The Heart Of Holiness
Why is the path of holiness essential concerning the Christian's ultimate glorification?
"For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness."
1 Thessalonians 4:7
This Scripture serves as irrefutable proof that holiness is not just an important attribute to attain, but it is in fact a command from the Lord. Holiness means consecration to God and abiding in His plan and purpose for your life, serving Him wholeheartedly while Christ grows in fullness within you. It is the moral way of living which believers strive for after regeneration and justification and is achieved through the lifelong process of sanctification by the Holy Spirit.
And if it is solely the intervention of a Sovereign God enabling the regeneration of man, who is too depraved and wicked to accomplish saving faith by himself, then certainly growing in holiness is man's responsibility. Not only by himself, but by the power of the Spirit indwelling him. Holiness requires separation from everything unclean and the things abominable to God and will include all the various aspects of immoral living. But to identify holiness from the outside is only possible once the heart and mind is also engaged and it is the process setting you apart for a sacred purpose determined by God.
"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
1 Corinthians 6:11
Your responsibility is to separate and present yourself to the Lord whereas the Holy Spirit then commence to purify you through the truth in his Word. You accomplish holiness through the process of sanctification and it lasts your entire life from the day you are regenerated until the day you pass on. Holiness is pursued by remaining in the Word of God through guidance by the Holy Spirit and by submitting all your faith and trust in Jesus through complete submission. Because even though it is not a complex process, it is harder than most Christians fathom. Not because it strives for perfection but because it is done on the Lord's terms, and not yours.
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."
Psalm 119:9
Scripture reveals in Romans 6:6 and 12:1, believers need to die with Christ to receive freedom from the bondage of sin and present their bodies as a living sacrifice. Only then do you become aware and comprehend the price paid for your salvation. And this conviction needs to receive prominence on the path to holiness. It reminds you that holiness is impossible without denying self. Fully come to grips with what the Lord is willing and able to save you from and never succumb to the unenlightened insolence concerning your own deserved fate which results from a wicked heart. In other words, it is imperative that you fully grasp the alternative. Never forget it is the Lord's indescribable love for you which illuminates the only way to salvation and eternal peace, given by grace through faith.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
By God's immeasurable mercy and grace, multitudes of people are not just blessed by being sustained daily but also called from a fallen state by Him to regeneration and justification. Not to mention the Lord's patience concerning your stubborn heart in resisting His eternal promises. The Lord wants you to accept His will and ways by rejecting the world, but your sinful nature resists the effort. If it wasn't for the merciful intervention of His saving right hand, all would indeed have been lost. Because all of mankind are by their very nature born as slaves to sin.
The inherent callousness is clear from the many failures to give the Lord even a moment's notice regarding His grace and our gratitude. Because in our ignorant arrogance we remain oblivious to the eternal condemnation we now have a tangible hope to receive salvation from. And because we accept the ways of the world in favour of the Lord's holy ways, we remain consumed by the effects of sin. This is the reason we need to embrace the process of sanctification. So that we can be cleansed from the effects of sin.
"But now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life."
Romans 6:22
The ways of the world entices due to a misplaced belief in the power of self and self-importance will always give birth to a wandering and restless heart. And if not overcome, it will lead to a hardness of heart which will alienate you from the Lord. Gratitude requires sincere humility, and humility abounds on the path to holiness. You humble yourself before God because the Holy Spirit helps you to comprehend the significant sacrifice made by Christ. And you know the only way in which you will achieve the glorification in His presence at the end, is by endeavouring to become more Christlike. That is to say, to embrace holiness. Therefore, pursue holiness because Scripture warns that without it, you will not see the Lord.
"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."
Hebrews 12:14
Through Christ's sacrifice on the cross you have an undeserved expectation at eternal life, and the confounding reality of this expectation becomes clearer, the holier you contend to live by. But to live holy, you also need to live by faith. So, by faith you must resist all the temptations hindering you from holiness. By faith you must resist defilement and deception due to your limited knowledge pertaining to the Word of God. And by faith, you need to hold fast to the conviction in your heart that love and trust in the Lord overcomes the fear of the world in the wake of Satan's persistent attacks.
Faith is the active ingredient in your heart needed to pursue holiness and by which you receive grace. And even if an academical or intellectual definition of holiness escapes you, remain content because you trust the convictions of the Holy Spirit revealed to you. Always aspire to receive conviction and inspiration from the Holy Spirit and never rely solely on the knowledge and wisdom of man.
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6
The key which unlocks the door to all the eternal promises, is the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Word, who came in the flesh to become the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and transgressions. His innocent blood was spilled so that sinners may be justified before a Holy and Righteous God and the sign and proof of true regeneration and justification will be the new converts' passion to pursue a life of holiness immersed in the truth of His Word. The same Spirit which draw you to the Father as He calls through the gospel of Christ, is the same Spirit accomplishing regeneration, justification and sanctification in the sinner. However, without first having been regenerated, it is impossible to turn away from the old you and to completely reject your old ways in favour of the new.
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."
John 17:17
Through justification you become righteous before God and sanctification addresses the effects of sin. You also gain the enduring assurance you now belong to Jesus Christ. When you enter the process of sanctification you are set apart for the Creator's intended purpose because it is when you move in obedience to the Holy Spirit that you embrace and submit to the Lord's plan and purpose for your life. But the act of regeneration and justification alone, will not suffice. If the life of the believer remains unchanged, the conversion was false. Because a true conversion will always cause a "new creature" to be birthed in Christ. Also, "new creatures" in Christ naturally feel compelled to reject their old ways and accept the new way in Christ. This is why in the conversions ordained by God, the fundamental change in the life of the convert will be visible for all to see and testify to. And the inexplicable longing and urge these believers experience to embrace and pursue holiness, is also a means by which the truthfulness behind their conversion receives validation.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
1 John 1:9-10
As stated in 1 Peter 1:16, you need to live holy, because your Saviour is holy. Only when you surrender and submit to Christ will you realise that pure goodness is not good enough and will you seek holiness. The reason God permits hardships and suffering unto his beloved, is among other also to attain Christlike holiness. In the Christian life there is this enormous privileged promise but you need to be willing to endure and overcome hardship and suffering to achieve those promises and rewards. If the sinless Son of Man didn't even have a place to rest His head and had to learn obedience through His own suffering, how do Christians then assume they are exempt from suffering just because they proclaim the name of Christ in supposed faith? There is a very telling reference to this matter in Hebrews 5:7-8 where it clearly states that Jesus learned obedience through His own suffering. Regardless of your fleshly perception, the Lord allows suffering to perfect you and not necessarily to punish you. But the immeasurable grace needed to overcome all the various afflictions is only released through faith. Without which it will be impossible to glorify God. Remember, suffering is also allowed to prepare you for the relentless onslaught and to help you overcome the world.
"The staying power of our faith is neither demonstrated nor developed until it is tested by suffering because there is a certain kind of maturity that can only be attained through the discipline of suffering."
- Donald Arthur Carson
Even though unbelievers and pretenders may lead lives that appear to be as good or even better than believers within the Body of Christ, they can never lead lives which are as holy. Man needs to worship and hungers for a rescuer to fill the spiritual void in his life. But because many are slaves to this secular world and are unable to turn to Christ due to their hardness of heart and unrepented deliberate and continuous sin, they create substitute saviours through idols. This is when the path to salvation eludes them evermore.
There are also the ones who defend their lukewarm way of living by comparing themselves to those around them. They use their weak human nature as an excuse and rely on God's goodness and grace to receive redemption without ever having the will and conviction to truly sacrifice at a cost. These so-called "believers" will never be able to bear His cross by following, obeying, believing and suffering for Christ even unto death. This is because they do not commit to an allegiance to Christ which surpasses all other priorities as they would rather serve the Lord in an easy comfort. And even though the fulfillment of fleshly desires may contribute significantly concerning comfort and a superficial contentment in this life, it may also greatly encumber the journey to grow in holiness and attain glorification in the life to come. The thing is man is inherently wicked and depraved and naturally likes the darkness created by living a life of sin. The only remedy is the "new birth" and if it wasn't for God's grace no man would ever have been able to embrace the Light.
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realise this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail to meet the test!"
1 Corinthians 13:5
Holiness and sanctification is not just a walk, nor is it merely a journey. It is a continuous fight that sees the enduring battling to sustain a sincere relationship with their Saviour. And it remains a perpetual reality in a fallen world corrupted by sin. The Enemy knows the extent to which he pollutes your personal relationship with the Lord, will determine your ability to persist in holiness, and this reality may have a profound impact on your eternal position.
Satan and his forces of darkness resemble the fallen world you live in whereas the Lord is the exact opposite. Therefore, it is imperative you perceive that holiness identifies you with Christ and distinguishes you from the world. Satan is not in hell. He is roaming the earth to and fro, prowling around like a lion, ready to devour by tempting God's elect. He is not focused on the the lost or the deceived but is in fact after the righteous few who partake in the struggle to overcome his lies.
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
1 Peter 5:8
Distance yourself from any self-seeking pretences and resist the temptation to war after the flesh, so you may become alive in Christ. It also important to note that every time you reject the prompting and urging of the Holy Spirit, His voice becomes fainter. Not because the sound of His voice is softer but because your spiritual hearing become more impaired. And in time the convictions will dissipate so much they will appear to have disappeared altogether. This happens not because the Lord stops communicating but by a heart hardened by all the rejection through which the true Light have difficulty penetrating. Remember, the Lord never forces himself unto His children. He draws, and you need to go.
"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
Psalm 145:18
You need to embrace the Lord's love by acknowledging His sovereign goodness and you accomplish this by wholly trusting God. Once you surrender your life to God and trust Him to show you the way, the path of righteousness and holiness will appear like a city on a hill. To that end you need to engage in a dynamic relationship with the Lord because you know spiritual passivity points to a willful rejection of the journey towards sanctification.
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light."
Luke 8:16
Boldly take the Lord at his Word by humbly supplicating that He show you how He is able to change your life by exceeding all your expectations. Focus on the spiritual side of things and not the material. And overcome the world by resting and knowing the Lord is all you need and more. At least such an attitude will confirm your fearless disdain for the influence solicited by a corrupt world. The only requirement is for you to surrender and submit to His lordship and love. The faithful know the Lord will allow His children to wander down the path of deception so they may become exposed to circumstances where they have no alternative but to confront and overcome the lie. Because the Lord is very much aware that to recognise the voice of the "angel of light" through knowledge of His Word, the path to purification becomes even more powerful.
"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."
2 Corinthians 7:1
By fear of God, Scripture wants you to focus on displaying utter reverence and awe for His majesty and glory. The nature of the Lord's omniscience and majesty becomes so much more clear the moment the deception, brought on by the Enemy, have no alternative but to bow before the revealed truth in the Word. And there it remains steadfast and unbendable. Stand firm knowing your devoted meditation in the Word of God leads to spontaneous freedom from captivity and the exposure of any fallible and misleading lies which form part of your wicked and sinful nature. For it is the frailty of the flesh through fear of hardship that try to overcome your spirit. Fear of hardship, suffering and persecution is fear of the world. Overcome these obstacles by having complete trust in God and you will be blessed with overwhelming joy when persisting in holiness. And always keep your eyes on the eternal promise rather than a temporary temptation.
"Therefore I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed to us."
Romans 8:18
Therefore, suffer under no illusion that the process of sanctification which precedes your glorification is also one of suffering and sacrifice. For if the path to glory for Christ was through suffering, His elect will also have to endure trials, tribulations and various afflictions before they accomplish eternal victory. The disciple is never greater than the master. Find comfort in knowing the greater the suffering, the greater the glory validating your faith. And the rewards you receive in life eternal, will be the capacity to which you praise, glorify and honour Almighty God in this life.
"Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."
Revelation 2:10
To live a life of holiness means being set apart by the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. The question you need to answer is whether the life you lead reflects this reality. And the lives the Spirit-filled children pursuing holiness should testify to, is a life unsatisfied until they attain fullness in Christ. Fix your eyes upon Jesus Christ as your Door and submit to the Holy Spirit's guidance who leads believers to conform to His holiness. And remember that to embrace and accept the way of the Word, you need to deny yourself. Persevere through the hope you receive from His selfless sacrifice on Calvary and persist to walk and rest in His peaceful presence, saturated by undeserved love. Heaven is indeed the ultimate eternal event but holiness will be the dress-code by which you will be granted entrance.
Most importantly, remember that holiness gives you the ability to pray, to worship and to be a witness to a fallen world.
For holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it"
1 Thessalonians 5:23