|
True Christians Pursue Holiness
by Dinora Garza A true Christian knows that he was saved only by grace. He knows he was chosen by God. He's certain it was not his own inclination towards God or his own will which led him to salvation. He knows it was God who produced in him the new birth, faith, and repentance (Ephesians 1: 3-7; 2: 8-9 and Acts 11:18). This kind of Christian pursues holiness because he knows that without it, no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12: 14). He wants to live differently because the Holy Spirit leads him to hate the sin he loved and to love the God he hated. A false Christian doesn't feel this way at all. He loves sin and enjoys it. Seeking holiness seems to him an unnecessary burden. He argues that he doesn't live by works, but by grace. He doesn't understand that "faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." (James 2:14-17). It seems boring to him to read the Bible, pray, and have fellowship with God and His holy people. He seldom shares the Gospel because he doesn't love God or his neighbor. A false believer goes through the motions of Christianity instead of delighting in them, but he does them once in a while because he thinks that's what he's supposed to do to look like a child of God. False believers affirm they have been saved by grace and live by faith, but deny the importance of sanctification. As a result, they end living by works, forcing themselves to do what they hate in order to gain heaven. Holiness brings joy to real Christians, but it's a heavy burden for those who are not... "I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great spoil. I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Your law." (Psalms 119: 162-163) I am a Christian. My passion is to know the Lord, and help others to understand His character and will. Read one of my blogs at: onetruthonegod.wordpress.com Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |