DAILY
DEVOTIONAL 4 Holiness
What is holiness?
The
word "holy" has taken quite a semantic beating through such sayings
as being stuck up ("holier than thou") and pedantic usage in popular
culture ("Holy Socks, Batman!"). Popularly we may suppose that
"holy" means "morally good".
This
is only part of the meaning, however. Holiness implies goodness, but
goodness is an interactive part of holiness. If we may sum up the core
meaning of holiness, it is not "good" but rather "set
apart" -- and therefore, good.
The
concept of holiness may be related to the concept of purity, which we have
previously studied here: . In ancient societies, purity codes "are a way
of talking about what is proper for a certain place and a certain time"
and involve "drawing the lines that give definition to the world around
us...".
1) I ask, in the first place, whether it is
wise to speak of faith as the one thing needful, and the only thing
required, as many seem to do now-a-days in handling the doctrine of
sanctification? Is it wise to proclaim in so bald, naked, and unqualified a way
as many do — that holiness of converted people is by faith only — and not
at all by personal exertion? Is it according to the proportion of God's Word? I
doubt it.That faith in Christ is the root of all holiness;
that the first step towards a holy life is to believe on Christ;
that until we believe — we have not a jot of holiness;
that union with Christ by faith is the secret of both beginning to be holy and continuing holy;
that the life that we live in the flesh, we must live by faith in Jesus;
that faith purifies the heart;
that faith is the victory that overcomes the world;
that by faith the ancients obtained a good report —
all these are truths which no well-instructed Christian will ever think of denying.
But surely the Scriptures teach us that in following holiness, the true Christian needs personal exertion and work — as well as faith. The very same Apostle who says in one place, "The life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God," says in another place, "I fight — I run — I keep under my body control." And in other places, "Let us cleanse ourselves — let us labor, let us lay aside every weight." (Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 9:26; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 12:1.)
Moreover, the Scriptures nowhere teach us that faith sanctifies us in the same sense, and in the same manner, that faith justifies us! Justifying faith is a grace that "works not," but simply trusts, rests, and leans on Christ. (Romans 4:5.) Sanctifying faith is a grace of which the very life is action — it "works by love," and, like a main-spring, moves the whole inward man. (Galatians 5:6.) After all, the precise phrase "sanctified by faith" is only found once in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus said to Saul, "I send you, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in Me." Yet even there I agree with Alford that "by faith" belongs to the whole sentence, and must not be tied to the word "sanctified." The true sense is, "that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified." (Compare Acts 26:18 with Acts 20:32.)
As to the phrase "holiness of faith," I find it nowhere in the New Testament. Without controversy, in the matter of our justification before God — faith in Christ is the one thing needful. All who simply believe are justified. Righteousness is imputed "to him who works not, but believes." (Romans 4:5.) It is thoroughly Scriptural and right to say "faith alone justifies." But it is not equally Scriptural and right to say "faith alone sanctifies." The saying requires very large qualification. Let one fact suffice.
We are frequently told that a man is "justified by faith, without the works of the law," by Paul. But not once are we told that we are "sanctified by faith, without the deeds of the law." On the contrary, we are expressly told by James, that the faith whereby we are visibly and demonstratively justified before man, is a faith which "if it has not works is dead, being alone." (James 2:17.) I may be told, in reply, that no one of course means to disparage "works" as an essential part of a holy life. It would be well, however, to make this more plain than many seem to make it in these days.
"There is a double justification by God: the one authoritative, the other declarative or demonstrative." The first is Paul's scope, when he speaks of justification by faith without the deeds of the law. The second is James' scope, when he speaks of justification by works." Thomas Goodwin on Gospel Holiness.
(2) I ask, in the second place, whether it is wise to make so little as some appear to do, comparatively, of the many practical exhortations to holiness in daily life which are to be found in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the latter part of most of Paul's epistles? Is it according to the proportion of God's Word? I doubt it.
That a life of daily self-consecration and daily communion with God should be aimed at by everyone who professes to be a believer — that we should strive to attain the habit of going to the Lord Jesus Christ with everything we find a burden, whether great or small, and casting it upon Him — all this, I repeat, no well-taught child of God will dream of disputing. But surely the New Testament teaches us that we need something more then generalities about holy living, which often pierce no conscience and give no offence.
The details and particular ingredients of which holiness is composed in daily life, ought to be fully set forth and pressed on believers by all who profess to handle the subject. True holiness does not consist merely of believing and feeling — but of doing and a practical exhibition of the active and passive graces. Our tongues, our tempers, our natural passions and inclinations — our conduct as parents and children, masters and servants, husbands and wives, rulers and subjects — our dress, our employment of time, our behavior in business, our demeanor in sickness and health, in riches and poverty — all, all these are matters which are fully treated by inspired writers. They are not content with a general statement of what we should believe and feel, and how we are to have the roots of holiness planted in our hearts. They dig down lower. They go into particulars. They specify minutely, what a holy man ought to do an be in his own family, by his own fireside, and at the work-place.
I doubt whether this sort of teaching is sufficiently attended to by professors of the present day. When people talk of having received "such a blessing," and of having found "the higher life," after hearing some earnest advocate of "holiness by faith and self-consecration," while their family and friends see no improvement and no increased sanctity in their daily tempers and behavior, immense harm is done to the cause of Christ!
True holiness, we surely ought to remember, does not consist merely of inward sensations and impressions. It is much more then tears, and sighs, and bodily excitement, and a quickened pulse, and a passionate feeling of attachment to our favorite preachers and our own religious party, and a readiness to quarrel with everyone who does not agree with us. It is something of "the image of Christ" which can be seen and observed by others in our private life, and habits, and character, and doings! (Romans 8:29.)
1. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
2. Put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.
Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
3. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your
Creator and become like Him.In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Check out ILLUSTRATED “7 Steps To Living A Holy Life”
4. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with:
tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
5. Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.
6. And always be thankful.
7. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
NOTE: Written by Apostle Poul in a letter to Colossians!
