Old Path of Gospel Holiness, Part 1

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews Jeremiah 6:16 with its three imperatives and the first old path of converting faith (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10), then announces the second old path of gospel holiness…

Martin pictures the apostate people of Jeremiah 6 as a traveler who has lost his way - uncertain whether to go forward, backward, left, or right - to whom God calls a halt before judgment falls.

It comes under the image of a traveler who has lost his way, and he's not certain whether to go forward, backward, left or right, and God calls him to a halt. Don't go on in the way in which you are presently going. It is bringing you to the brink of death, to the brink of disaster. Judgment is coming.

1:48 - 2:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines gospel holiness as a heart-and-life transformation worked by the truth, power, and motives of the gospel, sharply contrasting it with Pharisaic external holiness…

Martin paints a satirical picture of false notions of holiness - a halo around the head, a hair shirt, folded hands and an upward glance, walking around not considering where one might stumble - to show what gospel holiness is not.

When I use the word holiness, I'm simply referring to a heart and life set in the spirit of God. Holiness is not a halo around the head, a hair shirt, folded hands and an upward glance, walking around, not even considering where I may stumble because I want a heavenly look. No, no, that's not holiness. Holiness, sanctification, is God's mighty work by which he breaks the dominion of God.

5:27 - 5:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines gospel holiness as a heart-and-life transformation worked by the truth, power, and motives of the gospel, sharply contrasting it with Pharisaic external holiness…

Jesus's image of Pharisees whitewashing tombs every three months - brilliant as new-fallen snow in the sun - illustrating the external holiness against which gospel holiness stands.

Every three months you go by with a bucket of whitewash and you splash it on there and the sun shines upon it and it's as brilliant as new-fallen snow and it almost blinds you and you say, oh, look at A.B. Sepulcher, isn't it beautiful? Jesus said, go over, roll away the stone.

7:03 - 7:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines gospel holiness as a heart-and-life transformation worked by the truth, power, and motives of the gospel, sharply contrasting it with Pharisaic external holiness…

The contrast: roll away the stone and the stench of rotting flesh inside the whitewashed tomb reveals the reality of Pharisaic religion - full of dead men's bones and uncleanness within.

Go over, roll away the stone and stick your head in. And the stench of rotting flesh will make your flesh crawl. You are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness within. He said, you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter. And you take a cup and it's all shiny and say, oh, I'd like a cup of coffee.

7:19 - 7:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines gospel holiness as a heart-and-life transformation worked by the truth, power, and motives of the gospel, sharply contrasting it with Pharisaic external holiness…

Jesus's image of cleansing the outside of the cup while inside are maggots and crud - Martin applies this to the Pharisees as the paradigm of the external holiness gospel holiness opposes.

And you put it out and look in and there's nothing but maggots and crud and everything else on the inside. He says, that's you Pharisees. You outwardly appear. But you inwardly are.

7:39 - 7:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Every man, young and old, should be passionately concerned about gospel holiness because it is the only path to heaven rather than hell.

A rhetorical picture of someone saying 'Go to heaven, go to hell - schmeldel, what's the difference?' to sharpen the urgency of the first necessity by showing what indifference to holiness would look like.

Anybody here indifferent to that question? No, I don't care. Go to heaven, go to hell. Schmeldel, what's the difference?

10:33 - 10:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Pursue holiness with the intensity the Greek word dioko implies - the same relentless energy as a persecutor tracking down his prey.

Martin explains that 'follow after holiness' (Hebrews 12:14) uses the Greek word dioko, the same word translated 'persecute' throughout the New Testament - showing the intensity of pursuit required.

Well, in Hebrews 12 and verse 14, we read these words, Follow after peace with all men, and the holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. The word follow is a very strong and vigorous word. The Greek word dioko is the word translated for persecuted throughout the New Testament. Jesus said, persecute peace with all men.

11:05 - 11:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Pursue holiness with the intensity the Greek word dioko implies - the same relentless energy as a persecutor tracking down his prey.

Jesus's teaching that a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, applied to show that the fruit of gospel holiness cannot come from a heart devoid of gospel influence - hence 'no holiness, no heaven.'

As Jesus said, make the tree good and its fruit good. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. The good fruit of gospel holiness cannot come forth from the corrupt tree of a heart and life devoid of the influence of the gospel. No holiness, no heaven.

12:58 - 13:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first compelling reason for gospel holiness is its necessity for salvation: drawing from Hebrews 12:14, Romans 6:22, and Matthew 7:13-14, Martin presses that without holiness…

Jesus's image of the narrow gate and constricted way (Matthew 7:13-14) as a pictorial commentary on Romans 6:22 - the gate of conversion leads necessarily to the narrow way of holiness that leads to life.

No holiness, no heaven, is the clear teaching of these passages and many others could be brought to bear. You take the words of the Lord Jesus, which are a pictorial commentary on this text in Romans 6. Jesus said at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, having shown the nature of his kingdom and the character traits of all the members of his kingdom in the Beatitudes, now he says this, Enter in by the narrow door. There's another alternative.

17:05 - 17:40 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first compelling reason for gospel holiness is its necessity for salvation: drawing from Hebrews 12:14, Romans 6:22, and Matthew 7:13-14, Martin presses that without holiness…

Jesus's imagery of hacking off the hand and gouging out the eye that causes offense - applied to show that true conversion means sin is so odious you would rather do radical surgery than perish and go to hell.

Not the broad way of a mere decision for Jesus that leaves you still wedded to the world, wedded to your sin, wedded to a self-centered life. No. If you get through the narrow gate, the proof you've come through the gate is you're on the narrow way. That pressured, constricted, restricted way in which sin is so odious to you that if they find a sin so precious as a right hand and a right eye, you're ready to hack off the hand, gouge out the eye, rather than perish and go to hell.

18:52 - 19:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not accept any assurance of salvation divorced from a pattern of holy living - such assurance is a damning delusion, not the witness of the Holy Spirit.

Martin quotes an old Puritan, William Bernal: 'Say not that thou art born of God and hast royal blood in thy veins, unless thou can show thy pedigree by daring to be holy' - a statement Martin says has lived with him for years.

William Bernal, the old Puritan, stated it so quaintly and beautifully, and this statement has lived with me for years. He said this, Say not that thou art born of God and hast royal blood in thy veins, unless thou can show thy pedigree by daring to be holy. Say not you're born of God and have royal blood in your veins, unless you can show your pedigree by daring to be holy. If we would validate our professed assurance as a test assurance scripturally, it must be in the path of gospel holiness. Thirdly, the necessity of gospel holiness is rooted in this. Gospel holiness is essential if we woul...

28:27 - 29:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Let gospel holiness shine in every sphere of life - including the workplace - by being free from the grousing and complaining that marks the unconverted world.

Martin describes a man at his workbench who, while all around him grouse and complain about benefits and wages, is filled with joy and thankfulness by the Holy Spirit - his 'grouseless life' shining as a light and prompting coworkers to ask what makes him different.

In the practical areas when everybody else in the shop is grousing and complaining about their benefits and their wage scales and the hours they have to work, grouse, grouse, grouse, complain, complain, complain! By your workbench, day after day, you're a man full of joy and of the Holy Spirit and the peace of God with a thankful heart. And your thank-filled, grouseless life brightly shines and says, this man is different. He's made different not by some artificial plastic pie-in-the-sky kind of holiness, but by one that means in a crooked and perverse generation marked by self-centered grousi...

32:19 - 33:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Sanctify Christ as Lord in every area of daily life so that your distinctiveness from the world raises questions that open doors to the gospel.

A vivid contrast between coworkers coming in on Monday morning hungover and bragging about drinking and partying all weekend, and the Christian who comes in having been in church all day and full of joy - prompting the question 'In God's name, what makes you tick?'

We come in here Monday morning hungover, strung out, and talk about the good time we had getting drunk and getting high and partying all weekend. You come in having been in church all day and you're full of joy and thankfulness. John, in God's name, what makes you tick? It's when you're unlike them that you're likely to win them.

36:09 - 36:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that indifference to gospel holiness reveals a low view of Christ's death - he died specifically to redeem a people zealous of good works.

Martin describes Paul's detailed ethical instructions to Titus for the churches of Crete - covering older men, older women, younger women, younger men, slaves - as 'practical holiness 101,' showing that Paul's passion for specific ethical behavior flows from the grace of God in Titus 2:11.

Paul has given some very, very detailed instructions to Titus as to what he is to speak to the Christians in the Isle of Crete. He talks about chapter 2, 1. This is what you need to tell that is sound doctrine to the older men, to the older women, to the younger women, to the younger men, to slaves, etc. All of this detailed ethical instruction as to how Christians are to behave, in other words, this is practical holiness 101.

37:34 - 38:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that indifference to gospel holiness reveals a low view of Christ's death - he died specifically to redeem a people zealous of good works.

From Isaiah 53, Martin reasons: if Christ died to have a people redeemed from all iniquity and zealous of good works, then for him to be satisfied with his travail he must see that fruit in his people - so indifference to holiness shows a low view of Christ's death.

When you and I are indifferent in any way to gospel holiness, we show we have a low view of the death of Christ. The Scripture says in Isaiah that the suffering servant will see the travail of his soul and be satisfied. Well, if he died to have a people redeemed from all iniquity, purified unto himself, zealous of good works, and he's going to be satisfied, with the sufferings under which he bore the wrath of God, then in all his true people, if he's to be satisfied, he's going to see the fruit of the purpose for which he died. He's going to have a people redeemed from iniquity, purified to hi...

40:38 - 41:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace the fundamental Christian identity of living not unto self but unto Christ in every concrete specific of daily life - this is basic, not advanced, Christianity.

Martin quotes J.C. Ryle's Holiness at length, affirming that holiness cannot pay our debts to God, our purest works are filthy rags, Christ's righteousness is our only title to heaven - but that practical holiness is still the pattern of life marking every person who possesses Christ's imputed righteousness.

This is one of the jewels. Let me try in the next place to show some reasons why practical holiness is important. Can holiness save us? Can holiness put away sin, cover our iniquities, make satisfaction for our transgression, pay our debts to God?

43:45 - 44:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin transitions to the essential elements of gospel holiness using the analogy of essential aircraft components - remove any one and the plane does not fly.

Martin uses the analogy of a functioning aircraft - which requires fuselage, wings, tail, rudder, and engines - to explain essential elements of gospel holiness: remove any one component and you don't have a functioning airplane, just something sitting on the ground or crashing.

In what does it actually consist? Now when I say essential elements I mean the things without which you ain't got. If I say the essential components in a functioning aircraft are a fuselage, wings, a tail, a rudder, and engines. Take away any one of those and you ain't got a functioning airplane.

45:31 - 45:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Rest in the indicative before the imperative: 'Sin shall not have dominion over you' is a promise grounded in union with Christ, not merely a command to try harder.

Martin declares that Romans 6's teaching on the radical break with sin's dominion is 'as clear as the noonday sun in a cloudless sky in Fort Lauderdale' - vivid geography to emphasize the unmistakable clarity of the truth.

A radical break with the dominion of sin. And that is again why I had Pastor Diekema read Romans 6 to us. Because this chapter not the only place in the New Testament but more than any other makes this truth as clear as the noonday sun in a cloudless sky in Fort Lauderdale. Romans 6.

46:51 - 47:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Rest in the indicative before the imperative: 'Sin shall not have dominion over you' is a promise grounded in union with Christ, not merely a command to try harder.

Martin describes Galatians 5:24 in visceral terms: the believer has looked at a life governed by sinful passions and said 'I'm done with you' - driven the nails, hoisted sin up in the place of death like a horrible, stinking, buzzard-eaten cadaver hanging on a Roman gibbet.

There's been this definitive radical break of the old man into a new relationship with the new child. Now when you look at the old man and the new son and the new son you'll see that they are in a new relationship with the new Son and I'm not in a new relationship with They that are of Christ Jesus, that is, those who are true believers, those who are true children of God, united by faith to Christ, they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts thereof. There's been such a fundamental, radical break with the dominion of sin that Paul can describe us as thos...

50:58 - 52:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Wage active, forceful, energetic warfare against remaining sin - not passive emotional confession but decisive action to cut off whatever feeds the sin.

Martin contrasts Jesus's command to cut off the offending hand and cast it away with merely laying it aside and doing 'spiritual microsurgery' to reattach it later - illustrating the radical, non-coddling character required in mortification.

It begins with that definitive break with the dominion of sin. It is carried on by a continuous killing of remaining sin. So much so, as we saw earlier, sins is dear and precious and is much a part of us. As the organic connection between my hand and my forearm, Jesus said, if it offends, not just cut it off, lay it to one side and do some kind of spiritual microsurgery where you reattach it.

56:16 - 56:48 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have a chronic problem with internet pornography, get rid of the computer - or install a filter and make yourself accountable to a brother who can check your history.

Martin applies mortification concretely to internet pornography: if you have a chronic problem, get rid of your computer; if you need it for business, get the best filter available and make yourself accountable to a brother who can check your history.

If that means that you have had a chronic problem with the Internet, get rid of your stinking computer.

57:11 - 57:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Stop making provision for the flesh through internet access and cable television - put on the Lord Jesus Christ and cut off whatever feeds remaining sin.

Martin discloses that he has only had a computer since March, and that lest there be any weakness, he has the best filter available so that an accountability partner can at any time pull up every site he has visited.

Not because my heart could not. But I've not. I've only had a computer since March. But lest there be a moan of a weakness when I would, I've got the best filter system I can purchase so that anything I should watch, the one to whom I am accountable at any time, can pull it up and name the site that I visited that I should not and call me to account.

57:40 - 58:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Claim the purpose of Christ's death in your marriage: he died to free you from being irritable and short-tempered with your wife and to make you a mirror of his tender love.

Martin applies the redemptive purpose of Christ's death to marriage: Jesus died to free a man from being irritable and short-tempered with his wife, to make him a gentle mirror of Christ's tender, sacrificial, nourishing love of his church.

Jesus died to free me from the dominion of sin. He died to free me from being an irritable, short-tempered man with my wife. He died to make me a gentle, mirror of His own tender, sacrificial, nourishing love of His church. And I'm tired of coming to Ephesians 5 and just hanging my head in shame.

59:29 - 59:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Let God's goal of conforming you to Christ's image become your own passionate goal - take his redemptive purpose and make it your daily pursuit.

Martin traces the arc of glorification: we enter death, our spirits join the spirits of just men made perfect, our bodies go into the ground and worms eat them, God gathers the dust at the resurrection, transforms it into Christ's likeness - all the children bearing a family resemblance to the glorified firstborn.

to conform us to the likeness of His Son, should we not be passionate to cultivate those graces of likeness to Christ here, and now, so that what God began when He broke the dominion of sin, that work is being carried on until when we enter the door of death and our spirits join the spirits of just men made perfect, our bodies go into the ground, the worms eat them. In the day of resurrection, He gathers up their dust, transforms them into the likeness of His Son, and the glorified Spirit, is now joined to the resurrected body. And Christ will be what? The chief one in the family, the firstbor...

63:10 - 64:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Identify men in your church who are further along in Christlikeness than you and deliberately imitate specific graces you observe in them.

Martin expounds 2 Corinthians 3:18: as we behold Christ in the Scriptures - tracing his relationships with enemies, friends, parents, students, the despising and the hungry - the Holy Spirit works in the deepest recesses of our being, shaping and molding us into Christ's image, as naturally as a face is reflected in a mirror.

But we all, Paul is speaking of himself, his companions, and all the believers at Corinth, but we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are beholding being transformed into the same image from one stage of glory to another, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. It's as we behold Christ in the Scriptures that beholding Him, we adore Him, we worship Him, we praise Him, we trace out how He related to those around Him, His enemies, His friends, how He related to His parents, how He related to those who were hungry for His teaching, those who were despising His teach...

65:39 - 67:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Identify men in your church who are further along in Christlikeness than you and deliberately imitate specific graces you observe in them.

Martin warns against two specific entertainments that prevent Christlikeness: professional wrestling ('that wretched charade of so-called professional wrestling') and action movies where human bodies are blown to bits - citing Psalm 11:5 that God's soul hates the one who loves violence.

When you're sitting there obsessed with some called male thing on the television, I hope there's nobody here wasting time watching that wretched charade of so-called professional wrestling. Find another legitimate conduit for your machoism, but don't find it in that vile stuff. I hope you don't find it in watching action movies where human bodies are blown to bits because the Bible says His soul hates the one who loves violence. If you love violence, God's soul hates you.

67:04 - 67:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Identify men in your church who are further along in Christlikeness than you and deliberately imitate specific graces you observe in them.

Martin contrasts the Lord Jesus who tenderly ministered to the broken, bruised, downcast, and marginalized with Christians who seek entertainment in watching human beings abused and cursed - something sick in the soul if that is what satisfies.

You can't imagine the Lord Jesus who tenderly ministered to the broken and the bruised and the downcast and the marginalized, finding entertainment in watching human beings abused and blown to bits and cursed at and, something sick, brother, in your soul if you need something to satisfy you at that kind of pig slop.

67:40 - 68:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Identify men in your church who are further along in Christlikeness than you and deliberately imitate specific graces you observe in them.

Martin describes observing a man at church who goes around and opens the car door for his wife as a concrete act mirroring Christ's tender love - and deciding to imitate him by making his own wife stop opening her own door.

I noticed when I arrived at church, he goes around and opens the car door.

68:43 - 68:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Identify men in your church who are further along in Christlikeness than you and deliberately imitate specific graces you observe in them.

Martin tells how his wife Dorothy, a widow for four years, had developed the habit of opening her own car door. He 'broke her with kindness' - each time her hand reached for the handle saying 'There's a gentleman who loves you as Christ loves the church, let me have the privilege of opening the door.'

My wife had been a widow for four years. She got in the bad habit of opening her car door.

69:17 - 69:23 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin briefly summarizes both heads - necessity and essential elements - previews the next session on God's gracious provisions for holiness, using the contrast between God and…

Martin contrasts Pharaoh's demand for bricks without providing straw with God's generous provision for holiness: 'God isn't like an Egyptian taskmaster cracking the whip saying Be holy! God says, I've got armfuls of straw. And furthermore I'll give you the strength to mold the bricks' - previewing the next session on provisions.

I've tried to show the essential elements and components of gospel holiness. Then in the next hour it's going to be my wonderful privilege to lay before you what has God given us that we can actually pursue gospel holiness. He's not like Pharaoh. He said, make bricks, guys, and I'm not going to give you any straw.

75:43 - 76:06 Read in full sermon