Can We Really Become Holy?

Can We Really Become Holy?

A major attribute of God is holiness. God commands His people to be like Him, to be Holy, and to live their lives set apart to Him.  In order to become more like God, followers of Jesus are exhorted by God's Word to live by a different set of standards than the world. The different set of standards contained in the Bible provide great wisdom and principles that  not only help us navigate the turbulent waters of this fallen world, but also shape the kind of people we are going to be.

This Holiness is a very high standard for the human condition. The problem is we all are born with a sin nature which means from birth we are all separated from God.  Due to the sin of disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we; “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). You may think well, that is unfair. Think of it this way, once sin and death entered the world, the perfect state of God's creation could no longer exist. Everything from that point on was tainted.

For us that means, no matter how good we think we are, or how much we try to please God, we cannot escape the fact that we are all sinners with a sin nature. We are tainted too.
 

Many people are deceived into believing that man is born good. That our good works can save us. That doing good works means we are a good people. Nothing can be farther from the truth. There is nothing good about sin and the fact is, we are all infected with it. We have no power on our own to overcome it. But there is Good News: Jesus paid the price for our sin! Jesus makes us look clean in the eyes of God. He bore our sin for us. God no longer sees us as His enemies but now as friends reconciled through the work of Jesus on the Cross. Once we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior we are adopted into God's family and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes the agent of our transformation and the mark of our salvation. The Holy Spirit quickens the new self in us which becomes more like God who is Holy.

So, the truth is this: we need Jesus. We need His love, mercy and grace in order to be saved and in order to become more like Him.

 

Again, the  Good News is that Jesus paid the price for our sin and makes it possible for us to stand in the presence of a Holy God.

Jesus work:

1 Timothy 2:5 NIV    (Jesus the Mediator - one that reconciles differences )

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Romans 5:8 NIV   (Jesus the sacrifice - that paid the price for our sin)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:14-16 NIV (Jesus the Son - part of God's plan and purpose for man's Salvation)

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that

he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Yes we have the Good News but believers are still affected by their sin nature.

  

Because we all have a sin nature we need to understand that playing around with temptations, dwelling on sinful thoughts, can lead to weakening the "armor" that keeps us from acting on those temptations. This is why the Bible tells us that we need the Holy Spirit to play an important role in keeping us living a life set apart to God:

Galatians 5:16-18 NLT

Living by the Spirit’s Power

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

With the help from the Holy Spirit, here are a few of more things we can do to keep us from acting on the temptation to sin:

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV    (Put on the New Self)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Hebrews 12:2 NIV  (Keep our eyes on Jesus)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 12:1-2 NIV  (Become a living sacrifice to God, live in constant awareness of God's presence, connect daily to the source of all truth, turn on your God filter)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,

holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the

pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV   (Put on the full armor of God - Standing on the truth of the Gospel, living a life of Prayer, ingest and apply God's Word, develop a strong relationship with Jesus and constantly enter into His presence, make known your identity in Christ)

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

The Bible tells us where our thoughts should dwell:

 Colossians 3:1-2 NIV   (Live with an eternal perspective -  take to heart the spiritual realm) 

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is

seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:16 NIV  (Dwell on the Word of God, Live a life of worship and gratitude to God)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Philippians 4:8-9 NIV (Think about the things of God and put them into practice)

 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think

about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

When we focus on the things of God rather the gratifying the desires of our sin nature we can truly live apart from the world and its trappings.  But we have to realize that the enemy plays a role in distracting us from living set apart to God. That it why we cannot get complacent with where we are spiritually. We need to stay connected to God and grow and mature in our faith daily. We also must be ready to fight the spiritual battles that come with living in a fallen world. That is why the Bible exhorts us to stand firm in our faith and be on the lookout for the “Devils Schemes”

Isaiah 7:9 NIV

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.

1 Corinthians 16:NIV

 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

So even though human beings will never become “Holy” as defined by behavior while living in this fallen world, we can still become more like Jesus and live a life set apart to God. With the help of the Holy Spirit who transforms, guides  and directs our lives, we can love God and love our neighbor. We can honor and praise our Lord with heartfelt authentic worship and service. We can live joyfully with great hope and celebration even when times get tough. This is because we are convinced that we can place our faith and trust in God and know He is going to keep His promises. Believers are able to discern real truth. Through their knowledge of God's Word, the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit and the peace they have in Jesus, they can come to the conclusion that God is real and worth living for.

   

Just Sayin…………….Dave