Guest Joel Littlefield - Author of Grace In Crossville
This essay was first posted on the Calvary Chapel Crossville website. Please visit the site for more of Pastor Joel Littlefield's teaching.
"To walk in this thing we call holiness,
every eye must remain on the prize.
That prize is Jesus."
J. Littlefield
Pastor Joel has written a fine essay on the awesome attribute of God---His Holiness.
First - To walk in holiness is just that, a walk. It's a life with holy movement. It's a life of faithful step-taking. Not sluggish or lazy. Some steps are big and some are small, but the Christian is to be constantly on the move in the strength of the Spirit. This is not like the "busybody". The scriptures condemn that behavior. The busybody is so active, and so loose with his or her decisions, so sloppily involved in everyone's affairs, that they are not acting as the Lord in His holiness. God is purposeful, and deliberate in every action, so that every word, and every move is for the goal of glorifying Himself for the good of others. Let us do the same. Walk in holiness. Walk with purpose and with one goal, the glory of God and the benefit of others.
Second - Holiness is something that envelopes the true child of God. It is not a secondary nature, but part of a new, God given, primary nature that identifies with Christ. "Therefore if you have been raised with Christ, walk in newness of life." The action of walking and doing as a Christian is really an outflow of something deep inside you. Yes, something fully worked by God, but something we MUST take hold of. This is justification, that which Christ bought with His own blood. It is only in Christ that we are made holy. In Jesus we are acquitted of all unrighteousness and counted worthy - blameless before God - forgiven. It is a matter of position because of absolute payment on our behalf. The walking becomes easier when we realize what we are walking in. There's more purpose when we begin to understand the grace we have received. To walk in this is to acknowledge the miraculous work of God that placed you here, and glory in Him because of it.
Thirdly - Holiness is a personal God. Without God, holiness is non existent. Not only should we walk, and walk in, but even more than these we must worship the one who was, and is, and always will be holy. Try to define God with human words. It's impossible right? At some point we must revert to this one truth, "God is...Holy". It is a term that fits Him and Him alone, and every human knows this. It is a term that speaks of infinite worth and splendor, endless love and purpose, perfect promises and just judgments To walk in this thing we call holiness, every eye must remain on the prize. That prize is Jesus. Jesus came to make the unholy, positionally holy through faith in Him. He is the God who always was, the Great I AM, the holy one of Israel. The train of His Kingly robe fills temples, and His voice shakes mountains.
Walk in holiness today, for holiness is yours through the grace of Christ. Step out in faith with deeds of love and holiness, acting and living in the name of Jesus, spreading His Word to the ends of the earth. Reverence Him for He alone is worthy. He alone is Holy.
# #
This post was used by permission. Click link for more from Pastor Joel & Calvary Chapel Crossville
On Twitter https://twitter.com/graceinmaine
Pastor Joel Littlefield
I am 30 years old, the father to 3 wonderful children, and blessed to be 11 years married to my beautiful wife, Callie. I'm currently serving as the worship leader and assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel in Crossville, TN. My passion is to preach and teach Christ to the Church, and show that His glory, His joy, and His will are our primary mission in life as Christians. Since writing is a form of teaching, and can be used to equip the body of Christ unto love and good works, this too has become a passion in my daily walk and growth with God.
Be sure to read the 30 Day Devotion by Joel Littlefield Grace In Crossville available at Amazon
No comments:
Post a Comment