Holy Living In Preparation For Christ's Appearing # 1

Holy Living In Preparation For Christ's Returning # 1

"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:23).

"God saved us and called us to live a holy life" (2 Tim. 1:9).

Who can estimate too highly the value of a holy life? It is the purpose of Christ's redeeming work: He "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

Holiness is absolutely essential to the enjoyment of true peace. Whatever doctrines persons hold, or spiritual feelings they may enjoy, they are of no real benefit to them unless they lead to a holy walk. Sin is like an aching tooth, and wherever it is permitted to abide, there can be no true rest or peace.

Moreover, holy living is one of the mightiest powers for good in the Church of Christ.

A congregation eminent for the holiness of its members is like a burning-glass manifesting the rays of the Divine glory, and having a power to set on fire the hearts of men, and to inflame them with zeal in God's service. A single Christian who is living a very holy and devoted life cannot fail to be a blessing wherever he lives, and the least word he speaks for Christ is mighty because backed up by his own example.

Therefore seek to be holy. You are God's representative in an evil world. You are to adorn the doctrine of Christ in all things. You are to strive to be a blessing to others. You desire to enjoy the peace of God which passes understanding. Therefore you must be holy. You must make it your distinct aim every day you live, to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

Look at the prayer of the Apostle at the heading of this address. Turn it into a petition for yourself. Plead it before God in the name of Jesus in all its fullness of meaning.

"O God, the God of peace, I look unto You. I have no help but in You. You alone can make me holy by the power of Your good Spirit. Do Your work in me thoroughly. Let no evil thing remain. may every power of mind and body be set apart for Your service. Oh keep me and preserve me day by day. Make me blameless and without reproach. Prepare me to stand without fault before Christ at the great day of His coming, I ask this for Jesus' sake. Amen"

But if you wish to be holy and earnestly long to be made like Christ in all things - then you must weigh well the teaching of the Word of God. You must follow the light which that Word affords. It will name a few points of main importance.

You can only be sanctified by God as you know Him as the "God of peace." Before you can be made holy, you must be at peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. You must begin with free forgiveness and complete reconciliation through His blood. The holiness rests on the basis of a perfect justification, whereby you stand before God in Christ accounted righteous in His sight. There are some who try to climb up to justification and acceptance by their holiness or good works or good feelings. But they always fail. It is jut the other way.

You are not to be holy that you may be forgiven - but you are to be forgiven and justified that you may become holy. You must begin on the lowest round of the ladder. You must take the place of the sinner, and then look to Christ to pardon and justify you freely through His blood and righteousness.

"Mine is the sin, but Yours is righteousness,
Mine is the guilt, but Yours the cleansing blood;
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace,
Your blood, Your righteousness, O Lord my God."

You can only be sanctified by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Remember the words of Paul. "God has chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thess. 2:13). It is only as the Holy Spirit the Comforter dwells within you, and reigns within you as a new power and a new life that you can in any way rise above your own evil nature and think or act aright. From the first desire to live a better life, to the first note of praise in  glory - the whole work must be that of the Holy Spirit. Hence you must by all means seek to realize and be filled with the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. Remind yourself frequently of your need of His power and grace. Let it be your persistent, believing cry that the Father would send the Spirit to work mightily in you. Let it be your greatest sorrow in any way to grieve that blessed Spirit, either by willful sin or by slighting His motions in your heart. Often breathe forth a longing desire for His humbling, comforting, enlightening ray.

"O most blessed Light Divine,
Shine within these hearts of Thine,
And our inmost being fill.
Where You are not, man has nothing,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill."

Very various and manifold are the agencies the Spirit employs. Very frequently, it is a season of suffering or sorrow. The soul is brought low in the valley of humiliation. Comforts are removed, and troubles increase. Then heavenly things become more real, God is known more fully as a sure Refuge, the promises stand out with clearer brightness.

As the late Dean Champneys put it, the railway light is only seen as you enter the dark tunnel. Just so, in the dark moments of adversity, the bright lamp of promise shines out with double glory. Never forget, Christian, that there are two promises which go side by side along the road to Zion. One is, "In the world you shall have tribulation," and the other, "In Me you might have peace" (John 16:31). And the Holy Spirit very frequently uses the first, to bring the second. It is by the teachings of sorrow, that a deeper and surer peace is wrought in the soul.

No less does the Holy Spirit use the Word of God as a great instrument of sanctification. Our Lord's prayer is being constantly fulfilled. "Sanctify them through Your truth - Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). Every line of Holy Scripture teems with warning, promise, doctrine, or example that has a sanctifying tendency when it is received in meekness and obedience.

~George Everard~

(continued with # 2)