The Call to Holiness: Living a Life Set Apart for God
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy,” 1 Peter 1:15.
This biblical passage summarizes the prerequisites for being in a good relationship with God our Maker. It instructs that every true Christian must be holy in all manner of conducts.
Holiness is the basis of our relationship with God. It is the umbilical cord linking every true believer to the Holy Spirit.
In our modern world where the true biblical meaning of holiness has become a topic of debate, it is imperative we try to understand the meaning of holiness. What exactly is holiness? I will give you a simple definition: Holiness means separation from the world and being set apart for God.
What does it mean for us to separate ourselves from the world? Does it mean we should not exchange greetings, sell or buy from our fellow humans? Of course, that's not true. By separating ourselves from the world, God wants us to set ourselves apart from the world and its ungodly activities. He wants us to be thoroughly pure from all manner of sin, pleasing Him with our words, thoughts, appearances, and every aspect of our lives.
In Jerry Bridges' book, The Pursuit of Holiness, he described holiness as: "nothing less than conformity to the character of God.'
We are to live our lives in a way that everything about us—our words, our actions, our thoughts, and our values—all conform to the character of God.
Unfortunately, some people try to take the easy path, thinking it will save them. They try to minimize sin rather than eliminating it entirely. They console themselves with the belief that it is impossible for humans to be totally free from sin, and that God understands. But this belief is false; God calls His people to complete holiness and not partial obedience. 1 Peter 1:16 says,
“Be ye holy; for I am holy."
There are no two ways around holiness — it’s either you’re holy or you’re in sin. There is no alternative.
Many people do not understand the magnitude of the consequences of being unholy. Unholiness means that you’ve succumbed to sin. It does not just separate you from God, it reduces the grace you receive from God as His child. It diminishes God's ability to intervene in the troubles around your life.
Try to recall the times when you’ve indulged in sin. How did that affect other aspects of your life? If you recall well, you will realize that it affected you negatively and set you backward. When you sin, you draw away from God, and His grace upon your life diminishes.
In our world today, following trends has become more prevalent than following God. Holiness has become a topic for only those labeled "old-fashioned," and those we describe as “too spiritual.” Even modern-day pastors and preachers have overlooked the topic. While the church is rapidly growing, true righteousness is in rapid decline. Wickedness, lies, deceit, envy, jealousy, callousness, immorality, and all sorts of evil have become the norm. People now live with the mindset, “If everyone else is doing it, why won't I ?”
The time has come for you to make a turn from where you are right now and begin to live a life of holiness. God promises blessings to those who will live a holy life. Psalm 1:1 says:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."
If you would choose to be holy and leave the way of sinners from today, God's blessings shall be yours abundantly. To do this, here are important steps to follow:
Yield to God’s Power
The path to holiness is not an easy one. It is rough and tough and you cannot do it on your own. You need God’s strength to achieve it. Submit to Him and ask for strength and power to be holy. Ezekiel 36: 27 says:
"And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them"
When you go on your knees and ask God for His power, He will put His Spirit within you, a Spirit of strength, steadfastness, and determination — and you will be able to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments. This power will strengthen you to overcome all the abandoned habits that will try to tempt you again. It will help you to conquer addictions, lust, lies, immorality, all forms of sin that will try to enslave you again.
It is the power of God. It is available for you. Go on your knees, ask for it, and you will receive it. John 1:12 says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God"
Be Conscious of Your Thoughts
Everything we do in life is preceded by a thought. Our thoughts give birth to an idea. This idea turns into a feeling, then into words, before we finally take action. You need to gatekeep the thoughts that come into your mind.
Fortunately, God crafted us in a way that the control of our thoughts lies in our hands. Dallas Willard emphasized this in his book Renovation of the Heart where he wrote: "The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow or require our minds to dwell upon."
You have the power and freedom to select what you will allow your mind to dwell upon. Select righteousness and godly thoughts, and block all evil and sinful thoughts. That is the way you can be able to live a life of holiness. If you constantly allow sinful thoughts to penetrate, you will struggle to live a holy life.
Guard Your Eyes Diligently
Your eyes are the gateways to your heart and soul. They guide the purity of your body. Matthew 6:22-23 says:
"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness"
By our eye being single, it means our eye should be focused wholly on God. If our eyes see no evil, we are clean, but if they see evil, we are sinful before God. Most times, our eyes sin before our hearts do. So, you must be mindful of what you allow your eyes to see. From the music videos you watch, to the movies and TV shows you engage with, to the skits and content you consume on social media, you must guard your eyes.
Flee from pornography, sexually arousing movies, shows, concerts, all forms of impurity. That is the way you can live a life of holiness.
Crucify the Flesh
The flesh continually fights against the spirit. If you would live a life of holiness, then the spirit must win the battle. You must crucify your flesh and shun those sinful desires that lead you into sin.
Do not give your flesh dominion over your life. You own your body and therefore, should control what it desires and what it does not. Flee from all forms of sexual immorality. Steer clear of masturbation and sexual relationships outside marriage.
Galatians 5:16 says,
“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
You must walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. That is the way you can resist temptations and truly live a life of holiness.
Avoid Following The Crowd
In our modern world, a lot of sins and abnormalities have been made normal. Sins like fraud and sexual immorality have become the norm. People no longer care about the spiritual consequences of these acts. They just want to gain the immediate benefits.
But we know the standard of God can never change. A popular song says: "Ancient of Days, as old as you are, you never change"
No matter how modern this world becomes, what was sin 1000 years ago would always be sin before God. The laws of God are not revised.
Jesus indicated that only a small number of individuals tread the narrow path leading to life, whereas many follow the broad road to ruin.
It is better to stand alone in truth than move with the crowd in sin. Remember on the last day, everyone will give account of their lives separately. So, stand firm in your belief because genuine holiness demands separation from the crowd.
Let Go of Resentments and Unforgiveness
Unresolved grudges, anger, and lack of forgiveness confine you in a cage and hinder your spiritual development. When you refuse to forgive the wrongdoings from a friend, work colleague, classmate, or even a church member, you keep yourself caged in self-harm.
Ephesians 4:32 says,
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Make up your mind today to forgive that wrongdoing which you have harbored for long, and God will sanitize your heart to live a life of holiness.
No matter how rampant sin becomes in this generation, God's standards can never shift. He still charges us to only pursue that which is righteous and holy.
Philippians 4:8 instructs us:
“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
We worship a holy God and He expects us to be as holy as Him. Henceforth, endeavor to follow His footsteps. Abandon all the sins that take you away from His presence. Examine yourself today and inspect the areas of your life where you fail to meet His standard in holiness.
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