True Repentance Leads to Holiness
Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
How can one live the life of Holiness that God requires of him? How can we give up our life of sin? How can we give up the pleasures of this world? This full and complete sacrifice and commitment to God may seem difficult, but we must rely on God, Who is our Source. He is our Strength in weakness. He is Knowledge and Understanding in the midst of ignorance and confusion. God is Everything that we need to live Holy. We have to want to live Holy. We have to really want a change in our lives. Holiness is only possible with and through the help and power of Almighty God. For He is a very present help in troubled times. The first step we can take is to cry out, “Oh God, help me!” from the depths of our soul. We must MEAN the words that we pray when we cry out for God’s help. We must not just speak words, when deep down we do NOT want to change our life style. Words alone are meaningless, unless they are accompanied with honesty and sincerity of heart.
Jesus Christ is the only answer to the sinful state of man. Jesus came as the first fruit of righteousness and holiness, so that every man who is grafted into Him, the True Vine, can bear the same fruit of Holiness.
How would God help me? He will help us through the weapon and practice of prayer. God said that we are to present our bodies holy and acceptable in His sight, and that our lives are to be blameless. God requires that we make our lives a living sacrifice, as saints of God. We serve a Holy God. You and I are the ones who benefit from a life of holiness, through which God is glorified.
I Thessalonians 3:13 – “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
Luke 1:74-75 – “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.”
God has commanded us, “Be ye holy as I am holy.” This means that a life of Holiness is possible. Saints of God, we can live Holy with His help. To live a holy life, we must be freed from the presence and power of sin. This does not mean that we will never sin. Yet, there will be a decrease of sin and an increase of holiness in our lives. How will we be freed from sin? The blood of Jesus still flows and still cleanses sin stained hearts and consciences. His blood is still effective today. His blood will never lose its power and effectiveness.
Holiness requires a commitment and sacrifice. Saints of God, we must commit ourselves to God, not a part, but all of us. It must be done minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-year, until Jesus comes again. We must be free from malice, anger, bitterness, backbiting, lust, adultery, fornication, stealing, and dishonesty. These habits are sinful.
Sometimes believers dress, speak, and behave as though they are of the world. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. Holiness must be evident in the life of the believer. What we once used to wear, we have exchanged for modest apparel. What we once used to speak, we have exchanged for a new clean and holy conversation. What we once used to do, we have exchanged for holy and righteous living. This entire exchange may not happen over night, but there WILL be a change that is evident to all.
When sin is in the house, the vessel is not clean. God is saying that sin is in His house. Sin is manifested daily, as God’s people overstep His law. Sin is forbidden by God, yet often tolerated and accepted in His house. This ought not to be so! It was the same in Jesus’ day. For this reason, He demonstrated righteous anger and cleansed the temple, proclaiming that His Father’s house ought to be a house of prayer, not a den of thieves. How is this any different today? There is SO LITTLE prayer in God’s house, yet so much talk of buying and selling and material prosperity! The House of God has become a marketplace rather than a House of prayer and worship. Saints of God, this is an abomination to God! For this reason, God is calling the Church to Repentance, which leads to Holiness!
© 2011 Vera E. Paul, All rights reserved, Use only with permission
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