Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psa. 29:2).

Holiness has a beauty all of its own. There is something marvelous about a character that is pure in heart, without guile, devoted to the Lord’s service, lovely, and loveable. The beauty of holiness is “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. 3:4). The beauty of Christ’s holiness has attracted men to him for nearly twenty centuries.

In What Does Holiness Consist?

1. Holiness consists in consecration to God. A person must be to-tally devoted to the Lord’s service. Those things designated “holy unto the Lord” were those things consecrated to his service. It might be one’s house that was vowed to the Lord (Lev. 27:14), an animal, or the produce of his field that was set apart as his tithe (Lev. 27:28,30). Anything specifically separated to the Lord’s use was “holy unto the Lord.”

That which is “sanctified” is “set apart” to the Lord. Christians are “sanctified” when they obey the gospel. Paul wrote, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Jesus spoke of this kind of dedication to the Lord in these terms: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matt. 22:37-38). This is a spirit totally committed to the Lord.

Paul manifested this kind of holiness when he explained that his life was a “living sacrifice” to the Lord. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). He also wrote, “I am crucified with Christ: 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, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). This is a beauty in seeing a person so totally devoted to the Lord.

2. Holiness consists in becoming like God. Peter wrote, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Pet. 1:15). Peter explained that we imitate God’s divine attributes when we add faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, etc. to our character. `By these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3-10).

We learn to love what God loves and hate what he hates. “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:104). The wise man wrote, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). Sometimes, we look upon sin as something to be played with that has no ability to inflict harm on a person. Rather, sin is so dangerous, that it can only be hated. We therefore hate fornication and adultery, because we have seen what it does to families. We hate drug addiction and drunkenness, be-cause we have witnessed how it destroys lives. We hate lying and stealing, because we have seen how it eats the heart out of one’s character. We hate all forms of lasciviousness because of how it leads to other immoralities. We see the damnation of hell to which all of these lead and we hate sin. Anyone who does not hate sin is not God-like.

Look at what God loves. He not only loves righteousness but also those who practice righteousness. Sometimes the world describes those who are righteous as “geeks,” “nerds,” “right wing fundamentalists,” and similar epithets. But God loves the righteous and so should we. Paul wrote, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8). Perhaps there were some who were ashamed of Paul, like there are some who are ashamed to be associated with those who are righteous. If we are going to be God-like we will love both righteousness and those who practice righteousness.

Becoming like God also leads to developing the virtues of righteousness. We learn to be patient like God. The quick-tempered person has not become God-like. Think how God would act toward those who sin (that includes me), if he had the quick-tempered nature some of us have. We learn to love like God. God’s love is self-sacrificing and is full of grace – that is, it is given toward those who do not deserve it. We can be God-like when we show love to those who have done nothing to deserve our love.

Conclusion

When a person who meets the descriptions listed above brings his worship to God, he is doing what the verse in Psalm 29:2 is saying – worship God in the beauty of holiness. We would be wise to give more attention to bringing the “beauty of holiness” when we come to worship than fretting so much on whether or not one’s shoes match one’s skirt or purse, whether or not the tie and suit matched, and other things pertaining to one’s outward appearance.

Guardian of Truth XL: 8 p. 2
April 18, 1996

By Mike Willis

“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psa. 29:2).

Holiness has a beauty all of its own. There is something marvelous about a character that is pure in heart, without guile, devoted to the Lord’s service, lovely, and loveable. The beauty of holiness is “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. 3:4). The beauty of Christ’s holiness has attracted men to him for nearly twenty centuries.

In What Does Holiness Consist?

1. Holiness consists in consecration to God. A person must be to-tally devoted to the Lord’s service. Those things designated “holy unto the Lord” were those things consecrated to his service. It might be one’s house that was vowed to the Lord (Lev. 27:14), an animal, or the produce of his field that was set apart as his tithe (Lev. 27:28,30). Anything specifically separated to the Lord’s use was “holy unto the Lord.”

That which is “sanctified” is “set apart” to the Lord. Christians are “sanctified” when they obey the gospel. Paul wrote, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Jesus spoke of this kind of dedication to the Lord in these terms: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matt. 22:37-38). This is a spirit totally committed to the Lord.

Paul manifested this kind of holiness when he explained that his life was a “living sacrifice” to the Lord. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). He also wrote, “I am crucified with Christ: 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, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). This is a beauty in seeing a person so totally devoted to the Lord.

2. Holiness consists in becoming like God. Peter wrote, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Pet. 1:15). Peter explained that we imitate God’s divine attributes when we add faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, etc. to our character. `By these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3-10).

We learn to love what God loves and hate what he hates. “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:104). The wise man wrote, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). Sometimes, we look upon sin as something to be played with that has no ability to inflict harm on a person. Rather, sin is so dangerous, that it can only be hated. We therefore hate fornication and adultery, because we have seen what it does to families. We hate drug addiction and drunkenness, be-cause we have witnessed how it destroys lives. We hate lying and stealing, because we have seen how it eats the heart out of one’s character. We hate all forms of lasciviousness because of how it leads to other immoralities. We see the damnation of hell to which all of these lead and we hate sin. Anyone who does not hate sin is not God-like.

Look at what God loves. He not only loves righteousness but also those who practice righteousness. Sometimes the world describes those who are righteous as “geeks,” “nerds,” “right wing fundamentalists,” and similar epithets. But God loves the righteous and so should we. Paul wrote, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8). Perhaps there were some who were ashamed of Paul, like there are some who are ashamed to be associated with those who are righteous. If we are going to be God-like we will love both righteousness and those who practice righteousness.

Becoming like God also leads to developing the virtues of righteousness. We learn to be patient like God. The quick-tempered person has not become God-like. Think how God would act toward those who sin (that includes me), if he had the quick-tempered nature some of us have. We learn to love like God. God’s love is self-sacrificing and is full of grace – that is, it is given toward those who do not deserve it. We can be God-like when we show love to those who have done nothing to deserve our love.

Conclusion

When a person who meets the descriptions listed above brings his worship to God, he is doing what the verse in Psalm 29:2 is saying – worship God in the beauty of holiness. We would be wise to give more attention to bringing the “beauty of holiness” when we come to worship than fretting so much on whether or not one’s shoes match one’s skirt or purse, whether or not the tie and suit matched, and other things pertaining to one’s outward appearance.

Guardian of Truth XL: 8 p. 2
April 18, 1996

By A.C. Grider

Things a child of God can do:

 He can fail of the grace of God (Heb. 12:15).

 He can be led away with the error of the wicked (2 Peter 3:17).

 He can err from the truth (James 5:19).

 He can turn aside after Satan (1 Tim. 5:15).

 He can fall from steadfastness (2 Pet. 3:17).

 A weak brother can perish (1 Cor. 8:11).

 He can forsake the right way (2 Pet. 2:14-15).

 He can turn from the Holy Commandment (2 Pet. 2:21).

 He can fall into condemnation (James 5:12).

 He may be a castaway (1 Cor. 9:27).

 He may be cast forth as a branch and be burned (John 15:1-6).

 He may become neither hot nor cold (Rev. 3:14-18).

 He can be spoiled through deceit (Col. 2:8).

 He can be moved away from the hope (Col.1:23).

 He can deny the Lord that bought him (2 Pet. 2:1).

 He can do despite unto the Spirit (Heb. 10:29).

 He can depart from the living God (Heb. 3:12).

 He can come short of the promise (Heb. 4:1).

 He can believe the gospel in vain (1 Cor. 15:1-3).

 He can fail to keep himself in the love of God (Jude 21).

 He can count the blood of Christ wherewith he was sanctified unholy (Heb. 10:29).

 He can depart from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1).

 He can be carried away with strange doctrines (Heb.13.9).

 He can be beset by sin (Heb. 12:1).

 He can draw back unto perdition and not save his soul (Heb. 10:38-39).

 He can fall after example of unbelief (Heb. 4:11).

 He can become worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8).

 He can refuse him who speaks from heaven (Heb.12:25).

 He can have an evil heart of unbelief (Heb. 3.12).

 He can trod under foot the Son of God (Heb.10:29).

Guardian of Truth XL: 8 p. 7
April 18, 1996

By Larry Ray Hafley

Human religion, denominationalism, insists upon trust in the Divine Son of God. “Put your faith in him,” they say. “Do not trust in `a plan’ of salvation, but in `the man’ of salvation.” Generally, by this pious plea, they mean that one may, yea, must, ignore the gospel plan of salvation, i.e., baptism. Thus, Christians are made to appear as those whose trust and hope is in an ordinance, or in the water, and not in Christ. What shall we say to this?

First, none who believe the Bible will disagree with the theme and thrust of trust in the Lord. We must “trust in the Lord” (Psa. 37:3). This “trust in the Lord” must be “with all thine heart” (Prov. 3:5). “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever” (Psa. 125:1). We dare not trust in men, for “cursed be the man that trusteth in man” (Jer. 17:5). “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psa. 118:8). Further, “we should not trust in ourselves, but in God” (2 Cor. 1:9). New Testament converts “trusted” in Christ (Eph. 1:13).

Second, even human reasoning and human illustrations show that trust in a person involves and includes trust in that person’s word. When my boys were little and standing on a high place, I would say, “Jump, and Daddy will catch you.” They believed me, trusted me; so, with confidence and trust in my word that I would catch them, they jumped. Because of trust in the national weather service’s warning of an approaching tropical storm, thousands will close up their homes and leave a coastal area. Leaving reveals their trust in the forecaster and in his forecast. Though it may not be windy or raining, we board up our houses upon the word of a meteorologist that a storm is approaching. The decision of one man, one doctor, causes us to undergo painful, expensive surgery. Because we trust in him, because we have confidence in his word, we agree to very disagree-able procedures. At such times, do we deliberate and debate about whether or not our faith is in the doctor, personally, or in his practice, or in his profession, or in his pronouncement, “You need surgery”? No, we do not. Though we “never felt better,” we put our affairs in order, check in the hospital, and have surgery.

Bible Cases, Bible Illustrations

Better than human philosophy is Divine testimony. Letus study several cases or incidents where men are said to have believed or trusted in the Lord. Let us see how this trust was exhibited, expressed. By the Bible we shall show that one trusts and believes in the person of God when he obeys the purpose, the plan, and the pattern of God. Conversely, those who do not yield and submit to the word of God are those who do not trust and surrender to the person of God.

Negative Case Studies

Moses  In Numbers 20, God told Moses to “speak” to the rock to obtain water. Moses “spake unadvisedly with his lips” (Psa. 106:33). Consequently, God said, “Because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land” (v. 12). Did Moses believe in the existence of the person of God? Certainly, he did; yet, God said, “ye believed me not.” When one does not obey the word of God, he does not believe or trust in the person of God.

Israel  When Israel “rebelled against the commandment (or word ) of the Lord,” they “believed him not” (Deut. 9:23). When God saw Israel’s disobedience, though they were “his sons and his daughters,” he said, “they are .. . children in whom is no faith” (Deut. 32:19, 20). Did they believe in the presence of God’s person? Yes, but in disobedience to the word of God, they were “children in whom is no faith.” When “they would not hear” the plan of God, they “did not believe in the Lord their God” (2 Kgs. 17:14). “Then believed they his words; they sang his (God’s) praise. (But) they soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel (for his words) . . . They despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word” (Psa. 106:12, 13, 24). “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” (Rom. 10:16). If one does not “obey the gospel,” he does not “believe” the gospel! Those who have “obeyed the truth” are those “which believe,” while those who do not believe are those who “stumble at the word, being disobedient” (1 Pet. 1:22; 2:7, 8). “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not” (Jude 5). Who were those “that believed not”? They were the “disobedient,” those who “rebelled against the commandment of the Lord.”

Disobedient Servant  The disobedient servant of Luke 12:42-48, “which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,” was condemned “with the unbelievers.” When one does not obey the plan, “his lord’s will,” he is said not to believe in the man, his lord. And so it is of us and our relationship to Christ our Lord (Lk. 6:46)! (In our next installment, we shall note Positive Case Studies designed to show that the believer in Christ, one who truly “trusts” in him, is the one who obeys him.)

Guardian of Truth XL: 7 p. 24-25
April 4, 1996