jeudi 20 mai 2004

Unfinished post

Why has the notion of wanting to be holy like Jesus been so deemphasized? In this case, I am not talking about wanting to be perfect in this life or being holy only for the sake of legalities or pursuit of salvation, but the honest attempts of a Christ-follower to exhibit holiness in all aspects of life. An argument I've heard before is that God isn't just about holiness, He's about love. Yes, that sounds pretty and all, but it's not one or the other with God. He is both - perfect love and perfect holiness. The verse that comes to mind is,

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." - 1 Peter 1:15-16

The written text that Peters refers to are these verses in Leviticus.

Leviticus 11 states this: "I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy."

True, we are no longer under the law, but this does not change the basic nature of God's holiness. And as a Christian, if I am to be in relationship with a holy God, does that not mean that I must become holy as well? Obviously, I can never be holy on my own strength but through Jesus Christ, this is possible. I am redeemed before the Father because of the Son. However, because I am still part of this fallen world and part of the curse, I will screw up and sin.

But that does not mean that I shouldn't still pursue holiness. The other cliché I hear is that we shouldn't be pursuing _____, we should be pursuing God. I do not mean to put holiness before God at all, I simply mean that one does not necessarily push the other aside. In fact, in pursuing God, could we not also be pursuing to be holy like Him? Just as holiness is ingrained in His character, as redeemed children, shouldn't it become ingrained in ours?

I don't know where I want to go with this, but it seems to be more commonplace in some Christians' lives. It's as if when they've become saved, they've become lukewarm because they feel that they can be and that they don't need to change. They've been saved but do not see sanctification as having any place in their new life.

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