INTRODUCTION: These are 6 arrows made by a tribal person in the jungles of Papua New Guinea that Lorna brought back after her summer spent in the Iteri.

THE REAL YOU

INTRODUCTION:These are 6 arrows made by a tribal person in the jungles of Papua New Guinea that Lorna brought back after her summer spent in the Iteri tribe.

The top flat one is for killing pigs, the next pointed one for fish, the next splayed one for birds and the 4th down for killing humans. They were head hunters before the gospel came.

We have lost our sense of maker of something being its owner. But here in the tribe, the native makes his own arrow and if he wants to destroy it for some reason he can because he owns it. He uses it for whatever purpose he wants as it belongs to him.

This morning I want to consider how God is our owner and can direct us as He wishes. I will attempt to show you how the term holy equates with God’s ownership.

FINDING YOUR TRUE IDENTITY Image of God (Foundation #1) Inside Out (Foundation #2) Identity Recovered (Romans 6) Identity Tested (Romans 7) Incredible Treasure (Romans 8)   Inheritance of God (Ephesians 1) In Christ (Ephesians 1) Identity – God’s Possession (Exodus 3) Identity – Revealed in the Old (Genesis 15;

Exodus 24)

THE REAL YOU

Part 8Identity – God’s Possession

Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

Identity – God’s Possession

Background: We have been focusing on our identity in Christ –

Romans 6-8 The common understanding today is that chapters 3 to 5

relate to justification and 6 to 8 relate to sanctification (only 6:19,22)

Clearly sanctification is a Biblical doctrine but I believe that the term identification better captures the teaching of 6 to 8 etc.

This morning I want to look briefly at sanctification or holinessJustified, Identified,

Sanctified?, made holy?

Key Verse:Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

Why the Old Testament? The Old Testament is full of historical events that were

recorded to point forward to Christ and His ministry in the New Testament.

Just like Gideon's clay lamps. There are literally 100’s of similar examples that point

forward to the born again believer’s position in Christ. Today look at one of these.

Identity – God’s Possession

The Old - Pictures – The New

“the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”

Definitions: There are many English words in our Bibles that all come

from the same Greek root word ‘hagios’. Holy (holiness, hallowed, etc.) – numerous times ~600 2/3rd

OT Sacred – 29 times mainly Old Testament Sanctification (sanctity) ~60 times half Old and half New Saint – 7 in OT, 61 in NT

Standard definition – set apart from & set apart to Two general types of usage (apart from reference to God)

1. Positional truth (your standing in Christ)

2. Conditional truth (your day to day condition)

Identity – God’s Possession

Holy – Position/Condition

Some questions:What does it mean to be holy?Where is the first Biblical reference to this?What does it mean for us today?

Identity – God’s Possession

Old Testament Event: (The burning bush) Like tumbleweed Not consumed Lord called to Moses Three things

1. Don’t come near (next week)

2. You are on ‘holy’ ground

3. Remove your sandals

Why was the ground holy?

Because God was there , like the tabernacle or the holy of holies, like you!

What is the significance of removing his sandals?

Identity – God’s Possession

Why remove his sandals:What do men say? Moses was to yield his rights to live as he wanted to God He was to demonstrate the life of bondage as a slave To remove his protection As a sign of respect to God Like asking us to remove things like pride etc. A Sign of Reverence and Respect A picture of confessing our sins Not bringing grime into the presence of God To step out of his comfort zone Pictures the removal of sin from contact with the defiled

What does the Bible say?

Identity – God’s Possession

Why remove his sandals:What does the Bible say?1. A similar event (Josh.5:13-15)2. Levirate (Latin) Marriage (Deut. 25:5-10)

Predates Moses by >400 years (Gen.38) So Moses knew well what this meant The sandal was a sign of ownership Removal of the sandal was the sign of ownership transferTwo brothers and one dies having no son (vs.5)The living brother must take the widow as his wife to raise a son for his dead brother (vs.5,6)If he refuses the widow takes him to court about the matter (elders at the city gate)(vs. 7,8)If he still refuses, the widow pulls off his sandal and spits in his face (vs.9)He then becomes an abomination in Israel for not fulfilling his duty to his brother (vs.10)

Identity – God’s Possession

Why remove his sandals:What does the Bible say?3. Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 4:1-10)

The giving of the sandal to another was the way in which ownership was transferred (Ruth 4:7b, 8, 10a)

A standard ancient practice in Israel (Ruth 4:7a)

Elemelech, Naomi and their 2 sons moved to Moab (1:2,3)The sons married Orpah and Ruth from Moab (1:4)Elemelech and his 2 sons died before having children (1:5)Naomi returns to Israel with her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth (1:22)Boaz was a kinsman of Elemelech and wanted to marry Ruth (2:1 etc.)Boaz and a closer relative assemble in the court to determine the outcome (4:1) The closer relative gives up his title to Ruth and her land by removing his shoe (4:8)Boaz declares that he acquired Ruth to raise up a son to Elemelech (4:9,10)

Identity – God’s Possession

Conclusions:As related to Moses:1. The removal of his shoe signified he was transferring

his ownership to God.2. He could not retain his ownership (control of himself) in

the presence of that which was holy – a holy God.3. His standing before God was now of a bond-servant –

directed by God to do His will.4. From now on we see that Moses recognized his own

complete inability to do God’s will (Exodus 4:1, 10, 13)5. God was able to use Moses mightily in delivering Israel.

Identity – God’s Possession

PICTURES OUR POSITION BEFORE GOD

Conclusions:As related to us:1. He made us and remade us so we

are His like the primitive arrow.2. You are not your own, you have

been bought with a price (1 Cor.6:19,20)

3. The positional truth of God declaring the believer holy or sanctified = we are now under His ownership

4. We are His bond-servants (Rom.1:1 [Paul]; Phil.1:1 [Paul and Timothy]; James 1:1 [James]; 2 Peter 1:1 [Peter])

Identity – God’s Possession

OWNS USBOUGHT US

MADE US

DIRECTS US

Finally:To God you are a Saint.

To God you are holy.

To God you belong to Him.

To God you are His servant.

How:By your identity with Christ – crucified, buried, alive, seated, hidden, and coming with Him. “Romans Six reveals our position as having died unto the principle of sin; Romans Seven teaches us our position as having died unto the principle of law. Both must be counted upon if we are to abide in Christ, and walk in the Spirit, as set forth in Romans Eight.”

Identity – God’s Possession

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