What Does It All Mean?

Holiness. Google defines holiness as the state of being holy or a life totally devoted to God. The Greek form is ἁγιασμός pronounced hagiasmos. Strong's Concordance defines holiness as the process of being or becoming set apart. That's all well and good but what does that have to do with us? 

I grew up in a baptist church with no idea of holiness or sanctification. I thought that holiness was simply a quality of God. When I entered high school I began to attend a Nazarene church and the word sanctification started to pop up. We were called to be Holy. The bible calls us to this. 1 Peter 1:13-`16 says 

 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

My mind was blown at the possibility that I could become holy. Not only should I become holy but I should strive towards it. The big question now was how? What does it mean to "not conform to the evil desires" I had? Galatians 5:19-21 lays out exactly what these evil desires are.

"19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

In my life how was I going to be holy? How was I going to cast off these sins that so easily entangle? I couldn't do it on my own. I don't know about you but I need to know what should be in my life and not just what I need to avoid. Galatians goes on to tell us just what you should find in a life dedicated to holiness.

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self- control. Against such things there is no law."

In my humanity I am not strong enough to do all of this. I do not have the strength to avoid all of my evil desires but God gives us the strength when we fully rely on him. We are called to be holy but we do not have to be holy on our own. 

Sin is something that confronts us all. We all struggle with parts of our life that we simply wish weren't there. Whether it is a filthy mouth or talking about someone behind there back. Whether our sin is obvious like murder or maybe just selfishly desiring what someone else has been blessed with. Each one of us struggles within ourselves. 

For a very long time I felt like Holiness was the destination that I would some day arrive at but in it's very basic definition it is a journey. This blog is about my journey towards living a life fully devoted to Christ. Paul sums up how I have come to feel nicely in Philippians 3: 12-14.

 "12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

This blog came to life after I read a book called "Life in a Fish Bowl" during my years of ministry. It was all about how as a Pastor or a Pastor's family we are constantly judged at a certain level. We have to live a life of integrity and are often called to a much higher standard.

While this is such a struggle for most people I realize this is how we should want to live our lives. My high school Soccer coach drilled into our heads that integrity was living the same way even if no one is looking. This is what I want for my life. I want to be the same person in my home as I am out on the public stage.

This grand adventure should point to a life of holiness. A life of striving to be set apart for the ministry of the gospel of Christ. Living a holy life is becoming a servant. It's going above and beyond for everyone in the way that Christ did for us. This is the way I want to live my life. I want to live a life of transparent holiness. I want people to see in me that I am striving to be like Christ in everything I do.

"Holiness" www.google.com, 2016, accessed August 15, 2016.

Bible Hub, 2014-2016, biblehub.com/greek/38.htm, accessed August 15, 2016.

1 Peter 1: 13-16; Galatians 5: 19-23; Philippians 3:12-14, 2011, biblegateway.com, accessed August 15, 2016