I’ve been slow in posting the “H” in the Describe Him series simply because, honestly, I’ve had a hard time knowing what to say about God’s holiness. So
I’ll keep it short and to the point.
God is holy, there is no doubt about that. If you’re uncertain about
how holy He is, just start reading the Bible: His holiness comes out
loud and clear, from Genesis to Revelation.
He has called His children to also be holy as He is holy (1 Peter
1:15-16.)
Sooo, how does being holy as He is holy look like in your life?
Showing posts with label holiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiness. Show all posts
Saturday, June 06, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
About "The Hole in Our Holiness"
I don’t really want to write a review or summary of this book. However, I
would like to share a little of what I took away from it, now that I finished it.
In short, it was a really good book. Kevin DeYoung’s style of writing is easy to follow, being spiritually meaty, while at the same time, not too deep for the average person.
Bottom line, now that I’ve finished the book, I’ve been challenged in the area of growing in holiness in “the little things:” obedience and holiness begins there. We all know that if we get enough small things together, they become big.
Very related to holiness is the matter of abiding in Christ and having communion with Him. I know…I’ve heard all the facts and passed all the theology exams in school, but the dots are only now slowly connecting on how exactly I am to abide in Him.
For starters, the statement “We obey as we abide and abide as we obey” (pg. 127) is simplistic yet profound. And it helped me to understand a little better the truth that sometimes abiding means simply doing what we know we are supposed to be doing! (In other words, obeying!) Obedience is what God desires of His children. And in doing so, we not only show our love for Him, but we also abide in Christ, the Vine. If I'm not obeying those things that I already know I am supposed to be doing, I don't know how I can be, in turn, be growing to become more like Him.
Another aspect of abiding in Christ is to pursue communion with Him through prayer and the Word. (page 129, 131) There's no doubt that prayer should be an integral part of the believer's spiritual walk and growth. About being in the Word, Jesus said that “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7) Christ and His words are one and the same. Furthermore, in Christ’s prayer, He says “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) As DeYoung says, “We take hold of Christ as his words take hold of us.” (page 131)
Applying these truths becomes incredibly practical: learn to take captive idle thoughts and moments and spend it instead in communion through prayer! Also, spending time actually reading and studying the Bible is the #1 place to start in making the Word more a part of my daily life, and memorizing scripture could be listed as #2!
And that is why I say I’ve been convicted and challenged to grow in holiness in the area of “the little things”:
It starts with choosing to spend an idle moment praying for a friend in need or praising God for what He’s done. In other words, learning to “pray without ceasing.”
Becoming more holy is about being faithful in studying the Word for myself.
Finally, striving towards holiness should be the goal for every believer, for holiness is ultimately about becoming more Christ-like. Oh what a day that will be when the work that He has begun in us is completed!
In short, it was a really good book. Kevin DeYoung’s style of writing is easy to follow, being spiritually meaty, while at the same time, not too deep for the average person.
Bottom line, now that I’ve finished the book, I’ve been challenged in the area of growing in holiness in “the little things:” obedience and holiness begins there. We all know that if we get enough small things together, they become big.
Very related to holiness is the matter of abiding in Christ and having communion with Him. I know…I’ve heard all the facts and passed all the theology exams in school, but the dots are only now slowly connecting on how exactly I am to abide in Him.
For starters, the statement “We obey as we abide and abide as we obey” (pg. 127) is simplistic yet profound. And it helped me to understand a little better the truth that sometimes abiding means simply doing what we know we are supposed to be doing! (In other words, obeying!) Obedience is what God desires of His children. And in doing so, we not only show our love for Him, but we also abide in Christ, the Vine. If I'm not obeying those things that I already know I am supposed to be doing, I don't know how I can be, in turn, be growing to become more like Him.
Another aspect of abiding in Christ is to pursue communion with Him through prayer and the Word. (page 129, 131) There's no doubt that prayer should be an integral part of the believer's spiritual walk and growth. About being in the Word, Jesus said that “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7) Christ and His words are one and the same. Furthermore, in Christ’s prayer, He says “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) As DeYoung says, “We take hold of Christ as his words take hold of us.” (page 131)
Applying these truths becomes incredibly practical: learn to take captive idle thoughts and moments and spend it instead in communion through prayer! Also, spending time actually reading and studying the Bible is the #1 place to start in making the Word more a part of my daily life, and memorizing scripture could be listed as #2!
And that is why I say I’ve been convicted and challenged to grow in holiness in the area of “the little things”:
It starts with choosing to spend an idle moment praying for a friend in need or praising God for what He’s done. In other words, learning to “pray without ceasing.”
Becoming more holy is about being faithful in studying the Word for myself.
Finally, striving towards holiness should be the goal for every believer, for holiness is ultimately about becoming more Christ-like. Oh what a day that will be when the work that He has begun in us is completed!
Monday, March 23, 2015
Thoughts on Current Reading
Unlike my husband, I am a slow and very un-dedicated reader. However, I have
started reading “The Hole in Our Holiness” by Kevin DeYoung(Wheaton,
Illinois:Crossway, 2012) and already it has been a challenging read!
I don’t know about you, but for me, when I think about being holy, it always seems like something that is far beyond my spiritual grasp. Something that I’ll never quite reach. Maybe it is because I like to have things detailed and concrete; I like to know exactly what holiness is supposed to look like in my life (but obviously [and thankfully!], the Bible doesn’t list it off as if it were a checklist to complete.)
The last chapter that I read from DeYoung’s book, however, was particularly encouraging and challenging. He made several points that brought home to me the necessity and the “grasp-ability” of holiness in the believer’s life.
1. The Bible is full of examples of believers being declared upright and godly, walking blamelessly before the Lord. DeYoung lists examples such as Zechariah and Elizabeth who were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statues of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). Job was also called “blameless and upright” (Job 1:8) And Paul multiple times talks about various New Testament churches who are known for their “obedience and godly example.” As DeYoung so simply states, “It sure seems like holiness is a possibility for God’s people.” (DeYoung, 65.)
It is important to note too, that none of the people in these examples had some kind of extra-spiritual gifting: they were human just as we are. In fact, to make the case even stronger in our favor, get this: WE are the ones who have the advantage over them because WE are the ones have the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables us to do what is right!
2. It is possible to please God. I grew up being quite familiar with the verse talking about our works being as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6) and that nothing we ever did was acceptable before Him. To a certain extent this is true, for we cannot earn our own righteousness by our works. However, as a Christian, God sees Christ’s righteousness in us, and it is because of His righteousness and grace that we have through Him that, in turn, we can do that which pleases God! Yes, on our own, all of our measly, human efforts are as filthy rags, but when they are done through God’s incredible grace, they become pleasurable to God!
DeYoung proceeds to give examples where the Bible states specific actions as pleasing to God:
- Bearing fruit in good works and increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10)
- Presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
- Being sensitive to the weaker brother (Romans 14:18)
- Being obedient to parents (Colossians 3:20)
- Teaching the Word in truth (1 Thessalonians 2:4)
- Praying for governing authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
- Caring for family members in need (1 Timothy 5:4)
- Keeping His commandments (1 John 3:22)
(DeYoung, 69/These are originally from Wayne Grudem’s “Pleasing God by Our Obedience” (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010) 277.)
In all of these references, the Bible specifically mentions that they are “pleasing and acceptable to God.” So “basically, whenever you trust and obey, God is pleased.” (DeYoung, 69.)
This new perspective on how God views the works of the believer that are done through His strength has been quite encouraging to me!
As DeYoung concludes this particular chapter, he summarizes the general idea of holiness: It is not about absolute perfection (for no could could ever do that—we are all sinners and that is the very reason why Christ had to die for our sins!) but rather it is that
**Note: All of the thoughts/summaries/ideas/paraphrases/quotes in this post are all taken from chapter 5: The Pleasure of God and the Possibility of Godlinss.
I don’t know about you, but for me, when I think about being holy, it always seems like something that is far beyond my spiritual grasp. Something that I’ll never quite reach. Maybe it is because I like to have things detailed and concrete; I like to know exactly what holiness is supposed to look like in my life (but obviously [and thankfully!], the Bible doesn’t list it off as if it were a checklist to complete.)
The last chapter that I read from DeYoung’s book, however, was particularly encouraging and challenging. He made several points that brought home to me the necessity and the “grasp-ability” of holiness in the believer’s life.
1. The Bible is full of examples of believers being declared upright and godly, walking blamelessly before the Lord. DeYoung lists examples such as Zechariah and Elizabeth who were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statues of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). Job was also called “blameless and upright” (Job 1:8) And Paul multiple times talks about various New Testament churches who are known for their “obedience and godly example.” As DeYoung so simply states, “It sure seems like holiness is a possibility for God’s people.” (DeYoung, 65.)
It is important to note too, that none of the people in these examples had some kind of extra-spiritual gifting: they were human just as we are. In fact, to make the case even stronger in our favor, get this: WE are the ones who have the advantage over them because WE are the ones have the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables us to do what is right!
2. It is possible to please God. I grew up being quite familiar with the verse talking about our works being as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6) and that nothing we ever did was acceptable before Him. To a certain extent this is true, for we cannot earn our own righteousness by our works. However, as a Christian, God sees Christ’s righteousness in us, and it is because of His righteousness and grace that we have through Him that, in turn, we can do that which pleases God! Yes, on our own, all of our measly, human efforts are as filthy rags, but when they are done through God’s incredible grace, they become pleasurable to God!
DeYoung proceeds to give examples where the Bible states specific actions as pleasing to God:
- Bearing fruit in good works and increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10)
- Presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
- Being sensitive to the weaker brother (Romans 14:18)
- Being obedient to parents (Colossians 3:20)
- Teaching the Word in truth (1 Thessalonians 2:4)
- Praying for governing authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
- Caring for family members in need (1 Timothy 5:4)
- Keeping His commandments (1 John 3:22)
(DeYoung, 69/These are originally from Wayne Grudem’s “Pleasing God by Our Obedience” (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010) 277.)
In all of these references, the Bible specifically mentions that they are “pleasing and acceptable to God.” So “basically, whenever you trust and obey, God is pleased.” (DeYoung, 69.)
This new perspective on how God views the works of the believer that are done through His strength has been quite encouraging to me!
As DeYoung concludes this particular chapter, he summarizes the general idea of holiness: It is not about absolute perfection (for no could could ever do that—we are all sinners and that is the very reason why Christ had to die for our sins!) but rather it is that
“Christians should display a consistent pattern of obedience, along with a quick habit of going to God for cleansing when they are disobedient. This is how we can be established ‘blameless in holiness’ and have the same confidence Paul enjoyed in 1 Corinthians 4.” (DeYoung, 76.)
**Note: All of the thoughts/summaries/ideas/paraphrases/quotes in this post are all taken from chapter 5: The Pleasure of God and the Possibility of Godlinss.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
“Oh be careful little mouth….”
“I’m just kidding.”
“Don’t take everything so literally—I’m joking.”
“We all know that it is just a joke.”
Such sayings are commonly heard throughout one’s day. It seems like the prevalent mentality is that if we tag those words onto whatever preceded them, then that which we are joking about is then not only ok, but accepted and even sometimes encouraged. Sure, there is a time and place for simply being silly and having fun with friends. That is not what I’m talking about here. The issue that I’ve been thinking about some lately is that of joking about things which, if said with seriousness or actually carried out in real life, they would be wrong: joking about and taking lightly that which God views as wrong. However, under the classification of “joking,” we think nothing of it.
Somehow, such reasoning just does not sit right with me. As believers, our lives should reflect Christ in every area. Colossians 3:17 says that “whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” Not only that, but are we not called to a life of holiness? First Peter 1:15-16 makes a strong statement regarding our speech in connection with the believer’s holiness when it says that “…as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy.’” Or how about 1 Thessalonians 5:22, where we are commanded to “[a]bstain from all appearance of evil”? Even in just having fun with friends, I know I am guilty of partaking in joking that I know was not an avoidance of even the appearance of evil.
I once heard someone say that every single word that is said goes on forever in space, never totally disappearing. While I do not know if that is really true or not, it does cause me to take a step back and consider things that I have said. No matter how much I would like to avoid the fact, one day “…every idle word that [I] shall speak, [I] shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Ouch.
Considering joking in light of these few verses makes it seem oh-so-out-of-place in the believer’s life…in my life. What are your thoughts about this?
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