For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8
The words of Scripture are not words of advice. Through his Word, God has revealed to us how he expects us to live. These words ought to be welcome by us. We are wanderers lost in a dark forest and God has placed before us the map that will direct our way home. And yet we frequently treat the Bible as a book of suggestions or antiquated ideas rather than life giving revelation from God.
When God says, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2), he is not speaking to the religious elite or to the Jews only. He is speaking to us. God has not called us to live impure lives but to walk in holiness, to be holy as he is holy.
We must not disregard the words of God as given to us through other people. The preacher or teacher who tells you to be holy, the parent who tells you to avoid sin, the book that tells you to obey God – these are not agents working against you but are beacons of the light of truth, shining that light into your life. If you disregard such words it is not the messenger you ignore, it is the author. You disregard not man, you disregard God.
As you move throughout your day today, what events will try to sabotage your holiness? What temptations will be present? What traps will be in your way? Spot them and avoid them. Take seriously this word that God has called us to holiness. Be obedient to Christ and be holy as he who called you is holy (1 Peter 1:15).
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Yes, we know when we have wandered off, we feel it and we cannot connect. We all have that sixth sense that is aware of his presence, we know when he is not near. Whenever we feel this way, we know we have to find our way back, and what better way than going down on the floor in your bedroom, lie down flat on your stomach, and speak to him. We must humble ourselves first in order for Christ to come down to us.
Satan sets many traps and snares to capture us, but we have to resist and talk to God. He cannot help us unless we open up.
Chris, you are so right to point out that God’s call to holiness is all about us. We so must listen to the word and the counsel of godly people if we are stay free of darkness. I think you are right that God, thanks to his endless mercy, is after us in so many ways, if we will only pay attention to what he is trying to do.