BE HOLY: A Command, Not a Suggestion

We really have no excuse for not living a holy life if we claim to be sons and daughters of the Most High God. Yet, when people who call themselves Christians engage in behaviors that we have been called to abstain from, we cannot complain if we are living less than the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10b, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Some people feel this means financial prosperity. I do not think Jesus meant that at all. It does not preclude financial prosperity, for Job was an extremely wealthy man. There have been, and are, too many people who undergo martyrdom who have never been wealthy in the ways of the world, but in the Spirit of God they have demonstrated a love of Jesus that can sustain them through all the vicissitudes of life – those people live an abundant life also. They are children of God and have spiritual wealth untold. They have shalom, the peace of God in all things. That is living the abundant life in Christ. Many Christians are living less than the abundant life. Many have been deluded by the culture we live in – through music, movies, television, computers, and other electronic media. We are more apt to take on the mores of our culture than adhere to God’s principles for living an abundant life filled with His love, joy, and peace. The question then becomes, “Where have we gone wrong?” It is very easy to place blame on the society we live in, pastors of churches, a decrease in Biblical teaching and preaching, instead of taking personal inventory and looking at ourselves and our heart values. We forget to ask ourselves if we are abiding in Christ Jesus as John 15:4-5 says we are to do. Jesus says that if we abide in him, then we will produce fruit, in fact the Father (gardener) will “prune us so we will be even more fruitful.” The problem with many Christians today is they are trying to live on the fence. They want the fruit of the Spirit, but they also still want to indulge the flesh. We do not fix our eyes totally and completely on Christ Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2 that it is we, ourselves, who need to “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Paul goes on to tell us that we, ourselves, must “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.” Paul and Peter both wrote on the importance of holy living. We do not have to wear certain clothes, cut, or not cut, our hair or wear it in a certain way to be holy. But we do have to submit ourselves to God, the Gardener, who will prune away all things that are not pleasing about us in His sight. He created us. He sets the standards, and He is more than willing to prepare us to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth, and to win the crown of life in the next world. We owe our lives, our very being to God our Father. How can we not come, sit at His feet and learn of Him so as to know His ways. My prayer as you read these pages is that you will fall more in love with Jesus and “Become holy, because I the LORD your God, am holy.” This is not a journey that we take alone. Leviticus 20:7-8 tells us that we need to “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.” Praise be to the One who makes us holy as He is holy! A suggested format for reading this book is to read and reflect on each chapter and study the surrounding scriptures noted in each chapter. This can be done by oneself, or a group of people, and spending at least one week per chapter. An additional suggestion is that each person keep a journal nearby and record what the Holy Spirit is speaking as you read and study.