The Plumb-Line
A New Way to Explore and Discuss the Bible
Whether we like it or not, there is no avoiding the fact that we are called to be holy. If God commands holiness, then it is very important for us to find out what it is and obey Him in that respect. The problem is that, on the whole, we don’t like it. The idea of holiness seems intimidating or fearful to us. We feel it is a duty rather than a privilege.
Why is holiness so important? First of all holiness is not an option. We cannot choose holiness like it is an option on a menu. I’ll take an order of salvation, a side of grace, but hold the holiness. I am not sure how well it will fit. Or we look at the idea of holiness as some kind of a dream that you could try to obtain in this life, but you never will so why bother? However, I believe that there is more to holiness than that.
Christ died for our holiness – Hebrews 13:12 Jesus Christ suffered and shed his own blood on the cruel cross that we may be sanctified! He did not just die that we could be saved from our committed sins, but he died so that we may be free from all of sin. By rejecting holiness we are in fact rejecting his death upon the cross.
Holiness only results from a right relationship with God. This statement is not to dump some kind of guilt trip on you, but instead give you encouragement to pursue a life of holiness. Holiness as the bible describes it is not a dull, grey requirement that we somehow have to grind our way towards, but a glorious, desirable state of liberation, joy and fulfillment. It’s what God intends for us, not as a punishment or even as a pruning or a refining, but as a blessing. Let’s strive for holiness, not out of fear of punishment if we fail, but out of hunger and thirst for the God who loves us and who we love.
What do you say we try together?
We can all stop making excuses for why we don’t seek living holy, and start trying to live closer to God’s holiness.
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