My prayer is for the American Church to know the biblical balance of Christ’s holiness and walk in it.

The adversary likes it when God’s children go to extremes because that’s the carnality he can work with to bring division. Neither legalism nor looseness is desirable. Sadly, both extremes misinterpret Scripture.

The looseness of sloppy grace doesn’t trust the truth of God’s Holy Scripture. This camp generally insists that everything is okay because of grace. But legalism doesn’t trust the truth of God’s Holy Spirit. This camp generally insists that nothing is okay because of the law.

I’ll simply leave these seven quotes and not preach you a sermon.

Four of these are from respected Christian thinkers, and three of them are somewhat original to me. However, all of them filtered through my soul and have blessed me. As a proponent of authentic scriptural holiness, I share these as food for thought.

1. Wondering about GOD’S PERFECT WILL for your life? 1st Thessalonians 4 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness” (verses 3a & 7).
   
2. Absolutely “nothing is so much needed at the present time throughout all these lands as a general and powerful revival of scriptural holiness” (Vinson Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition, 1997)!
   
3. Moderation and modesty should be the principal characteristics of God’s children because holiness is still right.
   
4. Holiness is not about hemlines, hairdos, and your set of personal convictions. It is not just a doctrine to believe but an experience to behave. It is the very nature of God.
   
5. “Holiness is not a separation from sinners, it’s a separation from sin” (Ed Stetzer).
   
6. “By Christian perfection, we mean nothing but the cluster and maturity of the graces which compose the Christian character in the church militant” (John Fletcher, 1729-1785).
   
7. “The converted soul grows only by pressing after holiness” (G. D. Watson, White Robes, 1883).

Holiness is the way, and following Him is a grace-filled path. However, His grace is not a license to live however you want. It is His power to help you live how you ought. Yes, He loves you that much.

Christ’s followers live with one call. Our lives should be spent getting to know Him and making His holy love known. Few earthlings may know your name but seek to reveal Him whose way is holy.

Indeed, as a love conceived born again child of God, your life’s ambition should be to live at peace with everyone and to strive for holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Read Hebrews 12:14-17 in context for more on this.

How are you doing at revealing the righteousness that Christ placed on your account when you were justified in His sight? Do you struggle with the concept of holiness or find it to be a breath of fresh air? Can you see that we have been empowered to live holy by the Holy Spirit with the Holy Scripture because our God is holy?

BONUS QUOTE: “Avoid unholy holiness” (Bishop Randolph S. Foster, 1820-1903).