Holiness 2008
Posted by Violette Reid on Sunday, May 29, 2011
Under: Godly Subjects
Holiness means to be set apart from the world and to be sacred as God is sacred. It essentially tells us to not to be of the world although we live in the world. We can not physically separate ourselves from the world because we live in it. We are affected by it. We have been shaped by it and help shape it. To live in the world and not let the world live in us means that we much put on the whole armor of God in order to fight against the material realm. We must walk in the spirit at all times and pray not to slip back into our carnal cravings. Never must we be led by society, money, or external influences. We can have no God but one. At all times we must remain loyal to Him; therefore, being holy. Mat 16:26 says, “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Christians must always look to the future. We have to know that the world is only temporary and that we must seek what is eternal. The eternal God must be our guiding force in all things. He is the target which we all must aim for.
Holiness is not a one way ticket to exclusivity, but a gift of God that gives the strength to overcome the temptations of the world and ability to fellowship with unbelievers in order to convert them to Christ. There would be no purpose if Christians only fellowship with Christians. That is acting as the world acts. It is being self centered and unconcerned with the problems of society. It is like being a bystander to a crime and not turning your head. Holiness embodies compassion and like God, a holy person wants none to perish.
Our lives should reflect our beliefs in a way that upon sight there should be something different about us. A holy vessel of God can not straddle the fence of morality and worldliness. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.” Our lifestyle choices must be clear, eliminating all confusion as we live lives that are full of dignity, respect, cleanliness, and honor. To be holy is to be the light of the world; to shine brightly and to lighten the path to salvation. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”
As Christians, we are to protest against all that is unjust, immoral, and complacent. We are to be nonconformist by nature. To be silent is to conform. To blend in is to conform. To live and let live is to conform. The very essence of holiness is to be an advocate for the kingdom of God and to live our lives in a way that compels others to seek the face of God or to repel others because the darkness in them cannot stand to exist with the light. Guthrie says, “Christians are different in that they refuse to conform to the world; their loyalty to God takes precedence over all other loyalties.” To the holy, God supersedes everything including money, family, jobs, fleshy desires, ambitions, dreams, etc… The entire purpose of holiness is to dedicate one’s self to God completely; to be willing to take up the cross of Christ and to die for the kingdom of God. We are to be holy as God is Holy.
Holiness in not mere actions like, being a good person, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, keeping the commandments. Holiness has to be pure at heart. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart! For they shall see God.” It is not enough to be a faithful wife if my heart lusts after another man. Holiness does not allow fantasies to manifest. It is not enough to follow every rule. Holiness means that the rules are embedded in your heart and following them with the sincerest love and devotion. It is not enough to refrain from murdering. Holiness is to forgive and refuse to let anger fester and pollute the spirit. Holiness has to be real. Matthew 15:8 says, "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” It is not enough to talk a good game. God know the heart and to be holy means to have a heart that follows God and actions that follow the heart.
Holiness is not created by good works. Good works is only a reflection of the holiness in one who is in tune with God and wishes above all to please Him. True holiness requires self examination. Looking inward in order to insure that we are what we should be. If we are not, we pray for the will to change and change.
Only through divine transformation can one become holy. We must die to the flesh and be born again in spirit. The Holy Spirit was to dwell in the holy. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.” Only God can make us truly holy.
Holiness is not a one way ticket to exclusivity, but a gift of God that gives the strength to overcome the temptations of the world and ability to fellowship with unbelievers in order to convert them to Christ. There would be no purpose if Christians only fellowship with Christians. That is acting as the world acts. It is being self centered and unconcerned with the problems of society. It is like being a bystander to a crime and not turning your head. Holiness embodies compassion and like God, a holy person wants none to perish.
Our lives should reflect our beliefs in a way that upon sight there should be something different about us. A holy vessel of God can not straddle the fence of morality and worldliness. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.” Our lifestyle choices must be clear, eliminating all confusion as we live lives that are full of dignity, respect, cleanliness, and honor. To be holy is to be the light of the world; to shine brightly and to lighten the path to salvation. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”
As Christians, we are to protest against all that is unjust, immoral, and complacent. We are to be nonconformist by nature. To be silent is to conform. To blend in is to conform. To live and let live is to conform. The very essence of holiness is to be an advocate for the kingdom of God and to live our lives in a way that compels others to seek the face of God or to repel others because the darkness in them cannot stand to exist with the light. Guthrie says, “Christians are different in that they refuse to conform to the world; their loyalty to God takes precedence over all other loyalties.” To the holy, God supersedes everything including money, family, jobs, fleshy desires, ambitions, dreams, etc… The entire purpose of holiness is to dedicate one’s self to God completely; to be willing to take up the cross of Christ and to die for the kingdom of God. We are to be holy as God is Holy.
Holiness in not mere actions like, being a good person, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, keeping the commandments. Holiness has to be pure at heart. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart! For they shall see God.” It is not enough to be a faithful wife if my heart lusts after another man. Holiness does not allow fantasies to manifest. It is not enough to follow every rule. Holiness means that the rules are embedded in your heart and following them with the sincerest love and devotion. It is not enough to refrain from murdering. Holiness is to forgive and refuse to let anger fester and pollute the spirit. Holiness has to be real. Matthew 15:8 says, "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” It is not enough to talk a good game. God know the heart and to be holy means to have a heart that follows God and actions that follow the heart.
Holiness is not created by good works. Good works is only a reflection of the holiness in one who is in tune with God and wishes above all to please Him. True holiness requires self examination. Looking inward in order to insure that we are what we should be. If we are not, we pray for the will to change and change.
Only through divine transformation can one become holy. We must die to the flesh and be born again in spirit. The Holy Spirit was to dwell in the holy. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.” Only God can make us truly holy.
In : Godly Subjects
Tags: holiness violette reid god jesus bible faith transformation
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Violette L. Meier, an ordained minister, wife, mother, novelist, painter, poet, and native of Atlanta, Georgia, earned her BA in English at Clark Atlanta University and a MDiv from The Interdenominational Theological Center with an emphasis in Biblical Studies. She has authored six books, and Violette loves to volunteer and do community service work because she believes that serving is the best way to make God palpable to people.
