I pick up part two of my series on, “Pressing toward the Heavenly calling” today by proclaiming that God has indeed called His Children to BE HOLY! As I began this study, one of the first things that stuck into my spirit was the fact that Paul reminds us in Ephesians, To press toward our Heavenly calling requires pressing towards a life of Holiness unto the Lord. Paul opened up to the Ephesians by telling them:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” 

SALVATION IS A PROCESS!

When obeying the New Testament plan of Salvation found in Acts 2:38, we become Justified in the eyes of God (I Cor 6:11). We reclaim what Adam lost in the Garden of Eden, and become covered with the Righteousness of God, which is His Holy Nature. The penalty of our sins have been paid for and removed, and fellowship is restored. However, The New Birth is not just a one-time experience, but it takes us off the highway to eternal damnation, and puts our feet in the opposite direction towards Heaven. Salvation then, becomes a Journey or a pursuit, where we travel the road to Heaven: It’s a process the Bible refers to as, “HOLINESS” OR “SANCTIFICATION!” Isaiah caught a glimpse of this Highway and called it, “The way of Holiness.”

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: (Isaiah 35:8-9)

A.W. Post said, “Salvation is the most elastic word in the Bible.” I was saved from the PENALTY of sin when I was justified, I am being saved from the POWER of sin as I am sanctified, and I will be saved from the very PRESENCE of sin when I am glorified. Salvation is a process! From God’s perspective, the salvation process and the sanctification (“separation” or “holiness”) process are one and the same.

THE CHURCH “CALLED OUT”

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28 KJV)

In the New Testament, the Greek Word “Hagiasmos” is used for both Holiness and Sanctification found in Scripture. The common theme is a call for God’s people to be “set apart.” It’s no coincidence The Church whom Jesus purchased with His Blood is translated “Eklessia” meaning “CALLED OUT ONES.” This is where we part ways with the world, and pursue a life pleasing unto the Lord.

We can look at this as a double divorcement (Galatians 6:14.) We have been called out of the world, and into His marvelous Light, and He has taken the World out of us, and imputed His Holiness. As important as it is to keep water out of a Boat, Sanctification is as essential to keep sin out of our life. The Apostle Paul made it clear in his opening Salutation to the Corinthian’s, The Church of the Living God is called to be Sanctified unto the Lord: Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s. (1 Corinthians 1:1-2 KJV)

Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. (II Timothy 1:9 KJV)

But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9 KJV)

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16 KJV)

Holiness means that we are not to love this ungodly world system, identify with it, become attached to the things in it, or participate in its sinful pleasures and activities. “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). One important aspect of pure and undefiled religion is to keep “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

We specifically need to avoid three major areas of temptation and sin: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:15-16). One of the reasons God calls us into a life of Sanctification, is to protect us in these THREE areas.

BIBLICAL ENCOUNTER: We can glean from the story of LOT: He foolishly believed he could live Righteous, yet be yoked up with the world at the same time. His life shows, it is impossible as a Christian to live among the world, and not be stained or “vexed” by its pollution. As in the words of Paul, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” Sanctification keeps the pollution of the world out of our lives and mind.

Pursuing a life of Holiness is commanded by God (I Peter 1:15-16) and NO MAN SHALL SEE HIM WITHOUT HOLINESS (Hebrews 12:14.) We must understand, it is the working of God’s Spirit in us that allows us to continue a life of HOLINESS. We CANNOT MANUFACTURE OUR OWN HOLINESS APART FROM “HAVING” HIS SPIRIT AND “BEING LED” BY HIS SPIRIT. This is why Paul said: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (I Peter 1:2)

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (II Thes 2:13)

There are no loop holes or shortcuts to Heaven: Make no mistake about it, Holiness is as essential as the New Birth experience. Acts 2:38 is how we get saved; The Pursuit of Holiness is how we stay saved. God’s people are CALLED TO BE HOLY! In my next article, I will further expound on the Pursuit of Holiness. When God’s Holy nature is imputed in our life at our initial Salvation experience, true conversion brings forth fruit in the life of that individual. Meaning…THERE WILL BE AN EXTERNAL WITNESS THAT GOD HAS INDEED TAKEN UP RESIDENCE INSIDE OF US. Holiness changes us from the inside out!

God Bless, JDS