Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The Duty To Be Holy

The Scriptures command us to be holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16 says: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." The Bible commands us to be holy in every aspect of our lives. We are to have no secret compartments or doors exempt from His control. Samuel L. Brengle wrote in Heart Talks on Holiness the following:

"Finally holiness is a state of conformity to the divine nature. God is love and there is a sense in which a holy man can be said to be love. He is like God, not in God's natural perfection of power and wisdom and knowledge and omnipresence, but in patience, humility, self-control, purity of heart and love. As the drop out of the ocean is like the ocean not in its bigness but in it's essence so is the holy soul like God. As the branch is like the vine, not in its self-sufficiency, but in its nature its sap, it's fruitfulness, its beauty, so is he that is holy like God.

This is unspeakable blessing is provided for us by our compassionate Heavenly Father through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is received through a complete renunciation of all sin, an uttermost consecration to all the known will of God, importunate prayer, and child-like faith. Fifteen years ago I obtained this crowning blessing of the gospel through the conscious incoming of the Holy Spirit when I believed, after weeks of earnest seeking. Bless God! He still abides with me and my peace and joy increase and abound. Many have been my afflictions, and fierce and perplexing and prolonged have been my temptations, but with a daredevil faith I have pressed on, claiming victory through the Blood, testifying to what I claimed by faith, and proving day by day this grace to be sufficient while the path shines more and more unto the perfect day. Glory be to God for ever!"

We are to seek holiness the way we would look for our lost car keys. If we lost our car keys, the finding of them would be a top priority. We would not make excuses or delay. We would seek until we were successful in obtaining what was lost. Through Adam we lost our holiness in the Garden of Eden; through the blood of Jesus at Calvary we may find holiness again. Seek holiness until you have obtained the blessing of being perfect in love for both God and your fellow man.

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