The Necessity of Holiness

One of the major problems in the contemporary church in America is a lack of personal holiness. The following quote from Bishop Foster explains the importance of holiness to both God and us:

"In the university of heaven, whose president is God, and whose catalog is the Bible, the course of study is plainly laid down. We may say without fear of successful contradiction that God's Word has majored on holiness! It breathes in the prophecy, thunders in the law, murmurs in the narrative, whispers in the promises, supplicates in the prayers, sparkles in the poetry, resounds In the songs, speaks In the types, glows in the imagery, voices In the language, and burns In the spirit of the whole scheme, from alpha to omega, from its beginning to its end. Holiness! holiness needed, holiness required, holiness offered, holiness attainable, holiness a present duty, a present privilege, a present enjoyment, is the progress and completeness of its wondrous theme. It is the truth glowing all over, welling all through revelation, the glorious truth which sparkles and whispers and sings and shouts In all its history, and biography, and poetry, and prophecy and precept and promise and prayer, the great central truth of Christianity."

How often do you hear messages about holiness? Why do you think there is such a lack of stressing personal holiness? Who do you think is most pleased: Jesus or Satan?