17 November 2016

THE CALL TO HOLINESS

By John Ollis

I had my attention drawn to 1 Thess. 4:7 this week            God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives NLT.
For God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives AMP N.T.
God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkept life but into something holy and beautiful, as beautiful on the inside as the outside MESSAGE.
There is much emphasis these days on that glorious aspect of truth that we have been “declared holy & righteous” that is our position in Christ, but we need to make it EXPERIENTIAL.
Here Paul is telling us we have a unique and special CALLING as a Believer

BUT ARE GOD’S PEOPLE LISTENING?

We read often in the Scriptures HE THAT HATH EARS LET HIM HEAR,  why aren’t God’s people listening and hearing and obeying ? Is there spiritual wax in our ears that has caused us to be deaf to the voice of God? Do they hear, but look around and see fellow believers not heeding God’s voice and so reject it ?

As well as the emphasis on being declared holy, there is an overemphasis on the grace of God, I love John Piper’s statement:

GRACE IS SIMPLY NOT LENIENCY WHEN WE HAVE SINNED, GRACE IS THE ENABLING GIFT OF GOD NOT TO SIN, GRACE IS POWER NOT JUST PARDON.

Sadly, I think some who call themselves believers (because a preacher has told them they are now a Christian because they prayed a prayer) are not born again at all.

Hebrews 12:10 tell us we must be PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS, The writer suggests that God chastens us to improve our spiritual appetite for holiness. We are not babies that must be fed, we must learn to feed ourselves and make deliberate choices to partake.

ARE YOU HUNGRY TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE?

Again the writer to Hebrews challenges us to PURSUE HOLINESS WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD (12;10) NKJV.

Other translations STRIVE, WORK AT IT, MAKE EVERY EFFORT.

WE MUST BE PROACTIVE IN OUR SEEKING TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE.

WHAT WILL MAKE OUR SEEKING EASIER?

It won’t happen until we learn to daily re-affirm Jesus is the Lord of our lives, He must be the  Lord, the Boss, the Master, the King, the Ruler, the owner of our lives. That is our part.

WHAT IS GOD’S PART?

1 Peter 1:23 tells us we have been born again having received the incorruptible seed (sperma) which lives and abides for ever of God  NKJV Look at the MESSAGE  and AMPLIFIED translations.

WE HAVE GOD’S DNA

So there should be a overwhelming desire to live a holy life, all we need to do it, has been made available to us, we must make the decision, every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year until Jesus comes or we are ushered into His presence, I will PROACTIVELY:

Listen to God’s call to live a holy life

I will daily partake of His holiness

I will take every aspect of my inheritance in Christ, and nor makes excuses that I can’t do it , but declare  by God’s grace I can do it,  For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I encourage and challenge you TO MOVE TO A NEW LEVEL OF HOLINESS AND PURITY, and remember to give Jesus all the praise and the glory, for “without Him we can do nothing”.