Morning Break: The Hole in Our Holiness
Chapter 1: “Mind the Gap”

The hole in our holiness: ____________________________________________________

A focus on holiness is…
o NOT promoting a ______-________ Gospel.
Any gospel which says only what you must do and never announces what Christ
has done is no gospel at all (text, p11).
o Taking seriously one of the _______ _____ of our redemption.
o Taking seriously one of the __________ ___________ for eternal life.
(The author’s) fear is that as we rightly celebrate, and in some quarters
rediscover, all that Christ has saved us from, we are giving little thought and
making little effort concerning all that Christ has saved us to. Shouldn’t those
most passionate about the gospel and God’s glory also be those most dedicated
to the pursuit of godliness (text, p11)?
WHO SAYS?

The author gives no statistical evidence proving that Christians are neglecting the
pursuit of holiness.

J.I. Packer claims that believers find holiness ________.
o We do not _______ about holiness in preaching and books.
o We do not ________ upon holiness in our leaders.
o We do not touch upon the need for personal holiness in our ___________.

Three diagnostic questions based on Scripture to evaluate our pursuit of holiness.
o Is our _____________ known to all?
Romans 16:19 – For your obedience has become known to all…
 Is obedience what your church is known for?
 Is it what other Christians think of when they look at your life?
1

Is this even what you would want to be known for?
o Is our _________ a holy place?
No matter what you profess, if you show disregard for Christ by giving yourself
over to sin—impenitently and habitually—then heaven is not your home (text,
p14).
If you dislike a holy God now, why would you want to be with him forever (text,
p15)?
o Are we _________ ____________ Christians?
Matthew 28:19-10 - …teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
WHY SO HOLEY?

It is common to equate holiness with ____________ the ________ _______

There is a fear that a passion for holiness is ____________ or _________ you.

Our churches have many ______________ people in them.

Our culture promotes being _______, and Christians embrace Christian __________
without an equal pursuit of Christian __________.

Labeling any behavior as “ungodly” seems ____________ and ____________.

We think being truly “gospel-centered” means we don’t talk about ________,
____________, or __________.

The reality that holiness is plain ________ _________, and we are ________.

Many Christians have _________ ____ on sanctification.
2
BUT HE MAY HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU

The pursuit of holiness should be a ______ ____________ in our lives.
Ephesians 5:15 – See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

In spite of signs of spiritual life in your church or heart, there may be a __________ for
your own personal holiness.

There are _________ of __________ that instruct us to be holy as God is holy.
1 Peter 1:13-16 – Therefore gird up the loins of your mind…as obedient children, not
conforming yourselves to the former lusts…but as He who called you is holy, you also be
holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

“There is a gap between our love for the _________ and our love for ____________”
(text, p21).
3