April 22, 2012
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." -- 1Peter 1: 13-16 (NIV)
Chuck Colson once said, "I don't think the job of the church is to make people happy. I think it's to make them holy." Colson, who spent time in prison for his part in the Watergate crime before coming to Christ, passed away this weekend. His legacy on the nature of truly rehabilitating prisoners will last well into the future. I focus however on the quote above because these days there seems to be a distinct move away from holiness teaching within the modern church. Unfortunately, it has become more marketable to preach the blessings God provides than the expectations He has for His church. And never lose sight of the fact that God does expect things from us as believers and as the body of Christ. The mistake being taught today is for the church to look for things from God instead of appreciating what He has already provided. The result is an outward focus where sin is something we abhor in other people but neglect to look at in the mirror.
The Bible is clear however that God calls us individually and collectively to be holy and set apart from the world. There is supposed to be a difference between the church and the world. That difference is supposed to be stark and palpable to those on the outside of salvation looking in. Not in some kind of superior-minded manner but rather in utter humility recognizing that the only righteousness we enjoy comes from being covered in the blood of Jesus Christ. The key verses today remind us that we are to strive to be Christ like. This is not something that is wholly attainable but it is the striving that we often lack. We are to be holy because He is holy. Being holy is not some teaching on legalistic behavior but rather on living a life contrary to the former ignorance we lived in. Because when we lived in the world we conformed to the world. The evil desires that are found in the hearts of man were entertained when we lived in futility. The key verses clearly indicate that the difference between living in conformity to the world or living in conformity to holiness is one of obedience. Simply put -- to live a life of holiness we must start with and end with obedience to the Word of God. It means we refuse to cut corners as the world does. We refuse to compromise as the world does. We stand for something and we do not let anything erode that foundation. We can see however how difficult this is as in our own walks and in the modern church the world does a better job than we do of infiltrating.
So how do we get to that place of striving for holiness instead of allowing compromise? The key verses provide three instructions for us. First and foremost we must prepare our minds for action! We get far too spiritually lazy and complacent in the modern church. We get sidetracked on programs and numbers and lose sight of the ongoing spiritual war we are in. While we are planning the next big play to entertain the saints -- the devil is planning his next great assault on the pastor! Or the council! Or the body of Christ as a whole. Our minds must be better prepared for action. Secondly, we must be self-controlled. The key to obedience is always self control. When the world comes in with the fruit we are not supposed to eat -- we do not even engage in the conversation! God said no and that is good enough for me! Eve lost the battle when she decided it was ok to talk to the enemy! Self-control is a fruit of the spirit that we need to nurture and grow better than we do. Lastly, we need to set our hope fully on the grace God has shown us, which will be revealed when He comes again. Think about that for a second. What has the church been setting its hope on? Earthly prosperity? Greedy politicians that do not care for the cause of Christ? Compromising the Gospel for the sake of cultural relevance? The object for God is not for the church to focus on possessions found on earth but rather in heaven. The object for God is not to put our hope in any man but only in Christ. It is not for the church to become relevant to the dying and disobedient culture but rather to bring people out from the culture of the wide path and into the culture that leads to the narrow gate.
Chuck Colson was right. The church should not be in
the happiness business. It should be in the holiness business. True holiness is
godly prosperity. True holiness is devoid of the politics of man. True holiness
would make the church seek to rescue those in the dying world culture -- not try
to figure out how to fit into it. Set your hope fully on Christ today. Grow the
fruit of self-control. Prepare your minds for action today. Be thou Holy for He
is holy.
Rev. Anthony
