“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is for ever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25 (NIV) Paul explains that because people reject the truth about God, the truth He has proclaimed since the start of time, they pursue all kinds of things that declare their rejection of God and His truth. Actions come from belief or the lack thereof. What we pursue reflects the truth in us, righteousness or unrighteousness.
When we embrace holiness as a way of life it shows the world in whom we believe. We have embraced the truth about God and more so, we have embraced God. The holiness that we pursue flows from our faith and is proof of our faith in God’s truth, as James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22 NIV Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, obey my commands.” (John 14:15) It is important we understand the order, we believe in Jesus first. Our salvation is through Christ’s actions. Our actions flow from our love of Christ.
When we embrace holiness as a way of life, we proclaim the truth of Christ. We do so through the Spirit of truth who empowers us. This is not a way of legalism, a way of trying to prove our worth to be called Children of God. We are called Children of God through faith. We embrace holiness because we embrace the truth of Christ. We know God and as we embrace holiness, we will get to know God even more, moving to the center.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. -1 John 3:1-3
