Isaiah’s Vision of the Pre-incarnate Christ

Transcript

GR 384
12/21/1980
Isaiah’s Vision of the Pre-incarnate Christ
John 12:41 (Isaiah 6:1-7)
Gil Rugh

John chapter 12 in your Bibles. John’s gospel and the 12th chapter. We looked in our last study together at John’s summary of the ministry of Jesus Christ. The conclusion that he uses to draw to a climax the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ explained in verses 37-43 of John 12. And there he noted that it was within the plan of God that Israel reject the message that was proclaimed because God had determined to enter in to judgment with the nation Israel and punish them for their continued unbelief and rejection of the message that has been proclaimed through the prophets throughout history.

He quoted from Isaiah on two occasions to demonstrate that even the unbelief of Israel fit what God had prophesied through this prophet. In verse 38 he quoted from Isaiah 53:1, "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" The arm of the Lord depicting something of the power and might of God. That power and might would have been demonstrated through the miracles that Jesus Christ had performed, yet we are told that when all was done the nation was still unbelieving. That's exactly what Isaiah spoke concerning.

Then he goes on to explain their unbelief by quoting from Isaiah chapter In verse 40 he says, "He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I hear them." Noted that the point made consistently through Scripture is that revelation rejected has the impact of a hardening of the person so that those who will not believe are brought to a place where they cannot believe. And that is what God has done with the nation Israel.

Now in verse 41, John makes an interesting comment that Isaiah said these things, "because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him." The pronouns here refer to Jesus Christ, and I believe all are agreed on that fact. Every one that I consulted recognized the fact that verse 41 is saying that Isaiah wrote concerning Jesus Christ, and he made that statement that John quoted in verse 40 when he wrote about the glory of Christ that he had seen. That is what is recorded in Isaiah chapter 6 and where we’re going to spend our time together today. Something of the glory Jesus Christ before He was born at Bethlehem. Before He became a man to live in such humble circumstances on earthly, and ultimately climaxes His life with death on the cross which was not the end. But it was climaxed with the resurrection three days later.

Note back in John chapter 1. Look at several passages in the New Testament before we go back to the Old Testament. John chapter 1, verse 18. There we are told, ”No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” There it is stated that no one has seen God the Father, but revelation takes place through God the Son. That Son who became a man. The One who is referred to here as the only begotten God, unique in that He is the only member of the triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—who became a human being. It has always been the plan of God that revelation to man take place through the Son. He is the prime vehicle of making God known through the Old Testament as well as through the New Testament. But consistent in Isaiah 6 when Isaiah saw the Lord, lofty and exalted, sitting on a throne in glory, the One that He really saw was Jesus Christ.

Look back in John chapter 17. The high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ before His crucifixion. Verse 5, "And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I ever had with Thee before the world was." We'll get some glimpse of the glory that Jesus Christ had with the Father before the world ever existed. Before He ever became a man in Isaiah chapter 6, something of the splendor that belonged to Him. But He became a man, He came to earth for the express purpose of more fully revealing God to man, of being the most complete revelation that had ever been given to man, that God Himself would ever become a human being, that He could reveal the Father, the Son, the Spirit, in order that He could take man’s place in dying on a cross.

Come back to Isaiah chapter 6. This is a very interesting chapter for a number of reasons. One, it marks the call of Isaiah and his inauguration into a ministry as a prophet of God. Put in an interesting place—after five chapters where the message of Isaiah is made known. Then we are given insight into how he was given this ministry and message. This is a negative message, a negative ministry. One of condemnation and one of judgment. It is a ministry that at the beginning God said to him, "You go and teach these people, proclaim this message; but let Me tell you something ahead of time. They’re not going to believe you. They’re not going to accept what you say. And that’s according to My plan because I am going to harden them for judgment for their continued rebellion against Me." Parallel to other calls of other people in the Old Testament like Moses in the opening chapters of Exodus. Like Jeremiah in the first chapter of his prophecy. Good study for you. Look through the Old Testament and study the calls of individuals that God appointed and selected out to minister in a special way for Himself. And chapter 6 gives us Isaiah’s call. It's dated for us in verse 1.

"It was in the year of King Uzziah's death." And King Uzziah had been a great and mighty king over the southern kingdom of Israel which was sometimes called Judah. It had a long and glorious reign—52 years he reigned over the southern kingdom of Israel. That's a long time to be a king. Now he got an early start. He was only 16 when he became king, so he ruled until he was around 68 years of age. The kingdom came to a time of glory under him. It wasn’t a united kingdom now, it was a divided kingdom and he ruled over the southern part. But it was a glorious and prosperous time for the nation. Something similar to Solomon’s reign when Solomon ruled over the entire kingdom. It was not quite with that splendor, but it was a time of prosperity and blessing for the nation. And now in 739 B.C. Uzziah dies, and there are going to be some changes take place—not for the good. As deterioration sets in. Even under this godly king and under the great prosperity that God has given to the nation, the message of Isaiah from God is, You still have not responded in faith to God. You have still not submitted yourselves to Him as His people in spite of the fact that He has blessed you. In spite of the fact that He has multiplied your blessing, you have continued to rebel and resist His will. And Isaiah is given some insight into the course that the nation will take. Other things are going on in the world in preparation for what God is going to do. Assyria is ascending to power in the world, and in a few short years (in 722 BC) they will conquer the northern kingdom, the northern ten tribes, and carry them away into captivity from which they have really never returned or recovered in the full sense.

Another interesting event. Historians tell us that it is about this time that Rome comes into existence, and you know something of the tremendous significance that the Roman Empire had and will have in its revived form on the nation Israel. So significant time. And it is at this time, a time I’m sure of despair and concern that Isaiah is called by God and given e vision of the greatness of the glory of God and a contrast exists here in a very clear way.

The chapter begins, "In the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne." A reminder. One of the great kings of Israel has gone the way of all flesh. He died. His rule, long as it is, is over. And it seems like a long time. Fifty-two years. That's a long time to rule over a kingdom, but now here we are almost 3,000 years later and we don't say, 'My, My, my, wasn't that a long, long time.' Not so long as you look back on it, is it? But here is the contrast. Uzziah died, but the Lord, the true sovereign, the ruler of Israel, still sits enthroned in the heavens. The true king of Israel is not a mortal being. And in spite of the passing of even a great ruler, He continues to reign.

So 739 B.C., you can date this vision that Isaiah received because that was the year that King Uzziah died. Now Isaiah goes on to tell us something of the glory that he saw. "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple." Now keep in mind, John has told us under the inspiration of the Spirit, that the One that Isaiah saw was Jesus Christ. So here Isaiah sees the One who is the true King of Israel. The One who in some 700 years would come to earth, be born as a man, offer Himself as the Messiah, the King of Israel, be rejected and be crucified on a cross. Here He is identified as the Lord. The word "Adonai" which means a sovereign, a ruler. The idea of authority, of sovereignty is what is conveyed here. Sitting on a throne, depicting His kingship, and His judgment. He sits as the One who is the King of Israel, He also sits as the One who is the Judge of Israel. And as the King, the sovereign, the ruler, He is about to exercise judgment over His subjects.

"I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted..." picture here something of the majesty, how exalted He is in the picture that Isaiah is given of Him here, "...with the train of His robe filling the temple." The train of the robe, the hem of the garment spread throughout the temple. Now some would see Isaiah as having this vision in the temple of Jerusalem, and that’s a possibility. He could have been there and God gave him this tremendous vision because it was of the temple, particularly in the Holy of Holies where God manifested His glory among the nation. But as you read this, you perhaps get the idea that Isaiah has been carried in this vision to the more ultimate temple in glory itself. In heaven where God Himself sits enthroned. And the picture here of the train, the hem of His garment, covering the entire temple is that there is no room for anyone else. No one else can stand here because He alone is king and Lord. He alone is the sovereign. There is room for no one else. He alone is Adonai, Lord, King, ruler.

We come to some interesting creatures in verse 2. Creatures which we know nothing else about because the only place in all of Scripture they are mentioned is in Isaiah chapter 6. They are called the Seraphim. "Seraphim stood above Him." Seraphim is plural. In the Hebrew language, when you wanted to make a plural, you put "im" on the end of a word. If we were going to make this plural in English, we would call them Seraphs, with an "s" after the ph. We see this Cherubim, again the plural. The plural for us in English is Cherubs. Here are the Seraphim. Seraph means a burning one. They are literally the burning ones or perhaps the shining ones. The word literally means burning ones. Only mentioned here in the Bible. They are depicted as personal beings. They have faces; they have hands; they have feet; they speak in an understandable way for Isaiah. And they are described in verse 2 as having three pairs of wings, "...each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." Now interesting description. And again as is so often true of heavenly matters, it would be all but impossible to try to depict this in a drawing or a painting and not have something grotesque. There are three pairs of wins. One pair is used to cover the face, and that would seem to depict the fact of reverence and awe in the presence of God. Perhaps tied to the fact that they themselves are unable to look on the fullness of the glory of the God that they serve. And in reverence and awe their face is covered in His presence.

Two of the wings are used to cover their feet. And feet perhaps expressing here the humility, their lowliness so that their feet are covered, expressing humility and unworthiness in His presence.

And then with two wings, one pair, they flew. And perhaps they are depicted here as hovering above the throne of God. Verse 2 says they stood above Him. Perhaps the hovering there. But the wings to fly with depicting their readiness to do His bidding which will be carried out in the context of Isaiah very shortly. They will be sent to minister to Isaiah in a special way. So these unique, special heavenly creatures—how they differ from the cherubim we don’t know. In other places in Scripture, we see the Cherubim that serve in the very presence of God. How they are similar and how they are different from Cherubims and Seraphims, the two, we don’t know since this contains all we know about Seraphims. Lucifer, son of the Morning who became Satan at his fall, was a Cherub, one of the Cherubim. The anointed cherub that covered the throne of God. So the Cherubim also served in the presence of God, and exactly what their functions are in distinction from Seraphim, we don't know; but we know these are awesome beings. Created beings, personal beings who serve in the very presence of God and we see what they are doing in verse 3.

"And one called out to another and said, ’Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.’" Seems that they have a prime function of continually declaring the praise of God, and they cry out ’Holy,
Holy, Holy.’ We don’t know how many there are. There are at least 2 but there may be a multitude, we don’t know. But how many ever there are, their continual cry is ’Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts.’ The word ’holy’ is the Hebrew word ’ka-dosh.’ We transcribe it over into English as 'qa-dosh’ meaning holiness. Carries the idea of being separate or being apart, being distinct from. And the proclamation here is of God’s separateness, God being separate from His creation, God being apart from His creation. God also obviously being separate and apart from all sin. So they cry out concerning the holiness of God. He is apart;
He is separate from all creation and all sin.

You know, it’s interesting to note here that as we are given this unique glimpse into the throne room of glory, we find those beings who are given the responsibility of continually proclaiming God's glory, God’s praises in His presence singling out this basic attribute—holiness. If we were going to write this today the way we would see it, we would write ’loving, loving, loving is the Lord of hosts.’ And He is loving, and that is one of His attributes—God is love. An attribute being that which is essential to His very character or being. They cannot be changed, they cannot be altered. They cannot be removed or added to, for His attributes make Him what He is. Yet the Seraphim cry out regarding His holiness. And I take it that is consistent with the emphasis that Scripture gives that the basic, central attribute of God is holiness; and even His love flows out of His holiness. Now I have no problem with great emphasis on the love of God because He is a God of love, love that goes beyond understanding. But we need to be careful that we don't try to speak of His love at the expense of His holiness because then we no longer have the love of God. God’s love flows out of His holiness, and His very character, in His very being, He is holy. And that becomes essential because that determines on how then He is going to deal with His creation. How His creation must relate to Him. Holiness is the key factor, and without holiness no one will see God. This vision made a tremendous impact upon Isaiah for his favorite name or designation for God in his book is, The Holy One of Israel. The Holy One of Israel. He uses it 26 times in his prophecy. Some see a division in Isaiah—the first half of the book and the last half. Some say there were two different writers which is not true. There is only one writer, Isaiah. And 12 times in the first part of the book he uses the name, The Holy One of Israel; 14 times in the last part of the book. One commentator calls it ’’The prophetic signature of Isaiah." That’s his special way to refer to God, in light of this vision given to him at the beginning of his ministry. That designation, The Holy One of Israel, is only used 6 other times in all the Old Testament. But for Isaiah it had special impact and meaning because he was given some glimpse into the very presence of God and that struck him above all things, the holiness of the One he confronted. Now keep in mind who you are talking about here. We are talking about that One who some 700 years later will be born in a stable, will walk among men, living in humble circumstances. When you stop and think, you begin to realize why men could not conceive of the fact that this one was the very One who the Seraphim in glory had proclaimed His holiness, whose glory was so overwhelming and now here He is as a man, a physical human being walking on earth. That One who is the creator and sustainer of all things. And now here He is being born in a stable? Walking just like any other person? Suffering ultimately death on a cross to secure redemption for His creation?

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." He was called Adonai in verse 1. Now He is called Jehovah. The word Lord here is Jehovah. The Lord Sabbaoth, the Lord of hosts. Adonai, Jehovah. Jehovah Shabuoth is none other than Jesus Christ. That glory that He had with the Father before He became a babe, the glory that He now has in heaven itself revealed here to Isaiah.

And he goes on. "...the whole earth is full of His glory." Scripture is clear that He is the Creator. That He has created all things, so in effect, all things are a revelation of His glory. God's glory is the revelation of His attributes, His basic character, His holiness, His sovereignty, His power, His knowledge. All are revealed through His creation. So when He says the whole earth is full of His glory, everywhere you look you see the character of God being revealed. It reveals the glory of God. His perfection, His attributes,
His character is seen in all that He has done.

Look in Psalm 19. David wrote of this in Psalm 19 and it gives an interesting presentation of the revelation of God's character. It's found in two places—in God's creation and also in God's Word. Note Psalm 19. "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and the firmament (their expanse) is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; it rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hid from its heat." In other words, no matter where you go, the creation speaks forth the character of God on earth and in the heavens. We send satellites to farthest planets—farthest as far as we see them, they're just the closest ones in true perspective. And what do they declare? The character of God, the glory of God. His awesome splendor.

It’s interesting then in verse 7. David goes on now to talk about God’s written revelation. "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul." The two elements in which God reveals Himself—creation and through His written Word as spoken through the prophets. It is essential that they go together, because people do not understand the revelation of God in creation without the revelation of God in His Word. So God does reveal Himself in creation, but only those who have come to believe the revelation He has given in His Word recognize what the creation is saying. The creation keeps talking, keeps speaking about the splendor, the power of God but men don’t understand it until they come to believe what God has spoken in His Word.

Turn to Romans chapter 1, verse 18. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." Suppress means to hold something down. They have the truth but they stifle it. They hold it down. Now note how He explains it. "Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God has made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." You note here. God in effect says that every person has revelation from God. God has made Himself known to everyone, even those places where they have never seen a Bible and never heard the name of Jesus Christ, they have the knowledge of God presented to them through the creation. That reveals the power, the nature, the attributes of God. But what does man do in his sinfulness? He stifles that knowledge. He suppresses that revelation. It always boggles my mind— recently in one of the news magazines, on the cover story a modern-day scientist who is producing television programs, etc. And I just can’t believe it as I read it where here is a man who studies the wonders of space and the wonders of creation and at the same time he ridicules those who would offer a religious explanation, as he talks about it, for these things. Why? He studies it but what does he do? He suppresses it. I read that and I say, how with his knowledge, with his observations, can he not be impressed with the awesome power of the God who put it all together. The orderliness of it all, the splendor of it all. And yet he suppresses the truth in unrighteousness. Why? Because his sinfulness blinds him, makes him unable to perceive and know the revelation that is there. But it is different when you come to know Jesus Christ. What do you do? You walk out and you look around and you say, my what a God we have! You look at the pictures taken by satellite of distant planets and you say,
Isn’t it awesome that God put it all together? You look at the expanse of space that we can hardly even measure and you say, what a great God we have! We recently had an ice storm and we were talking about it at staff meeting on the way to lunch, isn't it amazing that overnight God can coat everything with such a beautiful coating of ice. The trees they glisten, the glass it glistens, and He does that in no time at all; and then in no time at all He cleans it all off and goes on to something else. Can you imagine how long it would take mighty powerful man to coat every blade of grass individually? Every branch, every leaf? And then to wipe it off in a couple of hours? Everything man does suddenly seems to puny! So small. We can paint a beautiful picture but it's got to be within certain confines. God does a whole state, a whole region, and then He cleans it all off. I said if I’d made something that pretty I'd never take it away! God cleans it all off and goes on to something else, but does the world stop and say, My what a God?! No, they miss it. But when you come to believe in Him and what is revealed in His Word you say, My what a God! It’s awesome! And the creation does reveal His character, His very nature and essence.

Come back to Isaiah. Now keep in mind that the God we’re talking about whose glory fills the whole earth is the God who was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. He's the One whose birth is remembered as being of overwhelming significance and no wonder. Colossians chapter 1 says "By Him, everything that was created was created." Every single planet, every single object that exists anywhere in the creation was brought into existence by Jesus Christ. He is the Creator. Colossians also tells us that He holds it all together. He's the One who keeps it in orderly arrangement on an orderly course. He's the One here that we're told the whole earth is full of His glory. That still boggles my mind. The whole earth is full of His glory and He's the One who is born in a stable as a baby, to live some 33 years on earth, to be crucified on a cross. No wonder Acts says they crucified the Author of Life because that's who He was—the Creator. It doesn't boggle my mind when I think of it that the unbeliever can't perceive. That makes me stand back in awe that this One whose glory fills the whole earth is the One who came, was born as a baby, lived as a man and died on a cross. Awesome. Isaiah goes on. "The foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of Him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke." The foundations tremble, the temple fills with smoke. Pictures something of the awe and reverence that is produced in this scene.

Now back in Isaiah chapter 4, verse 4 and verse 5. "When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning." It's interesting that the Seraphim who serve in the presence of God, their name means burning ones. I take it that connects to His holiness, "...then the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, (note the cloud and the smoke linked together as saying the same thing) the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy." And clouds or smoke in the Scripture depict glory, so the trembling going on, the filling with the cloud or smoke in the temple are all a picture of glory to produce awe and reverence in Isaiah who beholds it And the impact on Isaiah is overwhelming.

Verse 5. "Then I said, 'Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.'" (Isaiah 6:5). The impact that takes place when a person is really made aware, really confronted with the holiness of God is his own unworthiness. That's the tragedy that takes place when the true character of God is not presented. When people are not confronted with the holiness of God, then they do not have a true picture of themselves and their own unworthiness. When a person truly sees something of the holiness of God, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by how unworthy, how unholy, how sinful we really are and Isaiah says, 'I am ruined. I've come to the place of destruction He seems himself worthy of destruction. Why? He is a sinner and he lives among sinners, and he now has seen the holiness of God. He says he deserves ruin, destruction. Interesting back in Job. Job had the same kind of response.

The last chapter of the book of Job. Job had earlier thought that if he had a chance to present his case to God, God would see things a little differently. Job says, 'Oh, if I only had a chance to talk with Him face to face.' And Job got his chance and when he is confronted with the character of God Job is overwhelmed. Chapter 42, verse 1. "Then Job answered the Lord (after this confrontation when God reveals Himself)..." It's interesting because God has revealed Himself and you read chapters 40 and 41, God continually challenges Job, Have you considered this about My creation? Could you do this? Could you make this? Could you create this? When it's all said and done, "Job answered the Lord, and said, 'I know that You can do all things, and that none of Your purposes can be thwarted.’" Then concerning himself, “Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask you, and you instruct Me.'" This is a result of having confronted God. I think I better listen; you teach me. "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You." Note verse 6, "Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes." He sees himself as totally unworthy. I repent in dust and ashes.

Other examples in the Scripture and this same kind of attitude produced in those who confront God. But come back to Isaiah chapter 6. This step is essential if a person is to be cleansed from sin and brought into a right relationship with God. The beginning point is to see ourselves as God sees us. To see God as He is. The hardest person in all the world to reach with the message of Jesus Christ is the self-righteous person because they see themselves as okay. You know all that indicates is? They have not yet seen God as He really is. They have no conception of the holiness of God. How can a sinful, fallen, depraved being see himself alright, as okay, except that he has never seen the holiness of God? We need to be careful in this area. It's so easy for us as believers to lose sight of who our Savior really is, that His central attribute is holiness and that which God intends to produce in the lives of those that come to believe in Him is holiness. What a travesty that those who name the name of Christ have lives not characterized by holiness. In fact Scripture goes on to say that if holiness doesn't characterize your life, you'll never see God because His character must be your character. And it will be if you believe in Him.

Note the response of God to Isaiah. He doesn’t destroy him. Isaiah has been brought to a position where God can deal with him. Verse 6. "Then one of the seraphim flew to me, with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs." Now Isaiah sees God as He is—holy. He sees himself as he is—sinful. And he acknowledges that, and now God can deal with his sinfulness. He sends a seraphim to take a coal off the altar. I think it’s significant here—the coal comes from the altar. The altar is the place of sacrifice, the place where provision will be made to care for man’s sinfulness. The picture again is overwhelming. That here you have the sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ, enthroned in glory, now having the seraphim taking a coal from the altar to provide for the cleansing of Isaiah which simply pictures the fact that the sacrifice that this Lord of Glory will make in His own death on a cross will be the provision to provide for the cleansing of every single person who will believe in Him.

And in verse 7, "He touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven. The coal from the altar has been applied to Isaiah. The picture is one of cleansing. What it depicts in its ultimate fulfillment is this Lord of Glory will be the sacrifice depicted by the altar. And that sacrifice will be applied to those who come before Him recognizing His holiness and their sinfulness, and believe in Him, submit themselves to Him, in effect, by relying upon what He does. You note. The Lord of glory does not say to Isaiah, 'You’re right; you're sinful and you live among sinful people. Do your best and try your hardest. Go get baptized. Go live the best life you can. Go join the synagogue or go give a certain amount of money.' What does he do? Isaiah does nothing. The Lord of Glory does it all. Isaiah's part? To recognize and believe in the Lord of Glory. To see himself as God sees him. To see God as He is and submit himself to the righteousness of God because it is God's holiness, it's God's righteousness that Isaiah needs. And God does it all from beginning to end, and Isaiah is cleansed by the grace of God on this occasion and this provision.

The New Testament picks up this theme of God's holiness. Let's just take 2 passages with me quickly. Back to First Peter. First Peter chapter 1. The pattern here follows out—in order for a person to experience cleansing and forgiveness from God, you must recognize that God is a God of holiness, absolute perfection, undefiled in any way, and that's His standard for all who will be accepted in His presence. That's why He says through Isaiah that all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags because He demands perfection, absolute holiness and that can only be found in God Himself. So when a person recognizes that God is a God of holiness, a God of righteousness, that we are sinful beings and believe that God made provision for him in the person of Jesus Christ, this Lord of Glory died on a cross to be the provision for your sin and you believe the fact that He died for you, at that instant the benefits of His death are applied to you. You are cleansed, you are forgiven. Then, it goes on that His holiness, His character, is to be produced in us in all that we do.

Look in 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 14. "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance." There ought to be a difference before and after. If there is no difference in before and after, you have never been cleansed. Boggles my mind as I talk to people what difference in your life is there since you believed in Jesus Christ? There is none. I talked with a person just recently—there is no difference, they said, I guess I'm a carnal Christian. I said, 'No. The Bible says you are not a Christian.' There is a chance. We're not to be like we were, and if there is no change, then you've never been cleansed.

He goes on. "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior." Then he quotes from Leviticus 11, "...because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy."' Now note the order. The cleansing, the provision is made by God. Now my responsibility as one who has been cleansed by faith in Jesus Christ is to live my life according to His holiness. Somehow that standard has been lowered among believers today where sin is acceptable. The standard is the same, unchanged. Be holy, for I am holy.'1 so every area, every aspect of my life must manifest His character, must manifest His holiness. I am to be set apart from the world, from the things of this world, from the defilement of this world, from sin. I am to be set apart to Him. I am to live like Him. His character being produced in and through me; but isn’t that amazing that God can even exhort me to do that?
After reading Isaiah 6? I’m overwhelmed like Isaiah and say, ’I am ruined! I am an unclean person.’ But wait, He provides the cleansing through His Son,
Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. God says, 'Now I’ve cleansed you.
Now your iniquity is forgiven. You are cleansed.’ Now He says to live like that. Live like what you are. One who has become a partaker of the holiness of God Himself.

Back in chapter 12 of Hebrews, as we close. Talks about discipline with our earthly father discipline with our heavenly Father. Verse 10. "Our earthly fathers disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but God disciplines us for our good that we may share His holiness." God chastens us, God disciplines us. Why? His purpose and plan for us as we partake of His character, His holiness. Down to verse 14. "Pursue after peace with all men, and after the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." Word sanctification is the same basic word as holiness. Pursue the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See what that is saying earlier? If your life is not changed, if holiness does not characterize you, God says you won't see Him at all. You'll never share in His kingdom, in His presence, because holiness is demanded.

The glorious thing is that because of Jesus Christ, Colossians says that we will be presented in the presence of God the Father holy, spotless, without blame because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Have you come to see yourself as God sees you? Have you come to see yourself as a sinner and worthy of condemnation? Have you come to believe and understand that Jesus Christ God’s Son died to pay the penalty for your sin? Are you relying upon Him alone as your Savior today?

And if you have, does holiness characterize your life in all ways in everything? Let's pray together.

Father, we praise you this morning for the greatness of our salvation. That the One whose birth we celebrate is none other than the Lord of Glory, Jehovah Sabbaoth, become a man that He might die for the sins of mankind.

We pray for those who are here this morning, Father, perhaps they have come thinking they’re pretty good. Perhaps they are here regularly as part of their religious activity. But Lord, they have never come to grips with the fact that they are unworthy sinners justly condemned before you. Lord, help them to see themselves as you see them and to see Jesus Christ as the One who died for their sins.

For those of us who have, Father, I pray that your character, your holiness might be seen in our lives in all that we do. In all of our dealings and all of our activities that you might be glorified, for we pray in Jesus' name