To live holy, one must be holy, for a holy life springs from a holy and pure heart. To understand what holiness means, we must turn to the Bible. The “power” to live holy is only found in the biblical plan of redemption and grace.
When God gave Moses the Law, He impressed upon him through the many usages, ceremonies, and commandments the sacredness of the objects consecrated to the service of God at the altar and in the tabernacle. These objects were no different from those used in everyday activities, except that they had been consecrated, or set apart, for the service to God. And through this consecration, it rendered them holy.
In the New Testament, it wasn’t pots, pans, and lights that were consecrated to God, but men and women. Their holiness cannot be separated from a deep, conscious consecration to service, just as the vessels of the altar and temple could not remain holy when used for other purposes. People brought the objects to the altar to be consecrated to God, and by sprinkling them with the blood of sacrificial animals, they were sanctified. In the new covenant, people consecrate themselves completely to God, and the blood of Jesus Christ makes them pure. Without this voluntary surrender and consecration to God and His cause, no holiness of heart or holy life could be achieved.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,” Jesus said to His disciples before He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit, who had been promised to them, would also be called “Comforter.” He would serve as their Guide.
God’s children need this heavenly guidance today just as they did then. Living a holy life is impossible without the constant presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. It requires us to humble our defiant hearts and place ourselves under the gentle guidance of the Spirit and Word of God in all things. Without the help and miraculous power of the Holy Spirit, no one can live holy. When a person has completely consecrated himself to God and is always mindful of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then he can live holy. He may still be a person who is influenced by circumstances and surroundings, who often lacks wisdom, who is often hindered by weakness, but he has the power to do what is right. By resolutely doing the will of God to the best of his ability, he can continually maintain the peace in his heart.
Let us observe some simple guidelines for holy living:
– Guard your thoughts so that your mind remains pure from unkind, impure, and selfish motives.
– Be careful of your words; always speak kindly, sincerely and purely.
– Do not engage in gossip, slander, or any evil talk.
– Live sensibly, enjoy the natural things of life, and do not look fearfully to the future.
– Look daily to God for grace and strength.
These simple guidelines will help you to walk contentedly and confidently in God’s ways all the days of your life.
M.H.
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