God instructs us to “Be holy, because I am holy”, but we are still slaves to sin in some, or many, areas of our lives. Jesus gave himself up for us so that we would become his holy bride, but do we really understand what it means, or takes, to be holy in the eyes of God?
Ephesians 5:24-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless
1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy”
James 2:21-24
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone
Introduction
Recently, some people responded to the article about watered down Christian messages (http://www.godandstuff.com/?p=5260) by saying they wanted more “meat and potatoes”
With that said, God has been putting a tremendous amount of information on my heart about how difficult it is to be saved, and that even if we do achieve salvation, we can fall backwards and lose it again
There is no doubt these two topics are incredibly volatile, with a lot of people being divided, so I wanted to write a series of articles, with a particularly large number of scriptures that substantiate the points of view in a way that is truly intended for the mature, and those who want to get there
This article is going to be challenging, and will likely offend, shock, and upset some people, which is why there is so much more detail than past articles
When reading this, if something seems difficult to understand or seems crazy but is validated by scripture, do not reject it, instead, be like the apostles after Jesus told them to forgive their brothers seven times seven if they asked for forgiveness–even though they found this incomprehensible as a teaching, they did not deny it was the truth, they simply cried out, asking God to increase their understanding
Luke 17:5
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
And with that, let’s have fun chasing the truth together!
We Are Only Holy Like God When We Are Above Both Sin *And* Temptation In Every Area Of Our Lives
We all know sin is bad (well duh!), but I can say with total humility that:
Living as a holy Christian is much harder than we think
In order to fully grasp what it means to be holy, we need to understand God’s definition of holiness
Regardless of any wishful thinking or doctrine that “sounds good”, the truth is, we are not holy until we are like God in one simple way:
God’s spirit becomes so powerful within us that we not only stop sinning, but we rise above temptation itself, just like God himself cannot be tempted
James 1:13-15
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death
2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires
2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God
Well okay, these are pretty powerful statements!
Let’s carefully re-read the bolded portions above to focus on the key points:
“For God cannot be tempted by evil”
(God is so holy he cannot be even remotely tempted by anything evil, let alone sin)
“but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed”
(The only way we sin is after we follow our own evil desires rather than God’s spirit that guides us from within toward righteousness)
“you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires”
(Through God’s spirit we not only have the opportunity to overcome sin, but also to rise above the evil desires of temptation itself!)
“we might become the righteousness of God”
(Jesus did not die so we can go around sinning thinking we have perpetual forgiveness, he died so that we can, through effort, become the very sinless, temptation exempt, righteousness of God that overcame all sin and death!)
Now that we understand how God’s version of holiness is to be so righteous we rise above both sin and temptation itself, let’s look at his instructions for us to be holy just like he is!
No seriously, keep reading
Where Does It Say We Are To Be Holy?
A lot of people think that since Jesus died for our sins we are automatically made holy (God’s holiness as discussed above is being without sin and living beyond temptation, how many Christians do you know like that?), but the verses in the OT and NT where God commands us to be holy leave no room for debate that holiness requires action on our part and is not a condition we inherit by default:
Leviticus 19:2
Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy
1 Peter 1:13-16
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy”
Peter makes it abundantly clear that not only are we called to be holy, he also makes two incredibly important points in his instructions that tell us action is required to get there, ie:
“prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled […] do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance”
(If we still live according to evil desires like we did before we knew Jesus, we are not being holy and need to adjust our lifestyles)
“just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do”
(This means we should not live according to evil desires in any area of our lives, we should be holy in everything just like God is, not just some things!)
Now, focusing on these two particular statements, re-read Peter’s message above carefully, and ask yourself if God is saying:
“Be a little holy, because I am holy”
“Be mostly holy, except in the areas of sin that you love more than me, because I am holy”
“You know what, do whatever you want because you said you believe in Jesus, but I am still holy!”
No way, God is clearly telling us to be holy in everything!
It is also important to understand that God is not asking us, he is commanding that we “not conform to evil desires”, and that we should be “holy in all [we] do”
This requires us to willingly stop sinning, and learn to resist the desires that cause us to sin in the first place
To achieve this in all areas of our lives is no small accomplishment, as it takes real work and commitment to lay down all sin, including even the desire to sin
Understanding this, we see that being holy means we will act, say, and think like God would, without even remotely being tempted along the way
If we were tested for this kind of holiness, I am sure most of us would fail in a heartbeat due to areas of weakness in our lives
This might sound harsh, but remember we are told if we break even one part of God’s standards of righteousness we are guilty of breaking all of them, regardless of how great we are in other areas
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it
But why is this incredibly strict standard being applied to us if we have “grace” to cover all of our sins, and all that other ear-tickling fluff that Christians like to fall back on when looking at sin in their lives?
God’s expectations are “strict” because he who is holy and without sin, commanded us to be holy just like he is!
This is just like how Jesus commanded us to love God with all of our hearts, not love in part or just follow “rules” when we feel like it–if we love God, we will have no desire to sin, which is the key to rising above temptation because God’s feelings will be more important to us than anything else
1 Peter 1:15
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do
Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength
John 14:15
If you love me, you will obey what I command
John 14:23-24
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching
Now that we understand God’s view on what it means to be holy, what does God define as sin?
Sin Starts With Our Thoughts, Not Our Actions
Now that we have covered God’s definition of holiness, and his command for us to be holy, it is time for us to understand what God considers sinful
Beyond controlling our willful choices to sin, having a renewed mind free of any desire to sin is incredibly important, as Jesus told us that even thinking something bad was considered sinning
Paul knew this and instructed us to hold every single thought captive, as sinful thoughts we allow ourselves to be tempted by are the gateway to sinful actions that lead to death
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
Matthew 5:27-28
You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart
2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ
James 1:13-15
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death
This is a particularly hard teaching for people to even want to accept, let alone live by, but every single bad thought we entertain and let our minds run with is considered sinful
It is important to understand that Jesus was not talking about those little blips that run through our mind every once in a while though, as he says “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully”, which means if we dwell on those “blips” long enough to inspire an emotion we have sinned
This may seem like a challenging thing to distinguish, but think about it like this, we could see someone who is very attractive on the street and objectively notice they are beautiful without sinning, but if that innocent appreciation turns into a lustful, sexual desire, our thoughts have become sinful
Without spiritual warfare done on people where evil spirits are kicked out, it is very difficult to rise above the desire to sin, and the best way to combat tempting thoughts is to pray and command the enemy to go away in the name of Jesus–do not just try to think of something else or “ignore” those thoughts, crush them with the name that is above all names!
With that said, let’s move on to why learning to be holy is so important
(This is fun!)
Why Is It Important To Be Holy?
As any loving shepherd should, just below the passages where Peter tells people to “be holy in all you do”, he explains in very plain terms why being holy is so important–God will judge our lives impartially, and he reminds us that we were paid for with something so special as God’s own blood!
1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy”
1 Peter 1:17-19
Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect
Peter knows all of us will be judged, and he wanted us to understand that in order to stand firm, we need to do everything possible to lead holy lives according to God’s standards–we have the very spirit of the living God within us that empowers us to live up to his supernaturally righteous standards, so we are without excuse
It is important to understand these statements, or anything written in this article, are not saying we are saved by works and not grace, but that our works should be a natural expression of our relationship with God, ie: the more intimate we are with God, the more we are going to love God and those around us as a natural extension of our relationship
When some people hear “we are saved by grace and not works”, they breathe a sigh of relief and let go of the steering wheel thinking they have a free ticket into heaven because they won the golden staircase lottery, but this is totally false!
James 2:21-24
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone
Again, do not be confused in thinking works can earn what Jesus did for us on the cross, grace is offered freely, but it is only through our actions that we can be brought to a place of holiness, righteousness, and a “complete” faith that leads to salvation
Do not get hung up on the word “works” either, that is just another word for “action”, that is a very important point as well
Jesus, Paul, and James all taught that faith without works was dead, because anyone who did not truly love, would in fact have no works that displayed their desire to live righteously, spread the gospel, and help others–this is the meaning of a “dead faith” and what Jesus meant when he said that even Christians who prophesy, cast out demons, and perform miracles would not be guaranteed entrance to heaven, they still had to demonstrate their sincere love for God, not just do “things”, even miracles!
There is no disputing that God’s grace was given to us through Jesus, not because we did anything to deserve or earn it, but our ability to live righteously, according to God’s own standards, is left entirely up to us because he gave us a freewill–this is why our works affect whether we will go to heaven or not
This is a profoundly difficult Word to accept, and is surely a message for the mature, so I welcome you take time to read the scriptures that follow carefully and fully–skipping past them will make the article very confusing
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing
James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead
Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life”
(Notice how Jesus says that those who helped the poor were “righteous”, inheriting “eternal life”, ie: charity and loving others through works was a part of being righteous!)
These are amazing statements, and show that the “free pass” a lot of us assume we have because of something called “grace” is not true at all–the opportunity for salvation is available, the only thing that blocks it is our commitment to overcoming sin through our personal choices
If this does not put the fear of God into you to lead a holy, righteous, loving life filled with the abundant fruits Jesus told us to bear, I do not know what will
In the same book that Peter tells us to “be holy in all you do”, he continues his explanation of why living holy lives is so incredibly important:
1 Peter 4:17-18
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
This is an amazing message, as Peter is not teaching a seeker friendly message of “you will inherit salvation no matter how you live your life!”
He is telling people that God’s holy judgment, not an unconditional party for all those who say “I believe in Jesus”, will begin with us, those who are supposed to be living holy lives, and that it is difficult even for the righteous to be saved in the face of such a standard of judgment!
This may sound tough for a lot of people as it is commonly taught that we can say “I believe in Jesus” and be guaranteed access to heaven regardless of how we live, but that is one of the most destructive lies the enemy has sown in our church–producing Christians who do not live “as strangers here in reverent fear” because they do not feel urgency to change their lives
If it were true that Christians had a free ticket to heaven without any form of judgment, Jesus, Peter, Paul, James, etc… would never have wasted their time preaching about this so much–this was one of the biggest things they taught but is so commonly overlooked in the church today because it is “too harsh” for people to accept, or people do not bother teaching it in the first place
Peter’s message of living holy and righteous lives for fear of judgment also lines up with these verses on the subject as well:
Hebrews 10:26-27
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God
1 John 3:6
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Fatherwho is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire”
These are not words spoken by those who thought heaven was a free ride regardless of our lifestyles, they are urgent warnings to persevere and live righteously despite receiving “grace”
Presenting Ourselves As Spotless
Quite simply, to sum everything up, it is important to be holy so that we may lay hold of the reward Jesus himself offers those who, out of a sincere love for God, overcome sin by persevering and choosing god’s righteousness over evil and death–in every area of our lives, not just some areas, a few or even most
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it
Luke 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you
Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God
Revelation 2:26
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations
It is true that we will be judged, but as James said, if we stumble over one area of the law, we are “guilty of breaking all of it”, and I do not want to stand in front of Jesus for judgment knowing there was even one area in my life I was not in the process of sincerely trying to overcome, even if I made mistakes or if I died while I was still working on it, that is better than living a lifestyle of sin that showed a lack of respect or love for God
Hebrews 10:26-27
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God
Some people believe they will go to heaven no matter what they do after they accept Jesus, and will either fall under conviction or explode into cries of “that’s not *my* Jesus” in reading these passages
And honestly, if they disagree with these scriptures and teachings from the Bible, they are right, he isn’t “their” Jesus, because Jesus died to make us a holy bride, without blemish, completely blameless, holy as God is holy–if people cannot accept God’s Word as it is written, they need to re-evaluate their faith or pray to have it increased
There is no judgment, but empathy does not lessen the tragedy that some of us do not know God or understand his character in a way that would inspire us to lead holy lives by fighting sin in all areas, and I pray God lifts the veil from our hearts as we seek him earnestly–we are all in the process of working out our salvation, but it should be done with the fear of God
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
Up next, we will cover how Christians can lose their salvation once they attain it by turning and rejecting God’s truth by returning to lifestyles of sin
2 Peter 2:20-22
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud”
I believe that you believe this to be true, but honestly it’s TOO MUCH for people to understand. This type of all or nothing Christianity is way too fundamentalist, but kudos to you for writing this and being brave enough to EXPRESS YOUR BELIEFS.. At the end of the day I know Jesus is Lord, I know He loves me and I know I am saved. THE END.
Hello,
The verses and teachings are taken directly from the Bible, and whether people want to accept it or not, these were the words of Jesus, Peter, Paul, James, etc…
Just like any athlete who wants to push themselves to a new level, we need to push ourselves to understand new wisdom and knowledge, rather than say “that message is too difficult” and continue to only believe based on what we feel comfortable with
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever
The biggest issue ever since churches have existed, is that people do not respect or understand God’s Word in a manner that would lead them to live in reverent fear as Peter commanded–this is not being “fundamentalist” this is honoring the Word as it was preached, not how we want to interpret it
1 Peter 1:17
Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear
If God said it to us in his Word, who are we to decide we do not want to hear or accept it–does he speak idly?
Thanks for this!!! A long read but very convicting! Lately, I found myself becoming complacement in my relationship with God and this gave me the reminder that I desperately need. In reading this I am reminded that the only things that really matter in this life are those that have eternal value (i.e….witnessing, serving others, kingdom work). I often find myself comparing myself to others and thinking that I am doing “good”. But when I compare myself to a God who is Holy I see that I consistently fall short and my desire is to do better and be more like Christ. Thanks for not giving a watered down feel good message when what we really need is the truth!
Hello!
Thank you for the feedback, it makes me so happy to hear about people’s growth!
A lot of our activities are generally pointless when compared to their value in eternity, I am totally guilty of that–this article convicted me as well!
In one sense, I know the standard we will be judged against is really astonishing, but to keep from despairing, rejoice knowing our ability to live up to that standard is made possible through God’s spirit
Let me know if there are any article topics you want to see written about in the future!
Hey!!! I would love for you to write about the difference between religion/tradition and a true relationship with God. Specifically, what that looks like in everyday life. I recently read The Shack and it really changed my perspective on my relationship with Jesus and showed me that a lot of the things I do are based on religous activities and not out of relationship. For example, I have always thought that I need to wake up early and do my morning devotion and prayer in order to put God first. But, I am not a morning person at all and I usually end up either waking up late and rushing through my quiet time or I oversleep and then feel guilty about it all day. I know that God doesn’t want us to spend time with him out of obligation (who would?). But , a lot of times that’s honestly what it feels like and I DON’T want it to. So, I know that I need to out God first but if I don’t do it first thing in the morning does that mean I’m not putting him first? I know I’m rambling. I hope this makes sense……
Hello,
That is an interesting topic, as sometimes we “force” ourselves to seek God versus seeking him with a genuine hunger, but do not feel like you are obligated to seek God early in the morning as if it is the only option
Look at it like this, if someone told you every day you would not eat for the next twenty-four hours unless you read the Bible at some point each day, you would probably do it!
We should be just as concerned about our spiritual food, as the more we mature in Christ, the more valuable time with God becomes
While there is no mechanical formula for drawing near (ie: reading our Bible at a certain time every day, etc…), it is almost always possible to make time for God in our day with very little effort
Besides reading your Bible in the morning, what additional efforts have you made in terms of prayer, charity, etc…?
One thing that has helped me make time for God has been to not dig into entertainment related hobbies unless I have spent time with God in prayer, praise, and/or the Bible
Also, what specifically in the Bible are you reading, sometimes it is good to mix things up or look on http://www.biblegateway.com about certain keywords/topics that we know we want to read about
Hi again! Thank you for your insight. I am involved in ministry at my church but that’s only about once a week. I do pray a lot throughout the day but it’s usually not for a long extended period of time. I say little prayers here and there when I have time and a lot of times it’s to ask for something (I know, terrible…). I have a hard time just sitting in one spot and devoting the time that I know I should to spending time with Jesus.
My Bible study is pretty random. Sometimes I go over the sermon notes from the week before and other times I just open my Bible and read. I will definitely check out the website you mentioned as I think some structure would definitely help me.
I know there is so much more that I could be doing and I want to stop being a lazy Christian.
Thanks again for your post!
Please take the time to read Romans. Ask your Father what He has to reveal to you about His nature and Christ’s unconditional work on the cross.
Hey Nathan, it’s been a while.
I’m reading this and wondering a little. It seems to imply that we are justified by our own actions, and that if we were just more disciplined, harder working, (more Protestant, I suppose), we’d be impervious to sin. It would also appear counter to, say, Romans 3. That sounds a bit like pride in our hearts, disguising itself as righteousness (and after all, the breastplate of righteousness, like the rest of the armor of faith, is Christ’s, loaned to us, not our own). Virtues like faith, love, hope, and charity are not our own, but divinely provided. Ditto for freedom from sin.
I don’t offer this to be persnickety, nor to imply a sola fide approach to sanctification. But I do believe that our pursuit of a holy life should be Christ-centered, not works- or man-centered.
If we were capable of achieving righteousness simply by living under the Law, we’d still be Pharisees, c’est vrai?
Hi Bennett,
It is great to see you again!
People have had the idea shouted from the mountain tops that faith is the only thing that justifies us, but this is an over-simplified, ear-tickling doctrine that does not line up with the rest of the Bible, just like some people think they can say “I believe in Jesus” and they have inherited salvation no matter how they live their lives
The article references scriptures that show we are not told to live a Christian life without works, but I tried to go out of my way to make it clear that works alone do not give us salvation–here is one particular verse that is quoted from James that is the most poignant
James 2:21-24
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone
The nuance to understand is that even though God’s grace and mercy is something we can never earn through works, our ability to live up to God’s standard of holiness is made possible through the combination of receiving his spirit and our behavioral choices, but works/effort/action/etc… are required on our part in order to work out our salvation as Paul described
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
Jesus covered the need for works in Matthew 25 (it is really long but in the article itself), and said that even those who prophesy, kick out demons, and perform miracles (abilities that would unarguably point to a relationship with God) would not be guaranteed heaven, so that means our lives need to be filled with the fruit of the spirit which manifests itself in works
The enemy’s game with this particular topic is to have us believe that works/effort/action are not required on our part in order to inherit salvation (an obvious attack on the laziest components of human nature), but they cleverly mask this behind the accurate doctrine that God’s grace and mercy was nothing we could ever earn on our own–God gave it to us out of his own freewill and choice, but salvation was something Jesus said would be given to those who overcame did his will until the end
Revelation 2:26
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations
As mentioned in Matthew 25, Jesus was really clear that our lives should reflect a sincere love for God which inherently leads us to do good works–this is beyond Christ-like as he stepped down from his throne in heaven to serve us as an example, so we are not above his example when it comes to serving others
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends
Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little
Also, it is very important to understand what Paul was talking about when he was using the word “faith” in Roman 3, as the word “faith” is used so often it has become an over-generalized term that leaves very little room for specific meaning in relation to the original context
In Romans 3, Paul is specifically referencing how, under the old covenant, works and observing the law were never what actually justified people, ie: killing an animal as a sin offering was not buying anyone God’s grace or mercy
Paul was teaching how “Faith” was the replacement of the way that they saw as the path to salvation before, which is also what John taught about how we exchange “grace” for “grace” or rather “God’s favor” for “God’s divine influence on our hearts”
Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings
John 1:16 (KJV)
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ
Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin
Galatians 2:15-16
We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified
Hebrews 9:11-14
When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
In fact, Peter took another step and not only taught that nobody was justified under the law, but that God waited to judge everyone until Jesus died so they would be judged under the new covenant in accordance with the grace and mercy that Jesus’ sacrifice paid for–pretty mind blowing!
1 Peter 3:18-20
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built
1 Peter 4:5-6
But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit
A bit of a rabbit trail, but does that make more sense?
Yeah, I’d say I’m basically in agreement with your point, which is probably summed up in James 2’s “Faith without works is dead”. My primary concern was not with the content, but sort of the tone–which to my reading implied that our moral conduct, as an act of personal determination, was what gets us right with God.
My reading is more like what you’ve fleshed out in your response–we’re judged and justified by our response to the Gospel and the Law, not just by the grit under our spiritual fingernails. And that response is also a response to the Holy Spirit in our lives. So we’re partners, rather than solo actors, but the actions absolutely count.
To go to James 2 again
“You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.”
Clearly the right idea won’t get us much credit. (Incidentally, this is why I bemoan churches who say that pretty much any monotheistic faith is off limits for evangelizing, and yet they’l go to war with one another over premillenial vs. postmillenial eschatology. The devil, truly, is in the details)
That all said, I do think it’s not only unrealistic but dangerous theology to imply that people can be perfected. That’s the kind of Enlightenment thought that got us “secular humanism” as a religion. There’s kind of a tightwire to walk between striving to be a saint, and actually *expecting* it.
(Maybe I’m just spazzing out at the idea of relentlessly pursuing perfection because I saw Black Swan recently. Can’t say it’s a movie to show the kids, but it’s definitely a great study of how sin and pursuit of perfection can destroy a life–you can see pretty much every one of the Seven Deadlies, and an ungodly attempt to ‘master’ them without grace, and how it dismantles someone.)
Hi Bennett,
I do not know anyone who has totally overcome sin or the desires of the world, but when I read what God told the Israelites, and what Peter commanded to the NT Christians, it says that we are to be:
Leviticus 19:2
Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy
1 Peter 1:13-16
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy”
I did not finish Black Swan because of the content, but I do not see “perfection” in the Biblical sense as being caught up with rules or incessant formulas–we are just told to love God, and everything else will come forth naturally
Even though it is possible to get hung up on the neurotic “rule following” approach to perfection, Paul told us to pursue the prize with unrelenting passion, by running the race as if there were only one winner–a vast departure from the way people approach Christianity now!
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize
The notion that Christians do not respect God or understand what it means when God commands us to be holy is an important thing to overcome as we should feel a sense of urgency, not dance around with a purple participant ribbon
We agree that without God’s spirit within us it is impossible to overcome sin, but, unless there are verses that I have not read, we can totally overcome sin to the point where we are above temptation, it is just extremely hard because we often desire particular sins as a matter of preference
I have not read anywhere that God’s spirit can only take us 95% there, just that we are tempted by our own desires and stumble through our own choices–but choices are what determines our intimacy with God, but just as Paul said, if we have no love for God, it is all pointless
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing
Without God’s own spirit within us, we would be living like those under the old covenant, and people can get legalistic like the pharisees and sadducees whom Jesus rebuked when he said they worshiped God in vain because they followed traditions
2 Peter 1:4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires
Matthew 15:9
They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men
Also, without God’s spirit within us and a sincere love for him, following rules to abstain from things does not justify us either as our thoughts can cause us to sin even without action–this would not show we are new creations, just that we have strong wills as individuals
Colossians 2:20-23
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence
Cool. I think I may just be reading too much into what you said, so that’d be my fault. Maybe an example would help. Let’s say that I was a drunk in college, but after finding Christ I quit cold turkey, and no longer imbibe. Now, maybe every once in a while, I succumb to temptation at a party and have a martini or two, but I no longer live an alcoholic lifestyle, and I seek forgiveness and reconciliation for these unplanned divergences from the right path.
That, I think, would be how you’re defining ‘overcoming sin’. That is, it’s still there, but it’s no longer appealing or something that I want to act upon. If it happens, it’s undesired and I regret it.
Same would go for, say, choosing to life a chaste lifestyle, or quit using foul language, or whatever else. The slips become slips, not the rule. This would be in contrast to a lifestyle where I say I’m Christian, but manage to rationalize my refusal to give to charity, or living with a girlfriend whom I have carnal relations with.
So to me, saying “humans are imperfect, don’t seek perfection” is to be understood as a post-facto consolation. That is, I shouldn’t despair of ever becoming sanctified because I stumbled–it’s in my nature to stumble. What that *doesn’t* mean is that I should *accept* my sinful nature. It’s to be opposed, even if it’s never totally gone. My position, which is a bit nuanced I realize, is that we should be striving always for greater unity with Christ, but we should steer clear of the monster and the whirlpool–namely, thinking that we’ll never get there and so there’s no point in trying, or falsely believing that we already are.
To use Paul’s analogy of the race, obviously there’s only one winner of a race. If I beat myself up every time I didn’t win gold, I’d become so frustrated that I’d quit or become completely neurotic. On the other hand, why even enter a race if I don’t want to win? I fully support a Lombardi attitude before the race, that if you’re not aiming for a Super Bowl, then you’ve got no business on the team. That said, what do you say to the 31 teams who didn’t win this year?
Rather like coaching a child, I think we should find Paul’s message heartening, not oppressive. Strive for the laurel, and know that your victory is possible because of Christ. But when you take a spill, get up and brush it off, don’t just lie there in the dirt because you ‘lost’. It ain’t over until you’re standing before God. That, to me, is the finish, not ‘overcoming sin’.
I mean, the danger there is if I think I’ve overcome sin, I become ripe territory for backsliding, especially if I become proud and start to slack off on asking forgiveness, or seeking out corporate worship with ‘less pure’ Christians.
I’d just hate to find myself before the Father and have him ask me why I quit running my race. I don’t think “I didn’t believe I could win” or “I thought I won already” are gonna be good answers.
All that said, I think you’re mostly right, and we’re mostly disagreeing on how to pose the issue. There’s a value in an uncompromising position, because it promotes relentless striving–but it can also promote despair, especially in new converts. I myself have often felt utterly despondent that I’ll ever get past certain sins, and the enemy likes to whisper in my ear at those moments. So, y’know, a little tempering of the message can be a good thing at times, especially if we risk causing a weaker brother to stumble.
It’s not okay to accept failure in the future, but it’s dangerous not to accept that it did happen in the past. Present success doesn’t promise future success, nor the other way around. We should always be vigilant, but sometimes we have to be forgiven, too.
In medio stat virtus.
Hi Bennett,
Yes, overcoming sin means we are above both the desire to sin and the sin itself–just like how Jesus said looking at a woman lustfully was a sin
We know that little stumbles happen here and there yes, but that is so much different than being a slave to sin where the enemy just has to sneeze and we find ourselves elbow deep in something bad before we can even blink
On that point though, it is also very easy for people to rationalize why something is “okay”, or allow themselves to get closer and closer to the precipice of abandon, misunderstanding that even entertaining a sinful desire over a period of time in the first place shows we do not love God completely in that particular area–we are not tempted by things unless we find them desirable
In the fight against sin, we should always encourage each other, as sometimes the best coaches are the ones who excitedly “encourage” us to get over a hump and reach for the next level, not just quietly stand there nodding their head–for everything there is a season
Putting an uncompromising position forward on sin is not inherently wrong, but it can become “wrong” if it is not mixed with a loving, compassionate attitude, as well as encouragement and genuine knowledge that God can overcome all sin in our life and the lives of others
Without compassion and love, honest messages about God’s righteous can become difficult for people to hear as that is when people feel condemned, or that sin is impossible to overcome, which allows the enemy to have a field day dragging people through the mud
Part of showing compassion and love for one another, is that people need to understand it is okay to make mistakes along the way as no one is perfect, but they should always have their aspirational goals clearly in front of them at all times–with their fellow Christians cheering them on from the sidelines and alongside them every step of the way
That is true love, ie: no condemnation, just compassion, prayer, encouragement, and firm guidance to the truth
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective
Also, I understand your position partially relates to personal doubts about God’s power in your life as we have all been there, and that you do not want a message to discourage others for any reason regardless of its accuracy, so I am writing the next article in a way that takes care to put more focus on the positive side of God’s promises to provide help for us to overcome sin–the next article is a powder keg anyways though!
I’ll be looking forward to it! Thanks for the stimulating exchange.