In modern American Christianity, we hear a lot about a great many things. We hear about finding your purpose in life. We hear about living your best life now. We hear about simple keys to getting a handle on your finances, marriage, family, job, health, and for overcoming stress, depression, and an endless list of other struggles that we face daily.
We also hear a lot about God. We hear a lot about God’s grace, God’s mercy, and God’s love. After all, we are told, love is God’s most defining attribute because the Bible says “God is love” (1 John 4:8). But seldom are we exhorted regarding the holiness of God. As we look at what God says in Leviticus 19:2, even worded slightly different, is essentially, “I am holy.” And what do the angels cry, not once and not twice, but three times but “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is the Lord God Almighty (Revelation 4:8 - emphasis added).
Because God is holy, we are commanded to be holy as well. To be holy is to be separated, or cut away from that which is unclean and consecrated to God. How often do we hear the charge to holiness?
A quick glance at the landscape of modern Christianity would suggest that the most important things for us to worry about are our own peace, joy, and fulfillment. And so, many sermons are directed at helping us achieve those ends. But, the shocking reality is that we can have financial freedom, a trim figure, and obedient kids but still be lacking in the most important quality that should be true of us as Christians - holiness.
We can take Romans 14 and separate it from the rest of the whole of Scripture and walk away justifying all sorts of “freedoms” in Christ. However, the driving thought process should not be, “Can I do this thing and not sin,” but rather, “Will this best move me forward in holiness?”
Do I have the freedom in Christ to listen to sports talk radio? Sure. But does that mean that I should? Each of us must answer that for ourselves. Does that sports talk cultivate in you a deeper hunger and thirst for God? We may have the freedom to do it, but is it the best use of our time as we seek after holiness? I recently heard a statistic that the average person in America watches more than 1,000 hours of TV every year. In that same time, they could have read through the Bible cover to cover more than 20 times!
As you reflect on the choices you’ve made over the last 24 hours, can you see how those choices helped you to grow in holiness? Did those choices set you back in your growth in holiness? Or were the last 24 hours a wash-out with neither forward nor backward progress? The reality is, neutrality will soon lead to decline.
What will you do today to cultivate growth in holiness as you allow the Spirit of God to work in and through you?
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