A Call to Holy Living
by Ronnie Hewitt
“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, whoever disregards this instruction, disregards not man but God, Who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” – (1 Thes. 4:7-8; ESV)
A proper perspective of one’s self fosters sound judgment in the way one lives; this begins with one’s surrender and submission to Jesus. However, an enlarged ego clouds our judgment.
God desires that every believer lead a righteous life. 2 Tim. 2:22 says, “Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (ESV)
Becoming the person God planned for each of us to be requires an intimate relationship with Him and the desire to obey His word. Apart from Jesus, we can’t achieve anything of lasting value (John 15:5).
“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 Pet. 1:15-16).
Our Father sees beyond our human frailties to the potential we have in Christ. Because we were made in His image and His Spirit dwells in us, we have a greater capacity for spiritual transformation and service than we could imagine. Seek to become the person God desires for you to be. Holy is the way God is. To be holy, He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard. It is His very Nature. He is unique in his Holiness. Because He is holy, all His attributes are holy. Now, in the most basic meaning of the word “holy,” “sanctify” “means to separate from the world and to consecrate or dedicate to God. It is the pursuit of a life so fully surrendered to fellowship with Christ, day by day, that the inner spirit and outward expression are ruled by the Spirit of Christ.
Family, God is much more concerned about our character than our career, because it is our character that we will take into eternity – not our career. Jesus did not die on the cross so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives here on earth. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like Himself. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny. The true Christian ideal is not to be happy but to be holy. The whole purpose of God in redemption is to make us holy and to restore us to the image of God. Holiness is a deliberate choice we make to separate ourselves from this world and live with a focus on our eternal destiny.