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November 8, 2009 |
| Holiness and Purity | ||
Purity is one part of Holiness. So it would be impossible to be perfectly Holy without being perfectly Pure. But while a non-Christian might be able to achieve a high level of Purity, that person would not be Holy. This is because the other part of Holiness is action; but actions can only be Holy if the actions are guided by the Holy Spirit. So a non-Christian, being without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, cannot achieve Holiness.
While it’s true that to be holy we should stay pure, purity in itself doesn’t make us holy because while we might be clean we could still choose to be unavailable to be the vessel God destined us to be. While we can maintain purity by avoiding the unclean, our holiness is determined by our yielding to God’s purpose for our life. A simplistic example is we can take a shower and keep ourselves clean, but only God can make us like Him! We can even throw away our holiness by being distracted with other things and be unavailable for service.1
We are asked to pursue holiness, because holiness is a process and happens gradually as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit who lives in us and with us. It doesn’t automatically happen and needs effort on our part. And as we let go of things that are profane and unclean and go after the things that are holy and clean, we are pursuing holiness.
14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.(Hebrews 12:14)
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13-16)
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians1:4)
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)
Because little in the world can make us purer, purification and maintaining purity is largely the rejection of the world. Therefore purity is abstinence from some things and careful control of others.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:2,3)
27 For pure and holy ministry before God The Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction, and for a man to keep his soul without defilement from the world. (James 1:27) (Aramaic NT)
3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)
8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Purify your hands, you sinners; sanctify your hearts, doubting souls. (James 4:8) (Aramaic NT)
Chase after that which is pure
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)
13 For God is carefully working in you both to desire and to do that thing which you desire. 14 Do everything without complaining and without division, 15 That you would be perfect and without blemish as purified children of God who dwell in a hard and crooked generation, and appear among them as lights in the world. (Philippians 2:13-15) (Aramaic NT)
Each of God’s children is led by the Holy Spirit toward purification and holiness on a different path. It’s important for each Christian to understand that judging other Christians for things that they do is judging the Holy Spirit. Of course, if the Holy Spirit is guiding and it is done in love, one Christian may help another when a problem is seen.
1 http://www.ngca.org/resources/mlawson/Purity_and_Holiness.pdf