IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE? “…as He who called you IS HOLY, you also BE HOLY in all your conduct, because it is written, “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) God said, “Speak…and say: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)
Holiness relates to who we are related to. It comes by being conformed to the image of Christ, come what may. To be holy means to be SET APART or SEPARATE FROM SIN AND EVIL. God is holy—completely separate from everything that is evil, “God is light and in Him is NO DARKNESS (no evil, no sin, only holiness) at all.” (1 John 1:5). God calls us to be holy, just as He is (1 Peter 1:16), but it’s vital to understand that APART FROM GOD THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. We must have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and filling us with His holiness. We can only live a holy life through THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT; thus, the first step to living a holy life is to accept Jesus as Savior.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME before Him in love…In Him we have REDEMPTION (apolutrōsis: we are release from sin’s punishment effected by payment of ransom, Christ’s death on the cross) THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:3-7)
OK, so, how do we do this? “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT YOUR BODIES a living sacrifice, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, which is your reasonable service. And do not be CONFORMED (suschēmatizō: the same pattern as everyone else) to this world but be TRANSFORMED (metamorphoō: to be divinely changed into a Christ like form) by the RENEWING (regenerating) of your mind, that you MAY PROVE what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2) This happens when we are SANCTIFIED! “…you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11) “For this is THE WILL OF GOD, your sanctification…” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
How do we get sanctified? If you’re having difficulty with any kind if addictions drug, swearing, lying, bad temper any kind of action that would be displeasing to God, Just ASK HIM to sanctify you! It’s not taught much today BUT…
WE CANNOT LIVE HOLY UNLESS WE ARE SANCTIFIED!!!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham