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How to Be Holy
by Tonja Taylor Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 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.- I Peter 1:13-16, KJV
God is holy. He tells us to be holy. Here are some ways you can be more holy--which really means--like Him!
Jesus was our perfect Example. He only did what God the Father told Him to do, and only said what God told Him to say.
True, some of what Jesus said may seem different than what we would say or think, but we humans are fallible, imperfect.
However, the LORD is a faith God! He believes in us, and He will forever be delighted in our journey (most moments; we can grieve Him, but His love and grace are so great toward us, that He willingly forgives us and tells us to get back on the road and go forward! Hallelujah!) to help us become more like Jesus our Savior, the resurrected Christ.
In John 17:14-19 (NLT), LORD Jesus is talking to the Father: "I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth."
So how can we become holy? By knowing and living the Truth of God's Word.
First, that means repenting of our sins and asking the LORD Jesus to forgive us, and cleanse us by the power of His holy blood shed at the cross for us, over 2,000 years ago.
After that, we continually learn and follow His Truth, His Word. This involves both choosing to believe and receive all the good things His sacrifice paid for, and also repenting when the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Truth) reveals to us ways in which we have not been adhering to God's wonderful Word; have not been being holy, according to God's standards.
Praise the LORD, His mercy preceeds His judgment! Father God wants to forgive and cleanse and heal and deliveer and restore us--and treat us just like His beloved Son, Jesus!
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. - James 2:12-13, NLT
LORD Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the living Word!
"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'"- John 14:6, NLT
The LORD will help us to become more like Him; more holy.
This is not being "self-righteous," for we have no righteousness of our own!
Christ is the righteousness from God. - 1 Cor 1:30
We are only righteous by the faith God gives us in the blood Jesus provided. So we must realize that, without God's help, we could never even desire to become righteous!
Every believer in Christ is the righteous who will live by faith in Hab 2.4. God is righteous—God is right—to justify those who believe in Christ, because of his atoning sacrifice for their sins; God has paid the price for their ransom. - Rom 3:21-26
He is soooooooo good!
Blessed be the LORD, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever!
Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same The LORD's name is to be praised. - Psalm 113:2-3, KJV
Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |