You Are Holy: Even Though You Still Live in the World, Part 1

John 17:6-22
Broadcast Featured Image

In today’s broadcast, we delve into the often elusive concept of holiness.

Pastor Colin guides us through John chapter 17 and 1 Corinthians 1:30, helping unravel the mystery of what it truly means to be ‘holy.’ With relatable anecdotes and clear explanations, Colin explores the dual meanings of holiness as both a position in Christ and a process of becoming more Christ-like.

If you’ve ever questioned your own holiness or the significance of your faith journey, this episode offers a comforting reminder of our identity and purpose as believers. Colin assures us that understanding holiness in the biblical sense can provide a deeper sense of significance and belonging.

100:00:00,880 –> 00:00:12,580Let’s face it, not many of us think of ourselves asholy. If you ask your wife the question,200:00:12,580 –> 00:00:21,580darling, do you think that I am holy, she would probably say you cannot be serious.300:00:21,820 –> 00:00:26,760Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. And Colin, I need to400:00:26,760 –> 00:00:29,440ask you that. Have you asked your wife that question?500:00:29,440 –> 00:00:34,200I have not asked that question recently. I think it’s not the wisest of questions to600:00:34,200 –> 00:00:35,320put up there.700:00:35,320 –> 00:00:41,759Recently I noticed you qualified that. I think a lot of us would say I don’t feel holy800:00:41,759 –> 00:00:45,360And the program today, we’re going to get to this issue. What in the world does it mean900:00:45,360 –> 00:00:49,919to be holy? Because the Bible actually says of Christians that we are, and that it also1000:00:49,919 –> 00:00:55,400speaks about holiness as something that we’re becoming, you know. So God makes two people1100:00:55,799 –> 00:01:00,520one in marriage. And yet the process of becoming one is something that goes on for a married1200:01:00,520 –> 00:01:05,080couple throughout a lifetime. It’s a little bit like that. So there’s a remarkable change1300:01:05,080 –> 00:01:09,580that takes place when a person becomes a Christian and the rest of the Christian life is working1400:01:09,580 –> 00:01:10,839out what it actually means.1500:01:10,839 –> 00:01:16,720We will find that in today’s message so join us if you can in John chapter 17 as we begin1600:01:16,720 –> 00:01:20,480the message, You Are Holy. Here’s Colin.1700:01:20,919 –> 00:01:27,000We come to the third dimension of who we are in Jesus Christ from 1st Corinthians 1 in1800:01:27,000 –> 00:01:34,739verse 30 where we read that Christ has become for us our holiness. That’s in the new international1900:01:34,739 –> 00:01:39,599version if you have the authorised version, the new American Standard version or the English2000:01:39,599 –> 00:01:45,959Standard version you will have the word sanctification in there. Christ has become our holiness,2100:01:45,959 –> 00:01:51,760Christ has become our sanctification, the two words of course mean exactly the same2200:01:51,760 –> 00:02:01,300thing and it is worth knowing them both. The Latin word sanctus which of course means holy2300:02:01,300 –> 00:02:07,519is where we get our word sanctity, sanctity of human life, things like that and our word2400:02:07,519 –> 00:02:15,419sacred and also obviously our word sanctified or santification so holiness, sanctified,2500:02:16,259 –> 00:02:23,279these are expressing the same thing. Now this is an area where it is very easy for us to2600:02:23,300 –> 00:02:29,699become confused and so it’s important for us to think clearly. And so please follow2700:02:29,699 –> 00:02:34,339me for a few moments as I try to explain the meaning of these words and then we’ll get2800:02:34,339 –> 00:02:38,179to the significance of them for our lives.2900:02:38,619 –> 00:02:45,699Now if I were to ask the question this morning, are you justified? And I was to ask that of3000:02:45,699 –> 00:02:52,979all of us who are in Christ who are Christian believers. If I were to say, are you justified?3100:02:52,979 –> 00:02:59,539you would say with great confidence, yes. Amen to that. If I were thinking of last week’s3200:02:59,539 –> 00:03:07,179theme and to say to you in Jesus Christ, are you redeemed? you would say with confidence,3300:03:07,179 –> 00:03:15,100yes. Now, in coming to this subject, if I were to ask the question, are you holy, I3400:03:15,100 –> 00:03:24,820think that 90% of us, including myself, would hesitate before we wanted to give an answer.3500:03:24,820 –> 00:03:33,000We normally think you say about holiness or sanctification as an ongoing process. Justification3600:03:33,679 –> 00:03:39,440for all event, by which we’re brought into a right relationship with God, but sanctification3700:03:39,440 –> 00:03:45,039and ongoing process of growth in which we are increasingly made like Christ, but it’s3800:03:45,039 –> 00:03:49,279a process that’s never quite complete in this life. I learned that as a youngster. That’s3900:03:49,279 –> 00:03:55,759a fundamental framework in my mind and I’m sure clear for most of us. So, I can see that4000:03:55,759 –> 00:04:01,320I’m justified, that I’m redeemed, because these are one’s for all events. They’ve happened.4100:04:01,320 –> 00:04:08,320They’re true of me, but holiness is an ongoing process. Maybe I might like to think that4200:04:08,919 –> 00:04:14,320I would be a bit more holy than I am in 25 year’s time, but right now it sounds like4300:04:14,320 –> 00:04:21,320something that I’m not. Let’s face it, not many of us think of ourselves as holy. If4400:04:21,640 –> 00:04:28,640you ask your wife a question, darling do you think that I am holy, she will probably say4500:04:33,799 –> 00:04:38,540you cannot be serious, or something of that sort. In fact, someone caught me in the foyer4600:04:38,540 –> 00:04:42,799after the first service, he said I asked my wife if she thought I was holy, she said yes,4700:04:42,799 –> 00:04:49,799holy ridiculous! So holiness sounds like something we’re not.4800:04:51,820 –> 00:04:58,359It sounds like something we can’t really imagine ourselves to be and since we feel that holiness4900:04:58,359 –> 00:05:04,239is something essentially that we’re not, it feels as if anything that related to holiness5000:05:04,239 –> 00:05:11,239would be rather false in relation to us. So, while it’s very natural and easy for me to5100:05:11,559 –> 00:05:16,579say in the light of the scriptures, I have been justified, I feel this hesitation about5200:05:16,600 –> 00:05:23,160saying, I have been sanctified. But now turn with me in your bible to I Corinthians5300:05:23,160 –> 00:05:30,160chapter 6 and verse 11. I notice what the apostle Paul says here. You were washed. Well5400:05:36,440 –> 00:05:43,440we understand that, then he says, I Corinthians 6-11, you were sanctified. You were justified5500:05:43,940 –> 00:05:50,940you were justified in the name of Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God. You were5600:05:51,359 –> 00:05:56,899sanctified. He’s speaking about this as a completed act. He’s clearly talking about5700:05:56,899 –> 00:06:01,959something that’s already happened. He’s not talking about an ongoing process here,5800:06:01,959 –> 00:06:07,880though the bible does that in other places, he’s talking about the completed act. Now5900:06:07,880 –> 00:06:13,119this opens the window in our minds for something that is very important to understand. That6000:06:13,519 –> 00:06:20,660when in the bible, holiness is both used to refer to our position in Christ, and the process6100:06:20,660 –> 00:06:27,480by which we become increasingly like Christ. In fact, the original meaning of the root6200:06:27,480 –> 00:06:33,700Hebrew word, from which our word holy, holiness, sanctified, sanctification comes from, the6300:06:34,200 –> 00:06:41,500original root meaning of that old Hebrew word has two strands of meaning to it. First, it6400:06:41,500 –> 00:06:49,500was used to speak of being set apart. And secondly, it could be translated by the word6500:06:49,500 –> 00:06:55,200brightness. Now, if you think about these two root meanings of the Hebrew word that6600:06:55,200 –> 00:07:00,399translates into our word for holy, holiness, sanctified, sanctification, that it can mean6700:07:00,399 –> 00:07:07,339set apart, and it can mean brightness, you’ll see how these two strands of meaning have6800:07:07,399 –> 00:07:15,859developed. The first meaning, set apart, was used to describe a position in which something6900:07:16,160 –> 00:07:23,160was given a special significance or purpose. So, for example, in the Old Testament, you7000:07:23,899 –> 00:07:29,519could have a chair, or a table in the tabernacle, or in the temple that was referred to as being7100:07:29,519 –> 00:07:35,000holy. And obviously they weren’t saying that the chair was especially well behaved.7200:07:35,359 –> 00:07:40,920They were saying that the chair was set apart for a particular purpose in the temple. It7300:07:40,920 –> 00:07:47,920wasn’t a common chair. My wife teaches a class of four year olds, and one of the things that7400:07:48,279 –> 00:07:53,660she’s done for a number of years is every day a leader is chosen for the four year old7500:07:53,660 –> 00:07:58,399class from among the children. They have a little bowl, and all of their names are in7600:07:58,399 –> 00:08:03,339there and a name is picked and then that person is the leader for the day, and the leader7700:08:03,420 –> 00:08:08,940has a number of things to do and sits in the leader’s chair. Well, the parents of last7800:08:08,940 –> 00:08:14,339year’s class evidently liked this idea and wanted to encourage it a little more, and7900:08:14,339 –> 00:08:20,640so they got together and made a leader’s chair, and I’ll tell you that thing looks like the8000:08:20,640 –> 00:08:27,640Throne of the Queen of England, and it sits there in the classroom, and every day a child’s8100:08:28,260 –> 00:08:33,700name is chosen, and that child gets to sit on the leader’s chair just for that day. This8200:08:33,700 –> 00:08:40,700is not a common chair. That chair is, in Biblical terms, holy. It is set apart for the purpose.8300:08:41,080 –> 00:08:46,799It is the chair of the four-year-old leader of the day.8400:08:46,799 –> 00:08:52,520Well, now, that’s the original meaning of the word so that, for example, when we read,8500:08:52,539 –> 00:08:59,539remember the sabbath day and keep it holy, it means we’re to keep this as a day that8600:09:00,900 –> 00:09:04,919is unlike any other. We’re not to make it common like the rest of the week. We’re to8700:09:04,919 –> 00:09:11,000keep it different. We’re to set it apart from all other days.8800:09:11,000 –> 00:09:18,000When we talk about the sanctity of human life, what we mean is that human life is set apart8900:09:18,340 –> 00:09:23,099from other forms of life. What we’re saying is there’s a world of a difference between9000:09:23,099 –> 00:09:28,900a child and a chicken. And you cannot treat the two in the same way. Human life is not9100:09:28,900 –> 00:09:35,900simply a biological form. It is so much more. Human life is sacred. It is set apart from9200:09:38,320 –> 00:09:44,640all other forms of life. Now the second meaning, brightness, was used9300:09:45,599 –> 00:09:51,719to describe a process. The process of gradual, inward change in a person’s life by which9400:09:51,719 –> 00:09:58,719they increasingly reflected the brightness of the character of the glory of God. And9500:09:59,840 –> 00:10:05,479that is what Paul is praying for. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 5 in verse 23, when he9600:10:05,479 –> 00:10:10,520says, May God himself sanctify you through and through. It doesn’t mean they’re moved9700:10:10,659 –> 00:10:15,219to a new position. It doesn’t mean set you apart. That’s something that’s already happened.9800:10:15,219 –> 00:10:19,599But he is saying, May he make you more and more in every part of your being a reflection9900:10:19,599 –> 00:10:26,599of the brightness of his own glory. Now, once you see that distinction, it immediately10000:10:27,580 –> 00:10:34,580becomes obvious why we would hesitate if we were to be asked the question, Are you holy?10100:10:35,400 –> 00:10:40,340If I said to you, Are you holy? you would rightly say to me, Well, Colin, it all depends10200:10:40,880 –> 00:10:46,059what you mean. If you’re asking is my life a true reflection10300:10:46,059 –> 00:10:52,159of the brightness and radiance of the character of God? Then the answer has to be, No. Only10400:10:52,159 –> 00:10:56,799a very small part of his brightness and radiance is reflected in me and it’s frankly mingled10500:10:56,799 –> 00:11:00,719with far too many other things. I’m in the process.10600:11:00,719 –> 00:11:07,719But, if you are asking me the question, Have I been set apart for a special purpose? the10700:11:08,559 –> 00:11:15,559answer is Yes, Absolutely. In Christ, as a Christian believer, I have been set apart10800:11:16,000 –> 00:11:23,000as one of God’s people, for God’s own purpose. Now, it’s that meaning that Paul is using10900:11:23,219 –> 00:11:30,219here when he talks about Jesus Christ being our Holiness. You are wholly in Christ. You11000:11:31,219 –> 00:11:38,219are even now placed in an entirely new position. You are set apart by God for a new and distinct11100:11:39,719 –> 00:11:42,659purpose. Now, with that background of understanding,11200:11:42,659 –> 00:11:48,219let’s turn to our passage today, which is John and Chapter 17, The Wonderful Prayer11300:11:48,219 –> 00:11:53,359of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, as we’re turning there, let me remind11400:11:53,359 –> 00:11:59,780you that the reason that we’re plumbing these great truths of the Bible as best we’re11500:12:00,780 –> 00:12:05,940is that they touch some of the deepest personal issues of our lives.11600:12:06,280 –> 00:12:10,340We’ve seen how the issue of being clean speaks to issues of abuse, of being free to11700:12:11,059 –> 00:12:17,059struggles with addiction. You know, another huge issue that we face11800:12:17,059 –> 00:12:24,059in our society is the issue of significance. Do I really matter?11900:12:24,719 –> 00:12:30,940You ever asked that question? I got to work, I feel like a small cog in12000:12:30,940 –> 00:12:37,520a big machine, and does anything that I do have any significance?12100:12:37,520 –> 00:12:42,640Does who I am really matter? Is there anything that I can really contribute12200:12:42,640 –> 00:12:46,419to this world? If I was not here, would I ever be missed?12300:12:47,299 –> 00:12:56,820Do I matter? Well, if you can get comfortable with the bible’s12400:12:56,820 –> 00:13:02,580teaching about how you are Holy in Christ, you will have a whole new understanding of12500:13:02,580 –> 00:13:10,520just how much you matter. And when you discover your new identity in12600:13:10,520 –> 00:13:18,479Jesus Christ, you will find a new significance in beinghe who you are.12700:13:18,479 –> 00:13:25,200You are listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, in a message called You are Holy.12800:13:25,200 –> 00:13:29,479Part of our series called Be Yourself and if you have missed any of the series, don’t12900:13:29,479 –> 00:13:34,320forget, you can always go back or listen again online at our website, openthebible.org.uk.13000:13:35,179 –> 00:13:40,859We’ll come back to the message just shortly.13100:13:40,859 –> 00:13:44,099Open the Bible is supported financially by our listeners.13200:13:44,099 –> 00:13:50,159We do depend on people like you, to keep Pastor Colin Smith’s messages on the radio and on-line.13300:13:50,159 –> 00:13:55,299So, if you already support us in that way, thank you so much.13400:13:55,299 –> 00:13:59,840If that’s something you’re considering beginning to do this month, if you’re able to set up13500:13:59,960 –> 00:14:03,719a new direct debit of £5 per month or more13600:14:03,719 –> 00:14:11,320or a one-off gift of £50, we’d love to say, thank you, by sending you a copy of Pilgrim’s Progress,13700:14:11,320 –> 00:14:18,599John Bunyan’s classic allegory of the Christian life, which so many have enjoyed and benefited by reading,13800:14:18,599 –> 00:14:24,599along with a specially printed Open the Bible bookmark and an Open the Bible pen.13900:14:24,679 –> 00:14:29,340Colin many people may have heard of this book but not really know what it’s all about.14000:14:29,340 –> 00:14:36,479Oh, well Pilgrim’s Progress is a classic of Christian literature that was written by John Bunyan in the14100:14:36,479 –> 00:14:42,239seventeenth century. Bunyan’s one of my heroes of the faith, he was a preacher of the gospel,14200:14:42,239 –> 00:14:47,739and he was arrested for preaching the gospel during a time when there were real restrictions14300:14:47,739 –> 00:14:54,119on believers in England, and during his time in prison he wrote this Christian classic14400:14:54,119 –> 00:15:00,820that is a story about a man who takes a journey from a city called destruction to the celestial14500:15:00,820 –> 00:15:07,679city which is his way of speaking about heaven and it is full of profound insight into the14600:15:07,679 –> 00:15:14,359Christian life, it’s so easy to read and it is so rich in what we can learn from it.14700:15:14,359 –> 00:15:19,099Well, we’d love to send you a copy of Pilgrim’s Progress as our way of saying thank you for14800:15:19,099 –> 00:15:22,280supporting Open the Bible Financially.14900:15:22,280 –> 00:15:26,460Full terms and conditions on our website at openthebible.org.uk.15000:15:27,640 –> 00:15:30,380Back to The Message Now, here’s Colin.15100:15:30,380 –> 00:15:37,219Well, if you can get comfortable with the Bible’s teaching about how you are holy in15200:15:37,219 –> 00:15:44,539Christ you will have a whole new understanding of just how much you matter.15300:15:44,539 –> 00:15:52,940When you discover your new identity in Jesus Christ you will find a new significance in15400:15:52,940 –> 00:15:55,179being who you are.15500:15:55,179 –> 00:15:57,479That’s where we are headed today.15600:15:57,479 –> 00:16:08,239I want us to grasp four dimensions of our identity as holy in Jesus Christ and the first15700:16:08,239 –> 00:16:09,419is simply with this word.15800:16:09,419 –> 00:16:14,419You will find it in John 17 verse 6 and 9 that you are given.15900:16:14,419 –> 00:16:19,940You are given by the Father to the Son.16000:16:19,940 –> 00:16:26,559Now it is natural for us to think about Jesus being God’s gift to us.16100:16:26,559 –> 00:16:33,580But have you ever thought about the fact that you are God’s gift to Jesus.16200:16:33,580 –> 00:16:36,260That’s exactly what we find here in verse 6.16300:16:36,280 –> 00:16:40,440Jesus is praying to the Father and he says about the disciples and therefore about us,16400:16:40,440 –> 00:16:44,039they are yours.16500:16:44,039 –> 00:16:49,000And you, the Father gave them to me.16600:16:49,000 –> 00:16:50,640He says the same thing in verse 9.16700:16:50,640 –> 00:16:52,140I pray for them.16800:16:52,140 –> 00:16:59,280I am NOT praying for the world but for those you have given me.16900:16:59,280 –> 00:17:01,900Now think about that.17000:17:01,900 –> 00:17:10,859You are the gift of God the Father to his son, our Lord Jesus Christ.17100:17:10,859 –> 00:17:12,819Think about a wedding.17200:17:12,819 –> 00:17:17,359Father, the bride, comes in with the bride, the groom comes here, pastor meets them at17300:17:17,359 –> 00:17:21,640the front, begins the service, then he comes to his famous line, who gives this woman to17400:17:21,640 –> 00:17:24,000be married to this man?17500:17:24,000 –> 00:17:27,380The father of the bride says, I do.17600:17:27,500 –> 00:17:32,920And he takes her hand and he joins it to the hand of the one who will be her husband.17700:17:32,920 –> 00:17:38,680Now, that’s the picture here, she is given to her husband.17800:17:38,680 –> 00:17:43,020Now the church is the bride of Christ.17900:17:43,020 –> 00:17:50,439So here is the position, the father has called you, he has drawn you to faith, he gives you18000:17:50,439 –> 00:17:54,939to his son Jesus Christ.18100:17:54,939 –> 00:18:01,000As we come towards Easter, over this next week, we’re going to be thinking, I trust,18200:18:01,000 –> 00:18:08,599about all that Jesus suffered and endured through his passion on the cross.18300:18:08,599 –> 00:18:16,260As you think about all that Jesus endured in his passion, I want you to ask the question,18400:18:16,260 –> 00:18:20,660what did Jesus get out of it?18500:18:20,660 –> 00:18:23,459What did he get out of it?18600:18:23,459 –> 00:18:30,640And the answer is, out of it, he gets you.18700:18:30,640 –> 00:18:31,800That’s the answer.18800:18:31,800 –> 00:18:35,400Out of it he gets you.18900:18:35,400 –> 00:18:43,079The Father says what shall I give to the son that will be the fruit of all that he has19000:18:43,079 –> 00:18:46,520suffered in all of his passion?19100:18:46,520 –> 00:18:53,199What shall I give him that will be his for all eternity to rejoice in, forever and forever.19200:18:53,199 –> 00:18:55,060What shall I give to my son?19300:18:55,060 –> 00:18:58,520And the answer is, you.19400:18:58,520 –> 00:19:00,040It is staggering, isn’t it.19500:19:00,040 –> 00:19:01,640That is the answer.19600:19:01,640 –> 00:19:04,599That’s what Jesus says here.19700:19:04,599 –> 00:19:09,739Those you have given to me.19800:19:09,739 –> 00:19:15,000And it is not as if Jesus would look at the gift of the Father and say, was that all?19900:19:15,000 –> 00:19:21,280Isaiah says, he will see the fruit that comes from the suffering of the soul and be satisfied,20000:19:21,280 –> 00:19:25,719he will embrace his people, he will embrace you.20100:19:25,719 –> 00:19:31,400It was well worth it for the gift, the fruit that came from it.20200:19:31,400 –> 00:19:39,060Now I think that it’s very significant to notice that the Father’s gift to the Son is20300:19:39,060 –> 00:19:41,660not the world.20400:19:41,660 –> 00:19:49,260See if you think about it, it was Satan who offered the world to Jesus.20500:19:49,260 –> 00:19:53,920In the third temptation, you remember, Satan came to the Lord Jesus Christ and he had the20600:19:53,920 –> 00:19:59,920audacity to show him all the kingdoms of the world, however that happened, and he said,20700:19:59,920 –> 00:20:05,459all this, the splendor of all these kingdoms, I will give to you.20800:20:05,459 –> 00:20:09,439Satan offered Jesus the world.20900:20:09,439 –> 00:20:12,959Jesus turned his back on the offer.21000:20:13,439 –> 00:20:22,819Jesus did not gain the world through his suffering, but he did gain you, and from that, I think21100:20:22,819 –> 00:20:29,380we can reasonably conclude that you are more than all the world to Jesus.21200:20:29,380 –> 00:20:37,119There is a song that George Beverly Shea used to sing, and those of a certain age will certainly21300:20:37,119 –> 00:20:41,400immediately recognize it, and you’ll almost hear his voice as we recall the words.21400:20:41,560 –> 00:20:43,180Remember this one?21500:20:43,180 –> 00:20:47,900I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold.21600:20:47,900 –> 00:20:51,619I’d rather have Jesus than riches untold.21700:20:51,619 –> 00:20:54,439I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands.21800:20:54,439 –> 00:20:57,380I’d rather be led by his nail-pierced hands.21900:20:57,380 –> 00:21:03,180I’d rather that than to be the king of a vast domain, and be held in sin’s dread sway.22000:21:03,180 –> 00:21:09,800I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.22100:21:09,979 –> 00:21:17,699Now, you can sing that about Jesus, but here’s the really staggering thing—that he could22200:21:17,699 –> 00:21:22,060sing like that about you.22300:21:22,060 –> 00:21:28,380You are more than all the world to Jesus.22400:21:28,380 –> 00:21:37,180You are the gift—the gift—of the Father to him.22500:21:37,180 –> 00:21:39,859And that is the first dimension of your holiness.22600:21:39,859 –> 00:21:43,119Oh boy, when you’re sitting there saying, ”Am I really anything?22700:21:43,119 –> 00:21:45,260I count for nothing in this world.”22800:21:45,260 –> 00:21:47,219Feed your soul on that.22900:21:47,219 –> 00:21:53,219You are the gift of the Father to his son—the fruit of his suffering.23000:21:55,560 –> 00:21:58,500He’d rather have you than all the world.23100:21:59,839 –> 00:22:05,280Well, this is Pastor Colin and I hope that this wonderful truth is going to encourage23200:22:05,400 –> 00:22:08,459you in your walk with the Lord today.23300:22:08,459 –> 00:22:11,859To me, this is the most marvelous thing and I hope that you agree.23400:22:11,859 –> 00:22:18,859Think of it, you are a gift of the Father to his son, Jesus Christ.23500:22:19,239 –> 00:22:23,400He gave the gift of you to Jesus and Jesus received you.23600:22:23,400 –> 00:22:26,219That is the love of God for you.23700:22:26,219 –> 00:22:31,640If you doubt the love of God, you think of this, and thank God for it today.23800:22:32,479 –> 00:22:39,180Father, thank you that before I ever existed you knew me and you, in your grace, gave me23900:22:39,180 –> 00:22:44,459to your son and that your son received me and that he went to the cross in order to24000:22:44,459 –> 00:22:49,880make that receiving possible and out of all of that your Holy Spirit has brought me to24100:22:49,880 –> 00:22:50,880faith in Jesus.24200:22:50,880 –> 00:22:56,819Do you see that God has done all this for you and all this in you and that this is his24300:22:56,819 –> 00:22:58,599love for you.24400:22:58,619 –> 00:23:05,660So thank God for the love of the Father that reaches out to us not only to make your salvation24500:23:05,660 –> 00:23:13,599possible but to actually save you, to redeem you so that Jesus Christ makes you and claims24600:23:13,599 –> 00:23:15,319you as his own.24700:23:15,319 –> 00:23:17,719There’s a real security in that.24800:23:17,719 –> 00:23:25,359Thank God that the Father gave you, gave me, gave every Christian to the son and who the24900:23:25,359 –> 00:23:28,479son has received from the Father, he’s never going to let go.25000:23:28,479 –> 00:23:32,339What an encouraging truth, and I hope that as you listen today you’ll be able to grasp25100:23:32,339 –> 00:23:33,839hold of that truth.25200:23:33,839 –> 00:23:39,020You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called25300:23:39,020 –> 00:23:40,020You Are Holy.25400:23:40,020 –> 00:23:45,199Part of our series, Be Yourself, and if you’ve missed any of the series to date, or if you25500:23:45,199 –> 00:23:48,719want to go back and listen again, you can always do that by coming online.25600:23:48,719 –> 00:23:54,800Come to our website, openthebible.org.uk, or find us as a podcast.25700:23:54,800 –> 00:23:59,400And those who are on all the main podcast sites, search for Open the Bible UK, and subscribe25800:23:59,400 –> 00:24:04,400if you want to be regularly reminded to receive a new podcast.25900:24:04,400 –> 00:24:09,319Also on our website, you’ll find our Bible study course Fly Through the Bible.26000:24:09,319 –> 00:24:14,359This short, simple journey through the Bible story can be enjoyed on your own, with a friend,26100:24:14,359 –> 00:24:15,859or as a group.26200:24:15,859 –> 00:24:21,939For each of the 15 sessions, you can watch a short video, then work through the questions.26300:24:22,160 –> 00:24:26,699If you want to do a more detailed Bible study, a guide is available for you to use in small26400:24:26,699 –> 00:24:29,079groups or one-to-one.26500:24:29,079 –> 00:24:33,300To make the most of Fly Through the Bible, we recommend buying the book.26600:24:33,300 –> 00:24:37,560There is also a free app that can be used alongside all the materials.26700:24:37,560 –> 00:24:44,939To find Fly Through the Bible, go to our website and click on courses.26800:24:44,939 –> 00:24:50,859You have been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, broadcast every weekday26900:24:51,459 –> 00:24:57,199evening on Premiere Christian Radio and also available on our website and as a podcast.27000:24:57,199 –> 00:25:03,699Our website address again, openthebible.org.uk, where you can also find full details, terms27100:25:03,699 –> 00:25:08,699and conditions of how to support Open the Bible financially.27200:25:08,699 –> 00:25:12,339For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, and I hope that you will be27300:25:12,339 –> 00:25:18,339able to join us again next time.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Authentic Christianity is about being who you are. What happened when you became a Christian? What changed? What stayed the same? Discover your new identity in Christ.

Colin Smith

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