Rediscovering Holiness
Feb. 14, 2008

Rediscovering Holiness

Holiness. What a strange word. Sounds a little fanatical. What does it even mean? As a teenager, I would have answered that question, "No dancing, no drinking, no movies. Read your Bible in the morning, pray every day, and you'll be fine. The rules are clear. Keep them and thou shalt be pronounced holy."

My idea of holiness, however, didn't stay that simple. During my twenties, I saw many of those rules for "How to Be the World's Best Christian" cited as examples of legalism by fellow Christians. After all, didn't King David dance before God (2 Samuel 6:14)? And didn't Jesus turn water to wine at a wedding (John 2:1-11)? As I began to consider these things, my perspective on holiness started to change.

For example, as a young mom, I felt relieved to learn God didn't require a specific time for devotions, such as first thing in the morning. With my new freedom I soon went from feeling guilty if I missed my morning quiet time to often going to bed without having spent any time with God that day. How easy it was to slide from legalism to license!

Yet, in the midst of my liberation, unease gnawed at my soul. If holiness only meant keeping certain rules and now the rules were gone, was the idea of holiness extinct? If not, what did it mean to be holy without being legalistic? Was such a thing possible?

(Click on the link above to keep reading.)

1 Peter 1:13-16 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Leviticus 22:31-32 "So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the LORD. And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”

Ezekiel 36:27-28 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Psalm 119:9-10 “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!”

Romans 12:1-2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
 

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This is a great article! As a kid I walked the rope between two worlds, the fundamental legalistic one and the ultra liberal church world (based on which family member I was with at the time). I could easily find myself becoming judgmental and self righteous without a shred of holiness whatsoever!

I am glad I was delivered from both worlds!

amlp311 - 1:35 PM - Feb. 14, 2008

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good post

I know I am too busy when I come back to your blog and see that I've missed a million posts. =)
I liked this one on holiness. I must admit I struggle with legalism, except I tend to lean toward it, swinging too far that way after having swung far too far the other way in my 20's. oh to find a nice comfortable balance of being Genuine in my pursuit of purity. and not holding others to my own standards of what I think that is. sigh. Maybe my life will be too far left in my 20's, too far right in my 30's and in the right place in my 40's. One can hope!!
Keep up your great blogging...
In Him
Jennifer

HisPoiema - 8:53 PM - Feb. 22, 2008

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