“All things as they move toward God are beautiful, and they are ugly as they move away from Him.” A.W. Tozer
Holiness in us is God in us. Absolutely, it is the resurrected Christ who dwells in our hearts that make us holy. Firstly we see this in ourselves when we are called to love God, to seek after him and forsake all else. This is where the seeds of holiness in us begins. And grows with time spent with God, in His word, and in worship.
Holiness demands cooperation. It requires us to shift our focus and our alignments to celebrate God. Proverbs 23:26 says “Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.” Undoubtedly, to delight in God is to drink the cup of Him and be satisfied. This is why we forsake all other idols or earthly pleasures, because God is the satisfying delight.
Embracing the Weight
Holiness is a heavy topic, and when holiness is viewed superficially it will be treated as such. It is noted in Proverbs that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, so when we fear the Lord we expand in our ability to grow as the holy Church. When we give topics like holiness only a small space of our attention we aren’t going to get very far. We have to take on all that God is calling for us to embrace about him, the entirety of who he is. We are taking on the call to be like him through repentance (which is a turning towards the ways of God). Accordingly, in 1 Peter 1:15-16 it says, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
The Offence of Holiness
When we read the bible it is not a suggestion to be holy. Precisely because we are made in the image of God there is therefore a godly standard. Leviticus 20:26 says,“You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.”
Holiness is incredibly attractive. It is us being perfected by the spirit of God in goodness and righteousness. Yet it is offensive, especially to the worldly, because it says that their way of living is wrong. Understandably, it is a life that they have struggled and fought to build and belong in. Nonetheless, the standard of the Lord is to put away the world, to pick up our cross, and to follow Jesus.
A Life of Discipline.
The more we learn about God and holiness the more we realize we know very little. Growing is a lifelong process, and keeping discipline to grow is a lifelong process. Everyday we choose to take up our cross and choose God.
However, I admit that I have had, and still do, have my struggles in remaining disciplined in pursuing God. I can say it is arrogance that distracts me until I slow into an apathetic rhythm of pursuing my Lord and Savior. By this I mean, that I have not pursued a deeper understanding of how much I need God, and in this apathy we become lukewarm. It takes a disciple to pursue God. He is always with us, in 1 Corinthians 8:3 it says that it is those who love God that are known by him. And what is loving God? It is obeying his commandments and living life with him.
Undoubtedly, pursuing God is a lifestyle. It is consistent awareness of His presence in you and the world. It is choosing to be good, kind, and loving when everyday we are presented with opportunities to swear, to curse those around us, to complain about life, and wasting our opportunities to find fulfillment in it.
I pray that the holiness of God is revealed to you more this week. I pray that you are enlightened to the Spirit of Christ that dwells in you.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
Psalm 119:9
May the God of all love and light be with you in the process.
Coral Faith
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