MAY 2, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

MAY 2 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: 1 PETER 1:13-21

Many followers of Jesus believe that holiness is reserved for a very few special "Saints.” That most of us regular everyday Christians can never reach a place of holiness. We certainly get this impression from church teachings that what we do determines who we are, and looking at ourselves we know we can't be holy. We need to understand that holiness is the call to every follower of Jesus. We also need to understand that our holiness is imputed to us by Christ. Our standing with God is that we are a holy people. We are a people set apart by the Holy Spirit, sanctified as His followers. This is the work of God in us; it is our eternal position in Christ. If at any time we could lose this position of holiness, we would be lost and would not have eternal life. Jesus makes us eternally holy...therefore we are eternally acceptable to God.

Since our position in Christ is to be made holy, does that mean our actions do not matter? In other words, since we are eternally secure it does not matter what we do? I sure hope no one has that view of biblical salvation and what it means to be a biblical Christian. Of course our actions matter, what we do with ourselves always matters. The problem is that far too many believe that to be made holy is a work we produce ourselves, by trying harder to be better, then someday if we try hard enough we will attain holiness. Our holiness is the completed work of Christ in us. He makes us holy. He sets us apart. His continued work in us produces the fruit of that holiness. In other words, because Christ has made us holy, we now can walk and live as holy people. It's all a work of Christ. He is the Author of the work and He is the Finisher of the work (Hebrews 12:2). It's not a matter of our effort, but of our surrender.

Please share your thoughts.