One of the greatest tragedies of the church today is, we have lulled ourselves to sleep. We no longer see the sinfulness of sin, and we say “whatever” when someone tries to refocus our attention on God. We see no problem with entertaining ourselves with the cares and pleasures and values of this world around us, and we even demand that we have a right to do as we please as long as we’re not hurting anyone.
We must wake up to the reality that we are supposed to live holy lives focused on and patterned after our Almighty God and Savior. Remember 1 Peter 1:15-16, “as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'” This isn’t a suggestion…it is a command “BE HOLY!”
And all throughout the Word of God are commands:
Abstain from fleshly lusts…
Mortify the deeds of the body…
Make no provision for the flesh…
Love not the world…
Flee immorality…
Put off the old man…
Cleanse yourself from all filthiness…
Walk in the Spirit…
Lay aside all evil and malice…
Again, these aren’t suggestions! They are rules we are to live by! We are to be holy as HE is Holy!
When that’s not the focus of our everday life, something is wrong with our faith in God, if we truly have any real faith in Him at all! These are not things to just glance at and then go about our normal life – they matter and will matter for all of eternity, because they reflect where we will spend eternity.
“Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)