Relgiousness and Holiness

Do you see yourself as someone who is striving for and pursuing holiness?

In this world, there is a tendency to become cultural Christians, rather than holy Christians. Holiness is foundational to being a Christian, without it there is no transformation and you plateau. The difference between religiousness and holiness is this; religiousness is wearing the coat of Christianity, where holiness is living the life of Christianity.

J.I. Packer in  "Discovering Holiness" says this: "This is not a trend that one would have expected, since Scripture insists so strongly that Christians are called to holiness, that God is pleased with holiness but outraged by unholiness, and that without holiness none will see the Lord. But the shift of Christian interest away from the pursuit of holiness to focus on fun and fulfillment, ego-massage, and techniques for present success, and public issues that carry no challenge to one's personal morals, is a fact. To my mind it is a sad and scandalous fact, and one that needs to be reversed."

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Charles Colson in "Loving God" says this "Holiness is the everyday business of every Christian. It evidences itself in the decisions we make and the things we do hour by hour, and day by day."

God wants the Bible to be a mirror for our lives!

James 1:22-25 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.