What do you think of when you hear the word, “holiness”? Do you picture angels with harps? Do you have a vague image of Old Testament priests in the Temple? Do you think, “Holiness is for Super Saints like Mother Theresa and Billy Graham…” Do you groan inwardly and think, “Holiness Again? Time to tune out…” Does hearing the word “holiness” make you feel a little guilty? Maybe you find yourself thinking, “I’ve tried but [...]
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” (Rev. 4:8) When I consider the attributes of God’s character, His holiness stands apart. I don’t know about you, but there is something about the holiness of God that immediately arouses awe and wonder in my mind and heart. Noah Webster defined holiness as perfect purity or integrity of moral character. God’s moral character radiates absolute [...]
In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul strongly urges the Christians to be more than just believers in Christ. He encourages them to become true followers who imitate Christ in their daily routine. He writes, Eph. 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 [...]
There is sometimes confusion over what the Bible says about pride. On the one hand we are told, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (Jam 4:6, 1Pet 5:5) Then on the other hand, we see the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians, saying he wants to give them an occasion to be proud of him. (2Cor 5:12, see also 2Cor 1:12-14, Phil 1:26) As is often the case, the lack of [...]
Do you know what it means to be holy? The apostle Peter wrote, “…like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior…” (1 Peter 1:14-16) I believe in order to understand what Peter is saying, we need to first really understand what holiness is. And for me, the best way to understand holiness is by comparison. So, if you will bear with me a moment, let me try to explain [...]
