 In
the last entry we have establish that God who is Holy calls for his followers to
also be holy, but what does it mean to be holy and how does this quest for
holiness effect the beleivers life? The first thing we need to understand is
exactly what holiness is and what it is not. In the most general of terms to be
holy means to be set apart, to be separated from something else. Here is the
Websters defination of holy.
1. Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral
sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and
sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly
pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less
holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil
dispositions. We call a man holy,when his heart is conformed in some degree to
the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence,
holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly.
2. Hallowed; consecrated or set apart to a sacred use,
or to the service or worship of God; a sense frequent in Scripture; as the holy
sabbath; holy oil; holy vessels; a holy nation; the holy temple; a holy
priesthood.
3. Proceeding from pious principles,or directed
to pious purposes; as holy zeal.
4. Perfectly just and good; as the holy law of
God.
5. Sacred; as a holy witness.
Now based off of this definition what does holiness mean
to a believer and are there various degrees or stages of holiness? The truth is
that there are (4) steps or degrees of holiness or sanctification (same word
used interchangably in the Bible). There is the pre-conversion sanctification
where God has set this person. There is the positional sanctification of
a person that the experience on the moment of conversion. There is the
practical or progressive step of sanctification where the beleiver is being
transform, set apart and his moral character is being conformed to the image of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and finally there is the perfect sanctification
when the believer has died and now stands before God as being presented
blameless by Christ Jesus.
Now which one of these can the believer have an effect
might be the next question? The first one pre conversion man cannot have any
effect on. God choses whom he chooses and has mercy upon whom he has mercy. This
person might be sanctified by his believing spouce as told to us in the
scripture and while they are set apart that doesn't mean they are saved. Bottom
line it is God's work and God's choosing. The next is postional sanctification
which occurs upon conversion and while a person does have more or less a part in
the salvation process the person is santified by the shed blood of Jesus Christ
and thus has no real part in this process either. Then there is the practical or
progressive and this is where man through his choices and his actions have the
greatest influence and much is said about this part of the process. Lets look at
them and while man certainly makes choices we must never forget it is the Holy
Spirit that is working in us and throgh us in the process of personal
progressive sanctification or holiness.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual
immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy,
fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and
things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live
by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:19-25)
If you were asked which list describes you the most
which one would it be? Would your testimony be one of anger, clamour, sexual
immorality, impurity or would your life be laced with evidence of love, joy,
peace, patience and all of the other fruits of the spirit? Wherever you stand in
this list would give you the best idea of whether your are live as a carnal
Christian or one who is growing and conforming to the image of the Lord, in
other words being more Christ Like? Who do you think will have more of an
effect on the world, the unbeliever and his fellow brothers and sisters in
Christ? Those who are more like the world or more like Christ?
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I think the Christian who will have the largest effect on the world is the Christian who has a testimony that includes a life indicated in the first part of the text, but who has changed and now lives a life indicated in the second part of the text.
