1 CORINTHIANS 3:17 – If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE SERIOUSNESS OF HOLINESS. Allow me an abrupt introduction to today’s nugget. It comes in the form of two serious commands of God and then a series of three questions. First, the commands . . .
“But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16).
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
Now the questions . . .
1. When is the last time we listened to a message or series of messages preached on the exposition of the topic “Personal Holiness?”
2. When is the last time we read a book or books on the topic of “Pursuing Personal Holiness”?
3. When is the last time we gave ourselves over in fervent prayer for God to help us and to make us holy?
The commands of God to “be holy” and “strive for holiness” are serious. Granted all of God’s commands are serious. Our obedience to them or disobedience of them reveal our love or lack of for Him. But the command to be holy is what we might call “doubly-serious” for two reasons. First, salvation is a call to holiness. Saved people will become holy people; a people continually being weaned from the pleasures and patterns of this world and a people conforming more into the image of Him who saved them. The Apostle Paul wrote of salvation these words, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:3-5).
A second reason why holiness is serious is because it determines the quality of our joy in the Lord and witness for the Lord. The early church, and periods of revival in church history, were impactful for Christ because of their nearness to Christ and that means progressing in holiness. And this draws us to today’s scripture. One of the number one reasons for joyless Christians, an indifferent church making little impact in our culture, and even why young people are leaving the faith and church is the lack of holiness in God’s people. Holiness is our happiness. Holiness is our power. Holiness is what makes Jesus Christ attractive. Holiness is what draws people to ask about the hope that is in us because it makes us distinct from the world. Everything in the Christian life will rise and fall on our holiness. And holiness is not based on what we do or don’t do, but on our attachment to and love for the Lord Jesus. This attachment is seen not only in our daily commitment to feed on His Word and seek fellowship with Him in prayer, but also by remembering and living out today’s scripture.
As Christians, the Holy Spirit lives within us, making us God’s temple. God’s temple is holy and is easily defiled by us when we love the world more than the Word; look with lustful and coveting gazes upon the things or people of the world; allow unwholesome music, movies, and entertainment shape our minds more than the Scriptures; and we tolerate ungodly attitudes ranging from complaining to lack of forgiveness to spiritual indifference. Holiness is serious business because God says it is serious business. And as goes our holiness so goes our assurance in Christ, effectiveness for Christ, and enjoyment of Christ. Let’s take holiness seriously. We are God’s holy temple called to live out what we are . . . His holy dwelling place in an unholy world.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to take Your command ‘to be holy’ seriously, knowing it is what marks me as Your child.”
QUOTE: “Holiness is not optional in the Christian life. Nor is it based first on conduct, but on our becoming like Christ.”