The Hope of Holiness
Elisabeth Elliot emphasizes the importance of recognizing true holiness and the necessity of faith in seeking forgiveness and renewal from God.
Elisabeth Elliot emphasizes the danger of using false humility and openness as excuses for not pursuing holiness, warning against the tendency to justify sin by comparing ourselves to others. She highlights the importance of recognizing sin for what it is and seeking true forgiveness and transformation from the Lord. Elliot encourages believers to come to God in faith, believing in His power to forgive and empower them to do His work.
Text
The "openness" that is often praised among Christians as a sign of true humility may sometimes be an oblique effort to prove that there is no such thing as a saint after all, and that those who believe that it is possible in the twentieth century to live a holy life are only deceiving themselves. When we enjoy listening to some Christian confess his weaknesses and failures, we may be eager only to convince ourselves that we are not so bad after all. We sit on the edge of our chairs waiting to grasp at an excuse for continuing to do what we have made up our minds long ago to do anyway. The Lord is ready to forgive sin at any moment and to make strong servants out of the worst of us. But we must believe it; we must come to Him in faith for forgiveness and deliverance and then go out to do the work He has given us to do.
"Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity" (1 Cor 13:6 AV). Let us be willing to call iniquity what is really iniquity, rather than to call it weakness, temperament, failure, hangups, or to fall back on the tired excuse, "It's just the way I am."
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right spirit within me. (Ps 51:10 AV)
Sermon Outline
-
I
- Understanding the concept of holiness
- The misconception of openness as humility
- The danger of self-deception
-
II
- The nature of true confession
- The importance of faith in forgiveness
- The call to action after receiving grace
-
III
- Recognizing iniquity versus weakness
- The need for a clean heart
- The role of renewal in spiritual life
Key Quotes
“The Lord is ready to forgive sin at any moment and to make strong servants out of the worst of us.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right spirit within me.” — Elisabeth Elliot
Application Points
- Acknowledge and confront iniquity in your life rather than making excuses.
- Seek God's forgiveness with a sincere heart and a willingness to change.
- Commit to living a life that reflects the holiness of God through action and faith.