Pursuing Holiness

Today I began going to a women's bible study at my church. We are studying a book by J. C. called The Pursuit of Holiness. It was such a blessing to me, to be surrounded by other women who love the Lord. We talked about how as Christians we have been delivered from the power of sin and are no longer slaves to it (Romans 6:1-12). It was refreshing to think about the implications of that, and convicting as well because although we have been freed from the power of sin, we still dwell in this body of flesh. This body of flesh in which, Paul tells us, dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18-25; Gal 5:16-17). So it's so easy to slip into this mediocre moralistic life in which outwardly we seem to be doing plenty good works and trying to be good, but inwardly we've become complacent and no longer actively pursue holiness. We justify our sin, succumb to temptation and try to excuse it. We talked about how our desires play such an important part in us succumbing to sin and temptation.(Tit 3:3, James 1:14-15, Eph 4:20-21)

So it gave me a lot to think about. In psalm 139:23-24 David asks the Lord to search his heart, but how many times do we search our heart, or ask God to search our hearts? maybe we don't because we know what we will find in there. But that is why remembering that we have been freed from the power of sin and Satan becomes so important, so crucial. Because it reminds us that we can say NO to sin, it reminds us that we should be daily seeking to honor and glorify God, it reminds us that God's mercies are NEW every morning, it reminds us that we are not alone in this battle, that we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us who empowers us with the gospel, it reminds us that we have an advocate in Christ Jesus. It reminds us that we are to pursue holiness actively and that our desire should be to glorify God in all that we do. God has commanded us to be holy as He is holy.

So knowing this should lead us to repentance and trust in the work that Christ accomplished at the cross of Calvary and joy for how God has loved us(Romans 5:8).