir. Well.

[29:33] Are you still a sinner? And she said. To tell you the truth. I feel. I'm a greatest sinner. Than ever. And he says. Then what real change. Have you experienced? She says.

[29:43] I don't quite know. How to explain it. Except I used to be a sinner. Running after sin. But now I am saved. I'm a sinner. Running from sin. And so.

[29:55] She was received. Into the fellowship. Of the church. Because. Obviously. She was convicted. And conscious. Of her sin. And before God. Seeking God's help. To overcome sin. To run from sin.

[30:06] And so. She proved. The testimony. Of her life. And friends. The question. For all of us. Are you a sinner? Running from sin? That's what we should be. We know. We change from a sinner.

[30:17] Into a saint. But there is still that. That sinful inclination. At times. That we've got to keep. Controlling. Combating. And the question is. Let God have whole. The whole of you today.

[30:28] All of you today. In all manner of your conduct. And conversation. Holiness. It's divinely imparted. That's the good news. It's that clothing. That he gives.

[30:39] I like the picture. Of the prodigal. Don't you? Where he was. Down in the pig pen. And far. Far from his father. In disobedience. And. The stench of sin.

[30:51] Literally. In the pig pen. And then he comes. He has. Comes to himself. Comes to his senses. And he says. I'll go to my father. And then the father is there. With arms wide open.

[31:02] As soon as he spots him. He races towards him. He runs. The father runs. Towards the sinner. The son. And he. Embraces him. And kisses him. And then he says.

[31:14] You know. Let's. Let's have. A big welcoming home. A party. A celebration. And he puts shoes on his feet. Puts a robe. The best robe. On him.

[31:24] That's the picture. Isn't it? Again. Of. I'm sure that. He had. He got cleaned up. Before they put the best robe on him. And that's the sense. Again. Isn't it? We get cleaned up. We get. Fitted out.

[31:35] In the best clothing. As far as God's righteousness. And. What a picture. Of the. Saving of God. The sanctifying of God. That. New man.

[31:47] God. Saves. And he sanctifies. It's God's doing. And it's by faith. It's by faith as well. It's a gift. If you're saved. You can.

[31:57] Know. That. Sanctifying as well. It's. Part and parcel. Really. When we save. That's the beginning. Then he's perfecting us. In that sanctifying work.

[32:08] They're both. Really a gift. Sanctification is. By faith. It's a gift. He not only clothes us on the outside. With himself. Not talking about these physical garments. But of Christ clothing us.

[32:20] And he cleanses us on the inside. An inward cleansing. So it's a gift. Again. How can we be holy. On this side of heaven.

[32:31] It's an individual. Question. That needs. An individual answer. I put to you. The answer. Is yield. To God. Yield.

[32:42] To God. He makes us. Who are dead. In sin. Alive unto God. And what's more. He makes us dead. Unto sin. We see that in Romans 6.

[32:54] Where it talks of that battle. On the inside of us. That struggle. That inner combat. Conflict. Between the flesh and the spirit. And Paul says.

[33:05] Reckon yourselves. Dead. Indeed. Unto sin. But alive. Unto God. Through Jesus Christ. Our Lord. So sin can lose its power. It's control over us. It's who we yield to.

[33:16] He reads on further. Yield. Not. Don't yield your members. As instruments. Of unrighteousness. Unto sin. But yield yourselves. Unto God. As instruments.

[33:28] Of righteousness. Who has control. Who are you going to yield to. The deadly control. Of sin. Or the loving will. Of your father God.

[33:40] Romans 6. 19. Continues the theme. You've yielded your members. Servants. To uncleanness. Now the opposite of holiness. To iniquity. Now yield your members.

[33:53] Servants. To righteousness. Unto holiness. Who are you going to yield to. Uncleanness. Sin. Or. Righteousness.

[34:04] And holiness. To the will of God. It's. An individual. Personal choice. Isn't it. Who will you surrender your life to. Your will to. The will of God. Will you hate evil.

[34:19] And become more like. Your holy God. Will you draw closer to him. And want what he wants for you. And. Turn from. That which displeases him.

[34:31] Holiness. It's a cleansing. It's a clothing. It's Christ. Fourth one. It's the work of the cross. It's the cross. Paul says this. He says. I'm crucified with Christ.

[34:41] Nevertheless. I live. Yet not I. But Christ. Liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by the faith of. The son of God. Who loved me.

[34:52] And gave himself for me. Paul's telling here. And again. Another graphic picture. You just get this picture in your. In your mind. Of really. Death. And life.

[35:04] Paul says. There's a sense of dying to self. Dying to our own will. In that gruesome. Spectacle.

[35:15] Of a crucified man. That's how. Serious. And solemn it is. And he says. God forbid that I should glory. I've got nothing to boast about.

[35:26] Save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom the world is crucified unto me. And I unto the world. Ha. Gios. Not of this earth.

[35:37] Not of this world. This world has got. No. Ties. For me now. I'm not. Drawn to it. God helping me.

[35:48] It's dead to me. This world. And it's. Loves. But. My. Lord. Is that which. Holds me. I'm separated unto him.

[36:00] That heavenly outlook. Christ does not take us out of the world. He takes the world out of us. So that there's a mind shift. That happens.

[36:12] There's new clothing. The very person of Christ. As we saved. There's that. Filling. That. Flowing out of a vessel. Overflowing. Filled with him.

[36:24] Emptying of the world. Of self. And sin. There's a cleansing. That happens. A washing of water. And it's daily. As we get more of this.

[36:35] There'll be more washing happen. Amen. As we get more washing up. Wash up. As we worship. As we get the word. The washing of the water. By the word. There'll be that cleansing.

[36:46] The power of the Holy Spirit. You are called to be saints. And the work of the ministry. Is the perfecting of the saints.

[36:57] There should be a perfecting. In other words. An improving. A growing. A developing. Accept that. If you are a believer. You are called to be a saint. Don't say.

[37:08] I'm not very saintly. God makes you a saint. And let him do that work. Amen. Yield yourself. See yourself as crucified. Unto the world. God wants to sanctify his church.

[37:21] To make it holy. To make it. Ultimately. That glorious church. What about you and me? Do we settle for second best? Do we have that.

[37:31] Thought of. I'll just settle for a second rate. Kind of Christianity. You know. Near enough is good enough. I'm a bit like that sometimes. I must have been.

[37:42] You know. When I was cleaning the building. Late one night. I said. Oh that looks good enough. And then I thought. Oh. There's. There's this and that. I've missed. And I couldn't be bothered.

[37:53] Getting the vacuum cleaner out. And then I thought to myself. Again. No. God deserves the best. His church deserves my best. And not this building.

[38:04] But that sense of. Just a picture of. How we can sometimes settle. For near enough is good enough. In our Christian walk. Can't we? We just think. Oh. I'll just be a mediocre. I'll just kind of.

[38:15] Just do that. Do the average. Do the. The least. What I can kind of get away with. Rather than thinking. What does God deserve? What does he want? What.

[38:26] What would he. Be pleased with? Is it good enough. For him. Half hearted service. Is my spiritual walk. Such that I've got that. She'll be right.

[38:37] It's near enough. Good enough. Or when we have that thought. I want to please him in all manner. Of my conversation. In every. Compartment of my life.

[38:48] In all aspects. Of my conduct. Where the rubber hits the road. As well. Holiness is practical. We can. Sometimes miss that.

[39:00] He actually wants us to live it. He wants us to live it. And if we fell up. His forgiveness is always there. To help us get. Back on track. He calls us to holiness.

[39:11] And I want to tell you this morning. He. Is the saint maker. Amen. Amen. It's not. Some. Church. Or. Person. That makes you a saint.

[39:23] He makes saints. They don't make the. The statues. And in the. In the shop. And sell saints. Really. That's a poor substitute.

[39:34] That he wants. Human vessels. Like you and me. With skin on. To be. His holy ones. Saints. That's what it means. In our daily war. And.

[39:46] He enables that. He is the saint maker. Let him do that work in you. Amen. When you consider holiness. Also think.

[39:56] It's about you. It's personal. This is a very personal thing. We might think. And look at others. And say. Oh. He or she. Doesn't. Seem to be acting.

[40:06] Like a saint. There was a. An old time preacher. I think it's an old Puritan preacher. John Flavel said this. It's easier to cry. Against one thousand sins. Of others.

[40:17] Than to kill one. Of your own. We can see the sin. In others. I can see so much sin. But. When I look in the mirror. I see much. Much more sin.

[40:29] When we look. At ourselves. Kill. Your sin. Don't. Don't think about others. So much. As think about yourself. As we look at others.

[40:39] And think. They're not acting. Like a saint. They're not walking holy. But God is perfecting people. They're at different stages. Some are. Like a babyhood.

[40:50] Learning. The very basics. Of the Christian life. Look at yourself. Look at yourself. It's about you. And God. So. I challenge you. In closing. Come personally.

[41:00] Come personally. Unto him. He says to you. Be. Ye. Holy. Holy. He says. Be ye. Holy. Be that. Holy.

[41:12] Set apart. In all manner. Of conversation. Every aspect. Of your conduct. Of your living. How? Get saved.

[41:25] Number one. You can't be holy. And not saved. You cannot be holy. Without getting saved. You've got to trust Christ. Number one.

[41:36] Absolute. Ultimate. The only way to heaven. Is to trust Jesus. As your Lord. Trust him. Believe. Receive. His forgiveness. His grace.

[41:46] His. New life. As a clothing. Of his very garment. Of his righteousness. As a cleansing. Deep down within. And overflowing. And know.

[41:58] It's Christ. Who is your holiness. And be crucified unto the world. And its ways. Yield to God. See the world for what it is. It's. Not very nice.

[42:10] This world. And the loves of this world. The lusts of this world. The corruption of this world. And rather. Prepare for eternity. That holy one. You will.

[42:22] See him one day. And he will. Receive you. Live now. Dying unto sin. Living unto him. Let's pray. Lord.

[42:32] We thank you. That you are. The one who makes us. A holy. People. Who makes us that. People. Fit. For heaven. Lord. Not because of any. Work of our own. But.

[42:42] Absolutely. Because. You took our penalty. And Lord. Your blood. Is the only way. We can be washed. And made clean. And fit for that. Holy place.

[42:54] Called heaven. Lord. We pray. Each one might have. Even. Though we can't even understand it. That we can be. Recipients. Of a holy heart. A holy.

[43:05] Life. The holy spirit. To. Give us a holy walk. A holy way of thinking. That. Body. Soul. And spirit. Will be holy.

[43:15] Lord. Unto you. The whole of us. All of us. Each part of us. Lord. By your grace. Effect that work. Lord. We know you. You do.

[43:26] And help us to be responsive. To your holy spirit. Leading. As you do that. Perfecting. We know. The stages. The steps. There's. A developing.

[43:38] Lord. Help us to. Keep growing. In that faith. We praise you. Lord. For. It's your spirit. And your power. That makes this happen. In Jesus name.

[43:49] We thank you. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.