Jim's Jots and Tittles. . .

Holiness

Someone has said that faith is believing that God knows what He is doing. If that is true, we had better be on God's side! And being on God's side is called "holiness."

Paul establishes the basis of our holiness in Colossians 2:6 - "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." And in 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Paul informs them they have been instructed "how you ought to walk and please God." The word walk is translated from a combination of two Greek words. The first means "around" and the second means "to advance by setting foot upon foot." In other words we are to advance in such a way that others around us can see us living in a way that pleases God--that is "holiness."

Consecration, purification, sanctification and holiness all come from the same root word, "holy." Therefore holiness means to be set apart from this world and be dedicated to things that have to do with God and our salvation. Colossians 3:1-3 was written to Christians and it explains how one is to practice "holiness." "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have been died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Notice what is emphasized above:

1. Seek the things above--that is where Christ is.


2. Think on things above--that is wherer Christ is.


3. One has died to an old life and that live is now enclosed with Christ.

Holiness deals with God and eternal things that do matter. Being weak in eternal things that do matter prevents one from walking in "holiness" as Jesus walked. Holiness and its growth separate one further from sin and closer to God. Holiness helps one to decrease the frequency of sin. Holiness helps one to have greater power over temptation. Holiness makes one stronger against the attraction of the world. Holiness increases one's longing for God and a home in heaven. This is the progress of sanctification.

"And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness and truth." (Ephesians 4:24) Paul wrote of this godly life in Romans 13:1 -- "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For ther is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." And in Romans 13:7 he concludes-- "Render to all what is due them; tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." Paul demontrates the godly life when he wrote in Titus 3:1-2 -- "Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration to all men."

So when we have lived sensibly, righteously and godly in this age, we can truly realize that "our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20)

—Jim Hunt