In our book, The Playbook, we wrote:
"Holiness. Such a scary word in today’s times. In the progressive, afraid-to-death-of-being-called-a-legalist modern churchgoer’s mind, it might conjure up images of frumpy looks, sad faces, wooden chairs, mean men with beards, being in church every day, horse- drawn buggies, and basically, boring lives. Don’t laugh. You know it’s true! About the last thing we want to do is examine our lives for those things that might not please God and remove them. Anyone who has studied the Bible even a little bit with reasonable interpretive skill, knows that we cannot do, think, say, wear or watch whatever we want. God is holy and He calls us to be holy. We can fuss all day about legalism, but holiness is not legalism. Striving to obey God is an honor and privilege. The antinomianism of today’s culture, and sadly, segments of the church as well, is crippling not only to a well-ordered society, but also to the preaching of the Gospel itself. Again, it is the declaring of the Law of God that makes way for the good news and grace God offers in Jesus."
Friends, the need to return to the Scriptures in every area of life, including our practical, day-to-day pursuit of holiness is off the scale. How did we get to the point where sin and blatant disobedience to Scripture became okay because of grace? Does grace mean we forgo the pursuit of holiness?
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-14, KJV)
Grace teaches! The mercy of God should make us WANT to live in righteousness. How our lives would be different if we feared God!
I would encourage the reader, "...he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." (1 Pet 1:15-16, KJV)
God's ways are best. His ways are wise, and as a result, "they are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." (Pro 3:17)
Want more pleasantness and peace? Reestablish holiness. It is the Kingdom Lifestyle.
