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All are born as Sinners but a few become holy by
the Grace of God. God commands his people to
become holy. Since God commands us to be holy, it must be possible to live holy
if we are for it.
God, the creator of the
universe, is holy and righteous. He is impartial towards Jews and Gentiles or
Christians and Non-Christians. As a human being we are all born as sinners.
But God wants to promote us as sons/daughters and to be joint heirs with Jesus
Christ so that we inherit the kingdom of heaven. "Luke
12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Romans 8:17 And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ..."
Most Christians think this status is free for the
asking. But there is a pre-requisite for this privilege that we must
become holy as he is holy.
Holiness is not our physical
capability, but it is the conduct of morality which is the fruit of godly
purpose. Even though,
holiness is just the opposite of our natural
instincts, it is possible for us to build our godly purpose in life by
the grace of God in order to attain holiness. Grace is not a free pass to
heaven. But, it will change us so that we may live a holy life. The reward for
holy living is the inheritance in heaven.
Isaiah 6:3 tells of the seraphims in worship:
"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
The same is told in
"Rev 4:8:
… they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty..."
It seems that even though God has unique power attributes of omnipotence,
omnipresence and omniscience he has more regard for his character attribute of
holiness, which every person can have. Nobody can attain his power attributes.
So, instead of demanding a power attribute, God requires us to be holy as
he is holy.
Our Lord God asks us to be
holy. Most of us think that it is impossible for humans to live a holy life.
Some of us challenge the idea of a man becoming holy without even realizing that
God is the one asking us to be holy. Critics even say that nobody was shown to
have lived a holy life in the Bible. With the understanding that everyone was
born a sinner, with the exception of Jesus Christ, the following references
demonstrate that people have lived and are now living holy lives.
God
has brought the scriptures through holy men. They were ordinary men lived a holy
life and were used of God. "Acts
3:21 ---, God hath spoken by the mouth of all
his holy prophets .... 2 Pet 1:21
--- holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost."
The apostles are holy. Ordinary
fishermen, a tax collector etc, became disciples and were promoted as apostles.
They became holy. "Eph
3:5 … it is now revealed unto his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit; Rev
18:20 …, and ye holy apostles and prophets;
for God hath avenged you on her."
Apostle Paul and workers were
living a holy life. "1Thes
2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how
holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that
believe:"
Jesus Christ is coming again to
receive those that are holy (both dead and alive). If the second coming of Jesus
Christ is certain, it can also be certain there are holy people on earth waiting
for his coming. Rev 20:6
says, "Blessed and
holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:"
If these people have lived a
holy life and some of us are living a holy life now, it is possible that the
rest of us also can live a holy life. Every society has an acceptable standard
for living, also known as moral standards or laws. How an individual lives
within the confines of the standards becomes his character. God’s standard for
everyone is to have holiness for character. God is neither male nor female. He
is Spirit. God has created man and woman in his image. However, the physical
body of man or woman is not the image of God, but it is the soul and the
spirit. If our physical body dominates the soul and the spirit, we cannot live
a holy life. However, if our spirit and soul dominate our life, it is possible
that we live a holy life and we can have character similar to God.
God is calling his people to be
holy as he is holy. "Lev
11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out
of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am
holy. (Additional reference Lev 19:2)
With human nature, it is impossible for us to be holy. But it is possible with
the grace of God. So, let us receive grace of God and let us become holy.
1 Pet 1:13 Wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace
that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning
yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 because it
is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." Grace of God is granted
to us through the revelation of Jesus Christ to enable us to be holy.
Most Christians think that Jesus of Nazareth is God and Jesus Christ is a man.
Seldom Christians know when and how the begotten Son was born. If we receive
grace by the revelation of Jesus Christ, if we cannot live holy life without
grace, we better study the word of God humbly and prayerfully in order to
receive the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Holy life starts as we detach
ourselves from the source of sin. Then we shall become the children of God and
holiness shall become a way of life. "2
Cor 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you, 18
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty. 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God."
Churches contain both good seed and tares. Godly people are wheat and
worldly people are tares. This is told through a parable in
Matt 13:24-30, 36-43.
Godly people will strive for holiness, but others will not. Wheat
Christians will continue in the Word of God, become
disciples, know the truth and be converted into new persons, who follow Jesus
Christ. John 8:31
says, Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples
indeed; 32 And
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The freedom Jesus refers to here is the freedom from sin, which is also the
freedom to live a holy life.
"James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you."
"1 Peter
2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should
follow his steps: 22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness…"
Jesus Christ has lived a holy life in order to
leave a sample life for us so that we follow his foot steps and become holy. He
died for us so that we, being dead to sins, live unto righteousness,
which is a holy life.
We are all born as sinners.
However, we must be holy in order to meet Jesus Christ at his second coming.
Becoming holy is a process and the duration depends on our commitment,
determination and dedication. False Christians (Tare) believe in some ceremony
for instant holiness, which is counterfeit. But, true Christians (Wheat) join
the process to become holy. They will grow in God as they will become holy.
Let us see how this process works in the light of the Word of God.
Let us first accept the fact
that we are born with an instinct to sin and we commit sin. We must decide
never to justify our sin. This is the beginning of the process. Now, God’s
plan for us is to redeem us from the bondage of this sinning instinct. "1 John
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John
2:1 My little children, these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not."
If we repent and confess our
sins to God with broken heart and contrite spirit God will forgive all our sins
that were committed in the past. "Rom
3:25 ... for the remission of sins that are
past … Psa 34:18
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as
be of a contrite spirit.1John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Further he will
clean us from all unrighteousness, which is the unjust aptitudes, so that we
will not sin again. However, after when we are delivered from the bondage of
sin, we should not forget that we were sinners in the past. This does not
mean that we will continue to sin. "1John
1:10 If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
But those who continue to sin are of the
devil. 1John
3:8 He that committeth
sin is of the devil."
True believers love God and
obey his commandments. But, Christians who do not obey God also say that they
love God. Some of them boastfully say that they know him. But God says they
are liars. "John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments…
21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he
it is that loveth me:… 24
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know
him, if we keep his commandments. 4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth
his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
hereby know we that we are in him." Those
who love God are in him, which means they abide in him.
"1John 2:6
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also
so to walk, even as he walked." Many
Christians have learned to say flowery words without living a godly life. But,
if we say we abide in God we must prove it through our holy life.
God gives ministers to the
Church so that they may lead the saints (wheat) in holiness that is similar to
that of Jesus Christ.
"Eph 4:11 And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers; 12
For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ.".
However, God gives caution about false workers. They
will teach that Jesus Christ will deposit his holiness into your account since
you cannot live holy. Worldly Christians (tares) follow them.
God
gives gifts of the Holy Spirit to believers of
the Church for their spiritual profit. "1Cor
12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal. 8
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of
wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to
another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the
working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues: 11 But
all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will." However, manifestations of gifts are not proof
for godliness since God gives these gifts even to rebellious (disobedient)
people. "Psalm
68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led
captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for
the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Eph 4:8 … When he
ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."
Rebellious men use the gifts and the name of God for
their own profit and glory. They are false preachers.
Grace never takes a sinning person to heaven. But grace will convert a person
from sinning to holy living, which is saving from sin.
"Eph 2:2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we
all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the
children of wrath, even as others. 4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace
ye are saved;)" These people are saved
from sinning and living holy lives by the grace of God.
"Eph
2:10... we are his workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that
we should walk in them. Eph 4:24
…ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness. Eph 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame…"
We are God’s workmanship created in righteousness and
holiness without blame so that we should live holy life. For this purpose God
has chosen us in Christ Jesus even before the foundation of the world.
We are born in the body of
flesh. God tells us that we must be born of the spirit.
"John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord, that is when
we accept to obey his commandments, God gives us the spirit of man so
that we are born of the spirit. "John
1:12 But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, … 13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Now,
the spirit that we just received desires the things against the flesh. We
should put the flesh down and lift up the spirit. It is hard work.
"Romans 8:1…
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit... 4
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit.…
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you…13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
But, it is easier said than done. We stagger in spite
of the help of the spirit of man and the Holy Spirit.
Our
perfect obedience will lead us to the abiding of the Holy Spirit, the Father and
the Son. "John
14:17… the
Spirit of truth… for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you…
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a
man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we
will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
We
find it very hard to obey his commandments. But God seems to think it is easy.
"1John 5:3
… his commandments are not grievous. 4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh…" The key is that if we
love him enough to follow him or rather come to him, then Jesus will do the
rest. "Matt 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I
am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light." Jesus Christ
will teach us how to obey if we are willing to learn of him. He says it is
easy. Believe him. Trust him. He will guide us.
Eph
5:25 says,
"Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word, 27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
Here, washing of the water by the word means
that God will purify his saints by his word. That is, Jesus reveals his word to
them and they follow and become holy without blame.
We
can live holy through Jesus Christ. "Gal
2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: …
21 I do not frustrate
the grace of God: …" Here, the
abiding of Christ in the believer is the grace of God.
However, this abiding should be verified. "1John
3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not:
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him….
9 Whosoever is born of
God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God." If
Jesus Christ lives in us then he is living our lives. If he lives our lives,
then we will not sin because he will not sin. Thus, we will live a holy life.
Most
of us believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ. But, without holiness we
cannot see him. "Heb
12:14 … holiness, without which no man shall see
the Lord." Those who believe in his coming
should strive to be pure as Jesus is pure in order to receive his glory.
"1John 3:2…
when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he
is. 3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure." Then we will become holy and
inherit God’s kingdom. "Rev
21:9… Come hither, I will shew thee the bride,
the Lamb's wife… 11
Having the glory of God." God’s mercy joins
us and his grace ordains us in the school of holiness.
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