“But now being made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness,
and the end everlasting life.” – Romans 6:22
The call to a holy life is found throughout the
Word of God. From the beginning, we were
created in God’s image and gifted fellowship with Him. His holiness was manifested towards us and our
sin separated us from that noble estate.
Sin separates us from God, but holiness unites us. The redemption back to full fellowship with
the Father is available through the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, the archetype of holiness, the
example, the lamb that was slain, the Savior and sanctifier. He brought holiness back to mankind.
Through the line of time the word
holiness has taken on a different connotation.
It is more so thought of when describing certain religious figures such
as the Pope or the Deli Lama. It is not
ascribed to practical religion, certainly not thought of in relation to
personal salvation. The reality of it
is….is that holiness is a reality. When
you Google the definition of holiness you find there on your screen “the state
of being holy.” Secondary, “Sacred or
dedicated to the service of God.” The
vessels of old in the temple were holy vessels.
They were dedicated and devoted to the service of God. When we are made holy, we are dedicated, and devoted
to the service of God. His Holy Ghost
comes in, and that is what creates holiness within. Jesus was holy. He did always the will of God and his heart
loved God and loved his neighbor. Concerning
the heart, we can be brought into that same purity. His power can change the inner man to be in
the likeness of His holiness. You, me,
anyone, can come to know a true experience of holiness of heart and life. By sacrificing yourself: your, self; that is:
your plans, your wishes, your wants, your everything. You give up yourself and all the sinning
you’ve done or want to do. You humble
yourself to a place where everything from the house that you own, to the money
in your pocket, is God’s. You give you
heart to him; you give it all to him. When you get there you have died, and a dead
man is a man free from sin. It’s not an
easy place to get to, but once you get there, you wonder why it took you so
long. Once you die, then and only then,
God can raise you anew. He can bring you
into fellowship with himself through the vehicle of the Holy Ghost. We die so we can live, live unto God, live
unto holiness, live as Jesus lived; in complete fellowship with God. The death route is the only route, because,
as said above, you must be “made free from sin” first. Sin is a hindrance to the will of God, so you
must die to it.
It is not by works, or knowledge, or merit that
we are brought into fellowship with God.
We are made free from sin, by the merit of Jesus Christ, and His shed
blood. Like the song says: “Dark the sin that spoiled man’s nature and
long the distance that he fell. Far
removed from hope and heaven near to deep despair and hell. But there was a fountain open and the blood
of Gods own Son, purifies the soul and reaches deeper than the stain has gone.” You can be made free from sin, and you can
become a servant to God, instead of a servant to the devil. The blessing of holiness is the highest
calling of man, and nothing glorifies God more than a life of holiness. Holiness is not for the high and lofty,
rather the humble and lowly. The
liberty of full fellowship with Jesus, and heart holiness, is for whosoever
will. Obtained by faith and through
grace.
