- Is holiness only for the holy?
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gzh89
- October 1st, 2011
This is the second time I am reading Holy Available. Not really the second time because I haven't offiically completed it. But it gives me a new perspective of what God expects of me and us. As what other readers have stated, the first chapter alone is enough to blow you away. But does it stop here? Is holiness just for saying? Is holiness just for the pastors or the 'holy' ones?
No. I guess everyone knows that holiness is for every single person. We are His eyes, mouth, ears, minds, hands, feet and heart to one another and to the rest of the world. We cannot be content to just go through the motions when we can be transformed into His likeness and do the things that need to be done to extend God's kingdom here on Earth.
I learned to see people how Jesus sees them. I try to speak the words Jesus would say to people as if He was their ambassador. And most importantly, I must fill my mind with thoughts from the very mind of God. To be holy available is definitely not something I can ever do with my own strength. I need to be God-empowered. I need to be transformed into God's likeness, day by day, and it starts from the inside: my thoughts, attitudes, values and motives. These inner parts of our hearts that God can see.
Of course, as seen in Chapter 3, we are still in the flesh. As much as we want a life of holiness, we are living under the weight of sin. It feels demoralising at this point, a feeling of being bounced back to reality after 2 ideal chapters. At least it feels demoralising for me when I read chapter 3. But then again, I thank God that I draw hope and strength in Jesus. He saved me and I was declared righteous by His work on the cross. To live a life of holiness, I must "put off my old self". Yes, this doesn't sound easy at all and it takes effort on my part to take up my cross DAILY and follow Jesus. There is no instant and effortless path to holiness. It is painful. But I take faith in God that I will eventually be santified, not by my own efforts, but through faith in His grace! :)