Pursue Holiness

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness,

without which no one will see the Lord…

                                Hebrews 12:14 

     A.W. Tozer writes, “God’s people have been called to a destiny of being conformed to the spiritual image of the Son. If we hope to enter into His spiritual life, we must get past the desert and into the promised land of inheritance. There is no other place of spiritual abundance…We are commanded to pursue holiness.”

     Pursue, chase after, run it down like a bird dog after quail. Unbelievers will never be drawn to accept Christ as the Savior if believers do not demonstrate the godly character that God requires—commands. “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44)

     Somewhere in time our generation of Christians seems to have decided that God wants us to be happy, healthy, wealthy and at rest on this earth. Many have fallen for the “prosperity” gospel rather than the pursuit of “holiness” as commanded by our Heavenly Father.

     The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that the pursuit of peace goes hand in hand with the pursuit of holiness. That means there will be times when we do not get our way! Why, because in our pursuit of holiness, we will develop a purity of heart that will continue to increase as our selfish nature decreases.

     We have learned to live with the unholy in our society. We meet it on the street, hear it on the radio, see it on the television and come face to face with it in our everyday interaction with others. Perhaps, at least in some small way, we have become desensitized to the ungodliness of our times—an ungodliness that would have made our parent's and grandparent's generations run for cover. If we dare speak openly against sin, we are called bigots, intolerant and names I will neither say nor write.

     Our position in Christ is to rise above the fray of the media madness that is blitzing our world and pursue the holiness of God; no matter the cost. If we do not tell the world, who will? If we do not live in pursuit of holiness, who will? If we do not pursue peace with all people, who will?

     There is none like God. But, ours is a clear command. “Be holy, because I am holy.” Pursue holiness, chase after it, as my grandpa would say, like your tail is on fire. Run toward God! His Holy Spirit, living inside you, will generate the power. Day by day, move forward towards holiness. When you fall down, get up! When you lag behind, fuel yourself with more of the Word of God! When you forget, remember the words of the writer of Hebrews, “Pursue…holiness, without which no one will see God.”

    

©JP 2013