Getting to Know God - Episode 34

Faith in the Valley

In Colossians 1, starting at verse 9, Paul begins to pray. He is praying for the church in Colossae and he is praying for us.

What does he pray? Paul has some specific requests. Among them is his desire for us to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. And later, Paul prays that we would increase in the knowledge of God.

This request of knowing God should come as no surprise. God created all humans to have a relationship with Him. Any relationship is based on knowing something about the other. God knows all about us. He wants us to know about Him

We begin a series today titled Getting to Know God. This study will start at the beginning and pursue a knowledge of God from creation to Christ. We will follow what preachers of old called the Scarlet thread or road through the Bible.

But before we step on that scarlet road, we need to learn a thing or two about God.

Today we will learn that God is holy and He makes His children holy too.

Turn to Isaiah 45:22

“Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

This is a great verse because it shares three important things about God. It gives us insight into His heart or His passion. It is God’s heart that people repent or turn from their sins. “Turn to me and be saved” God said.

When we use the word repent or repentance, it means just that – to turn from our sins and to turn to God for salvation.

First, you were walking that way, the wrong way, toward judgment. Then you turn this way, toward God and toward salvation. That is the heart of God.

It reveals another thing about the heart of God. It is God’s desire that All People repent and be saved. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!” There is no race, nationality, or people group which is kept from God. God desires that all turn to Him.

Finally, the verse reveals an attribute of God. Some of you may be asking what is an attribute? Fair enough. An attribute is a quality or characteristic of God. It is who God is. Notice what God declares at the end of Isaiah 45:22? “For I am God, and there is no other.”

Several times throughout Isaiah 45 God has made the same statement, “I am God, and there is no other.” See if you can find them.

What does it mean? It is a way of saying “God is holy.” God stands alone. God has no peer. God is holy.

I know that some of you think that holiness is about being morally good. And it can mean that. But here, in Isaiah 45, the meaning of holiness is to be set apart. To be unique.

So from Isaiah 45:22 we learn that God wants all people to turn from their sin and turn to Him and be saved. And we learned that God is holy.

I think too much about things. Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it is not so good. Here it is good.

I am thinking about God’s holiness. And I realize that God created me to have a relationship with Him. But I’m not holy. And I know enough Bible to know that Hebrews 12:14 says, “without holiness no one will see the Lord.”........

Uh Oh. God wants us to turn to Him. He wants us to be saved. But He is holy. And He demands holiness from us.

Here is a truth. If we gathered all the humans that are living or have ever lived and asked them to put all of their holiness on a scale. It wouldn’t add up to one milligram of holiness. In fact, we would all bend down and look at that scale and there would be nothing on it. We have no holiness to offer God.

So what is a person to do? Look at 1 Corinthians 1:30

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption..”

When a person believes on Jesus, that person is placed in Christ. When we are placed in Christ we receive wisdom from God. We have righteousness. That would be Christ’s righteousness given to us. We have sanctification and we have redemption.

Redemption simply means salvation. Because we are in Christ we have salvation.

But what about that word “Sanctification”? What does it mean? Sanctification means to be set apart, to be holy. When we believe we are placed in Christ and in Christ we have wisdom, righteousness, salvation, and holiness.

And that is what God wants you to know about Him – That He is holy and that He has made His children holy too.

If you are not a believer, then you have no holiness. The solution is easy. Turn away from your sin and turn to God. Ask God to forgive you and save you. Believe that Jesus died for your sin. And your sin will be removed, and you in Christ will be holy.

This is Mark Jones, the pastor of Wakefield Valley Bible Church. I will see you next week with another lesson from Faith in the Valley. Don’t forget to visit our website Wakefieldbible.org for more information about the church. Also, if you are free this Sunday and live in the area, drop by and worship with us. We would love to meet you.

Thanks and God bless.

Sign Up & Subscribe

Remember to review, like and share the podcast. This helps spread the good news of Jesus around the world.

Sign up for our show notes. When you sign up, you receive an email notification and a copy of the show notes whenever a new episode is released. Just CLICK HERE and sign up today!

The best way to listen is to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, or just about any podcast app.

If you live in a country that tries to block Christian podcasts, here is a link to our RSS feed. You may be able to use our RSS to get the podcast.

Finally, feel free to contact us with any question. You can contact us by clicking HERE or going to www.wakefieldbible.org/contact-us/. I would especially love to hear from you if you have believed on Jesus.