Blog topic 2-Holiness/Sanctification

Day 2-Holiness

"In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days." -Luke 1:75

I am thankful for Asbury College in my life for many reasons, but first and foremost will always be for their continual attention to personal holiness. In Hughes chapel etched across the archway is "holiness unto the Lord" which was so much more than a catch phrase. I sat under hours of teachings in chapel and classroom lectures on holiness. And I'll forever be thankful that they instilled in me a desire to live above average as a Christian, to remember that God's word is still the gold standard no matter what the world may say, and that although total sanctification is not possible this side of Heaven, it should be our goal to continually seek it.

To me, holiness displays itself in various opportunities every single day. One of my friends always says, "Just go do the next right thing," which is a form of holiness. Doing what we know to do when the Lord brings opportunities to do just that. And in our personal lives allowing God to send the strong currents of His spirit to cleanse us literally from all unrighteousness. We're not going to get it 100% right ever, but at least in my own life I could get it right a little more often!

I could go on a literal tangent about the lack of holiness I've encountered just in the past weeks. I think as the world gets handed over to darkness and we approach the last days more and more things that God calls an abomination become common place. Going along with them makes you socially acceptable I'm sure, but it will never make you holy. When God's heart and His best is what drives us on a daily basis to be like Him, the things of this world that clearly go against His standards will never fulfill us. Never. If you're living in sin and sacrificing your relationship with Him for the things of this world then make today the day you draw the line in the sand and refuse, with His help, not to cross it again. It really makes no difference what the world does. If we profess to be Christians and lovers of His law then we are held to that standard and will be judged accordingly.

When we remember that God is holy; when we remember that we are on our best days unworthy; when on the rare occasion we feel touched by the divine who has broken the barriers of Earth and met us where we are, we have found just a glimpse of holiness. And if it is received in the proper spirit it will compel us to let His sweet spirit whisper, "choose holiness."

1 Peter 13-16 (The Message) So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."