Holiness as Wholeness
The idea behind this teaching series is that Holiness, rather than being a heavy burden of impossibility placed on believers, is a healing and freeing effect of Christ’s sacrifice. Holiness is good for us; it restores to us the design of God for our lives. The enemy wants us to believe it is a chain placed upon us, so we dread its requirements so that we’ll turn our back on it or roll our eyes at it. But, in essence, holiness brings all that we really want into our lives. It makes us whole with all of the attendant beauty of that idea. Holiness is not a requirement as much as it is a remedy. The Nazarene understanding of Christian Holiness or Entire Sanctification is freeing, not binding. Through this sermon series then, we want to see Holiness as Wholeness.

In John 10:10 Jesus says: “10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

For Jesus, the good life is abundant, life to the full. And notably, it’s not something we acquire, it’s not something we can work for, it’s the life we receive from Him.

If Jesus brings us good and abundant life, why doesn’t my life with him seem more, abundant? Why doesn’t life seem more, I don’t know, “good”?

So often our experience is one of frustration, guilt, or shame because we can’t seem to pull it together, a seemingly unending cycle of failure and forgiveness, never seeing the victory in our lives. Rather than full of life, it’s just full of frustration.

I would propose to you today that the abundant life Jesus came to bring, only comes on the other side of our full surrender to him. The truth is, “abundance” in Christ is not about gathering it all in, but giving it all up.

There is great abundance in… SURRENDER.

Those who enter life with Christ are first of all, saved.
Safe from the enemy. They are rescued and redeemed. They have freedom- to come and go- to live life. Jesus here isn’t promising material prosperity.

iii.He is saying that "in life with me, I will see to all your needs". Perhaps not your wants, but you will know my hand in having what you need.

It’s a life full of freedom, marked by his presence, no matter what comes our way.

This is the good life that Christ offers.

Notice the contrast- with the enemy/the thief

“The thief only comes to steal, to kill, and destroy.”

The immediate context of this passage, the thief is likely pointing back to those false messengers and leaders that Jesus referred to in verse 8- but it does not fail to include the enemy of or souls- the devil himself.

He comes offering some sort of distorted life, but his motives are not pure.
1.He is greedy, selfish, and self-serving.
2.The thief, always takes and never gives.
3.The thief is full of lies and deceit. he confuses us about what a “good life” even is.
4. And he ultimately destroys.

The thief came to destroy, Christ has come that we might have life, and that to the full.

The life that he came to give is abundant, full, offering contentment.

The word for to the full or abundantly, it means a super-abundance, overflowing with more than what is needed or expected. It’s not merely filling the jar to the top; it’s filling it to overflowing. That’s the picture of the life that Christ came to give.

We have forgiveness of sins, freedom from shame and guilt. We have belonging in the family of God; we have a calling to take part in his kingdom work. His life is healing, restoring, and transforming- and most of all, it’s in an abundance.

"I have come that they may have life, and that to the full."

here’s the truth for us today- the fullness of the life Christ came to give cannot be realized in our lives as long as we are in control.

Holiness is giving God full control of our lives. That’s how we can know the good life.

As long as we are still calling the shots, telling the Lord what we will and will not do or agree with- we are living our lives, with Jesus as an add-on. And that can never be a truly good life…

The abundant and holy life comes when we surrender our lives completely to God and begin living HIS life. On this journey, there are many critical moments, decision points along the way of sanctification. But there is coming a crisis moment in your life where you will have to decide. Am I going to give God control of my life- or am I going to keep control myself?

The abundant and holy life that Christ came to offer cannot be found by avoiding that crisis- we must go through it. That’s holiness friends. That’s what experiencing life to the fullest is all about.

The decision to say YES to Christ will change the trajectory of your life forever. You will experience an abundance in life like never before.

Remember, “abundance” in Christ is not about gathering it all in, but giving it all up. There is great abundance in… SURRENDER.