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11 months ago
Striving for Holiness: The Path to Seeing the Lord
Striving for Holiness: The Path to Seeing the Lord
As Christians, we are called to strive for peace with everyone and for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). This verse reminds us that there is a practical holiness that is essential for our salvation, and yet many of us live as if this were not the case. There are those who profess to be Christians but live unholy lives, and they will face the dreadful judgment of Jesus, who will say, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23). The apostle Paul also warns that if we live according to the flesh, we will die (Romans 8:13).
Therefore, it is clear that there is a holiness without which no one will see the Lord. It is not enough to simply profess faith in Christ; we must also live a life that reflects the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within us. This is not a call to legalism or self-righteousness, but rather a call to pursue holiness by placing our faith in God's enabling grace.
However, it is important to note that there is a right way and a wrong way to pursue holiness. Paul cautions against serving God in any other way than by faith in his enabling grace. We must remember that God is not served by human hands as if he needed anything, for he himself gives us life, breath, and everything we have (Acts 17:25). Any effort to serve God that does not depend on his grace as the source of our strength and the motivation of our hearts will dishonor him and resemble the service of a pagan god.
Peter provides a clear alternative to self-reliant service of God when he says, "Whoever serves, [let him do so] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11). Likewise, Paul declares, "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me" (Romans 15:18). Both of these passages emphasize the importance of relying on God's strength and grace to accomplish the good works he has prepared for us.
In every moment of our lives, God's grace is available to enable us to do every good work that he has appointed for us. Paul reminds us, "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). This means that we can trust in God's future grace to provide us with the strength, wisdom, and resources we need to live a holy life.
The fight for holiness is not a fight we can win in our own strength. It is a fight that can only be fought and won by faith in the promises of future grace. We must constantly remind ourselves of God's faithfulness and his willingness to provide us with everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We must rely on his grace to transform our hearts and empower us to live in a manner that is pleasing to him.
As we strive for holiness, it is important to remember that it is not a one-time event but a lifelong pursuit. We will stumble and fall along the way, but we can take comfort in the fact that God's grace is always available to pick us up and set us back on the path of holiness. We must not become discouraged by our failures, but rather use them as opportunities to grow and learn.
In conclusion, the pursuit of holiness is essential for every believer. It is not an optional extra but a necessary component of our salvation. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. We must strive for holiness by placing our faith in God's enabling grace and relying on his strength to empower us to live a life that is pleasing to him. We must fight for holiness by constantly reminding ourselves of God's promises of future grace and trusting in his faithfulness to provide us with everything we need. May we all press on in the pursuit of holiness and strive to see the Lord face to face.
As Christians, we are called to strive for peace with everyone and for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). This verse reminds us that there is a practical holiness that is essential for our salvation, and yet many of us live as if this were not the case. There are those who profess to be Christians but live unholy lives, and they will face the dreadful judgment of Jesus, who will say, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23). The apostle Paul also warns that if we live according to the flesh, we will die (Romans 8:13).
Therefore, it is clear that there is a holiness without which no one will see the Lord. It is not enough to simply profess faith in Christ; we must also live a life that reflects the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within us. This is not a call to legalism or self-righteousness, but rather a call to pursue holiness by placing our faith in God's enabling grace.
However, it is important to note that there is a right way and a wrong way to pursue holiness. Paul cautions against serving God in any other way than by faith in his enabling grace. We must remember that God is not served by human hands as if he needed anything, for he himself gives us life, breath, and everything we have (Acts 17:25). Any effort to serve God that does not depend on his grace as the source of our strength and the motivation of our hearts will dishonor him and resemble the service of a pagan god.
Peter provides a clear alternative to self-reliant service of God when he says, "Whoever serves, [let him do so] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11). Likewise, Paul declares, "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me" (Romans 15:18). Both of these passages emphasize the importance of relying on God's strength and grace to accomplish the good works he has prepared for us.
In every moment of our lives, God's grace is available to enable us to do every good work that he has appointed for us. Paul reminds us, "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). This means that we can trust in God's future grace to provide us with the strength, wisdom, and resources we need to live a holy life.
The fight for holiness is not a fight we can win in our own strength. It is a fight that can only be fought and won by faith in the promises of future grace. We must constantly remind ourselves of God's faithfulness and his willingness to provide us with everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We must rely on his grace to transform our hearts and empower us to live in a manner that is pleasing to him.
As we strive for holiness, it is important to remember that it is not a one-time event but a lifelong pursuit. We will stumble and fall along the way, but we can take comfort in the fact that God's grace is always available to pick us up and set us back on the path of holiness. We must not become discouraged by our failures, but rather use them as opportunities to grow and learn.
In conclusion, the pursuit of holiness is essential for every believer. It is not an optional extra but a necessary component of our salvation. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. We must strive for holiness by placing our faith in God's enabling grace and relying on his strength to empower us to live a life that is pleasing to him. We must fight for holiness by constantly reminding ourselves of God's promises of future grace and trusting in his faithfulness to provide us with everything we need. May we all press on in the pursuit of holiness and strive to see the Lord face to face.
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