Holy....a good word for the year
Holy. It is a term most have heard even if we have only went to church a few times. It is a term, if I am honest, I hear and don’t always give much thought to. However, after Mark’s sermon yesterday it got me thinking about how this really isn’t a word we should forget or take lightly.
To be holy is to be separate. In other words, different – not the same. Think about that for a moment. God is Holy. Perfect. Glorious. Separate. Holy. For most, this isn’t a hard thing to agree with. God is amazing and perfect. I think what we tend to forget is that in 1 Peter 1:16 God calls us to be Holy as He is Holy. Whoa….what? I am supposed to be perfect, glorious, and separate?
Yes. Yes you are. This is such a huge part of our walk as a Christian but I fear it is the least focused on. We sin, yes, we all fail. Daily, I sin. As I talked about in my last blog post, God hates our sin. So how are we supposed to do this whole holy thing? First off, we stop making excuses! We stop saying “this is my personality”, “this is how I am”, “this isn’t so bad compared to _____”, or my favorite “this is just my thorn in the flesh or burden to bear.” Bologna.
In full transparency, I am sure I have said one or more of these phrases when it comes to temptations and struggles I face. Shame on me. Y’all, this is not how God wants us to live. In defeat. In a pit. In a situation where we feel we can’t change or get out of it. But, He also doesn’t want us to live in a state of complacency where we have come to “love” our sinful habits and find them enjoyable. Ouch. We have all heard the phrase “where there is a will, there is a way”. Most of the time this is used in non-consequential situations, but the phrase holds true here. 1 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” What this means is, God has given us EVERYTHING we need to do our good work - which is to live a holy life and bringing Him glory. EVERYTHING. Not some things or most things but EVERYTHING. So…..why do we still fail?
The will. Where there is a will, there is a way. We have the way (if you didn’t catch it above…it is the BIBLE). What we sorely lack is the will. We make excuses or fall into the lie that since we can’t earn our salvation through works (which is true), that we just don’t have to try all that hard (total lie). What’s even worse is, as mentioned above, when we don’t truly see our actions as sinful but rather something we enjoy or have come accustomed to. Things we don’t see as “all that bad.”
Christian brothers and sisters, it is time to stop being lazy in our walks with the Lord. It is time to learn what He desires from us through studying His word and living HOLY lives. Be different. Be separate. People who hold a conversation with you for longer than 5 minutes should know you are not like the “world.” Quit the excuses that you can’t change your habits or that such and such isn’t so bad compared to murder or whatever. Just stop. Decide which side of fence you really are on and start to act like it. Being lukewarm will get you spit out (Revelation 3:16).
Wow…I feel like that took a crazy curve. I get heated up when I think about the hypocrisy and laziness we have in our churches today (AND EVEN IN MYSELF). However, I don’t feel bad about the “harsh” words. I love y’all. People who might read this that I have never met, I really do love you. God loves you and He desires us to live Holy lives. Period. No sugar coating that. So decide with me today to seek Him through His word to understand what living a holy life is supposed to look like and pursue it. Chase after it. When you fail (which we all do), embrace His grace and mercy and get right back up. Find the will because He has given us the way. Till next time.