HOLINESS

What is personal holiness? Some seem to think that it is a dark, depressed, dismal life - devoid of all joy - but nothing could be further from the truth! Personal holiness is a joyful life, regulated by God's truth as found in a plain reading of the Bible. A commitment to personal holiness means that after God changes us from rebels to friends, we now have a new mission - obedience. God has given us direct orders in His Word and He requires that we obey Him perfectly, without arguing or complaining. Anything less is treason against our Commander and detrimental to co-workers serving around us. As we delight ourselves in God, we will also rejoice in repentance from sin. These two things - delighting and rejoicing - are our right and left feet. So keep walking! Because God has set me apart as His special possession, I can live a transformed life of holy service. Because God has commanded me to grow in grace and obedience, I will look to Christ's perfect example as my standard for holiness. Because God expects me to have an active role in my spiritual growth, I will delight to submit to His Spirit and His Word. Because the Triune God is fully committed to enabling His people to live a new life, I can trust that no detour can keep me from completing my spiritual journey. Because God has always commanded obedience to His law by the power of His grace, I will reject neither God's law nor God's grace as the means to my holiness. Because God calls us to thoughtful, purposeful, intentional living, I will regularly practise spiritual disciplines. Because God promises to reward those who obey Him, I will love God boldly and expect a life producing spiritual fruit. [From: Discover GOD Study Bible, NLT, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois, 2007].