Holiness Without Which No One Will See The Lord

(HEBREWS 12:14)

The subject of Holiness is of deep importance to and demands the attention of all professing believers. For it is on our holiness of life unto the Lord and to one another that we will face our own individual judgement (2 Cor 5:10 & Romans 14:12). But thanks be to God for His Son and His redemptive work that we will not face eternal punishment. God knows our every thought, let alone word and deed and that is why the Bible speaks of some of us only just having our salvation (1 Cor 3:15 & 1 Peter 4:18). Now if your conscience and heart are speaking to you then good, for our lives and any Fellowship will be all the better for it. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking ‘he’s having a go’, for we are told to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12-15) so that with God we may become blameless and pure, without fault in a crooked world. Within holiness of life there is always room for improvement (see Matthew 5:48). Only with prayer and consecration will you achieve it.

We have a pretty strong Fellowship and visitors always feel the Spirit’s presence and love within the Fellowship. But the enemy will try and instil spiritual pride taking the glory away from God. What a growing congregation needs is individual growth in holiness of life and then additional souls can be added into the flock by God. We are blessed and going on with the Lord and so this article is about the higher or deeper aspects of spiritual life.

Let us look to the words of Bishop John Charles Ryle – "I have had a deep conviction for many years that practical holiness and entire self-consecration to God are not sufficiently attended to by modern Christians in this country. Politics, or controversy, or party spirit, or worldliness, have eaten out the piety in too many of us. The subject of personal godliness has fallen sadly into the background. The standard of living has become painfully low in many quarters. The immense importance of ‘adoring the doctrine of God our Saviour’ and making it lovely and beautiful by our daily habits and tempers, has been far too much overlooked and sound doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless: it does positive harm… It is my firm impression that we want a thorough revival about scriptural holiness." This was written in 1880 and yet it speaks so clearly to us in the year 2000. As a message based on the Holy Scriptures it is timeless and relevant to every generation.

Here then is a list of the personal, practical and perennial points to living a holy life:-

1. Holiness is the constant habit of being of one mind with God, as revealed and described in the Scriptures.
2. A holy person will endeavour to shun every known sin and keep every known commandment. A renewed mind will have a hearty desire to do His will and have a love for all His ways.
3. A holy person will follow after meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, patience, kind tempers, government of the tongue. Bearing much, forbearing much, overlooking much and be slow to stand on personal rights.
4. A holy person will follow after temperance and self-denial. Labouring to mortify the desires of the body, to crucify the flesh with it’s affections and lusts, to curb passions, to restrain carnal inclination lest they break loose at any time.
5. A holy person will follow after all faithfulness in all the duties and relations in life. Doing everything heartily as unto the Lord (Col 3:23).
6. A holy person will fear the Lord. Reverence for the Lord and also fear of His wrath against sin. To follow after purity of heart, having a dread of all filthiness and uncleanness of spirit and to avoid anything that might draw him/her into it.
   "Who can go to the mountain of the Lord but they who have clean hands and a pure heart.” Psalm 24:4.
7. A holy person will follow after a spirit of mercy and benevolence towards others. To lessen their wants and misery by doing good within their means. To follow after humility desiring a lowliness of mind, esteeming all others before self.
8. A holy person will follow after charity and brotherly kindness. Endeavouring to observe the golden rule of doing as he/she, and speaking as he/she would have others speak to him/her. Being full of affection to others, for when you love one another you have fulfilled the law (Romans 13:18). To abhor all lying, cheating, slandering, backbiting, dishonesty and unfair dealings.
9. Above all a holy person will strive to be like our Lord Jesus. Endeavouring to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:29). To live the life of faith in Him and turning to Him in all situations for strength and peace. To be Christ like in bearing with and forgiving others, to be unselfish, to walk in love, to be lowly minded and humble as our Messiah humbled Himself unto death. To be meek and patient and then when necessary being bold in renouncing sin. To never tire of doing good, to mix at all levels and yet separate from worldly people and worldly views lest they leaven! To continually ask themselves, what would Christ have said and done, if He were in my place?
10. Lastly, a holy person will follow after spiritual-mindedness. Endeavouring to set their affections on things above, and to hold things on earth with a very loose hand. Our treasures are in Heaven, we are a peculiar and chosen people, pilgrims passing through this world to our eternal home. Amen.

Quite a list, but take heart, ‘all things are possible with God.’ (Mark 10:27). No one should feel sad of heart, the Bible tells us to continually improve ourselves and so holiness of life is to be a continual thing for all of us.

From now on I shall not listen to gossip, I shall be an encourager (a Barnabus), where there is a negative spirit, I shall pray for a change and a positive attitude for the individuals concerned. My goal is to be holy in all manner of conversation, for the tongue is the hardest part of the body to tame and control. Leadership and teaching is hard and Scripture tells me that our judgement will be greater (James 3:1). Therefore to God be the glory as our lives are dedicated to His service. Amen.

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