God Is Calling You to Walk in Holiness

What is God’s call on your life? This is a question which bothers many. Is it a call to be a pastor, a missionary, a doctor, engineer, businessman or a politician?

Let it be whatever God wants you to be. But there is a greater calling which Paul talks about: “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7).” Why is this calling greater and more important than all other “callings” listed and not listed above?

First of all, know that God will never lower his standards, for he is holy. He wants us to be holy. Both God and each one of us know it is impossible.

It is impossible; therefore we cannot attempt to be holy by our human effort. It is then that we will truly rely and seek the help of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who will help us to live holy lives (see 4:8).

Secondly, you can be successful in your “callings” even when you do not live holy lives. Outwardly. Because people see you always talk spiritual things and act in a godly way. There is no way anyone can see your heart.

But the call to holiness is a call to be pure and undefiled in your heart. No one can see there; not even your husband or wife or your closest friend. The outward success you enjoy while secretly living in sin is only because God is being patient, gracious, and merciful to you. But a day might come when your sin will find you out. And then judgement.

Finally, you should be always alert and watchful to test what is acceptable to God. See, television and internet has brought sin and entertainment right into our bedrooms. You don’t need to go out to seek and find it.

In such a situation, what is your response to sin’s invitation to eat her delicacies when no one is watching and you are alone (see Proverbs 9:17, 18)? See, your status as God’s child is not part-time. It is not compartmentalized into secular and sacred, personal and social, private and public.

Therefore what you will not do in public, you should also not do in private. What you will not do in the presence of your believer friend, you should not do in front of secular friends.

Too difficult? “Hey, preacher, it is easy for you to say all these”; you might be thinking so in your heart. But friend, whether it is easy or not is not under consideration. God’s call has not changed and will not change either. It is a call to live a holy life in fear of God.

The call is “to live” a holy life. That means it does not happen in a moment. But it is a decision to walk close to God day by day and moment by moment. Failures might come. But that does not change God’s call. So confess your sin. Be cleansed in the blood of Jesus and move on “to live” a holy life.

Insight
We know the parable of a man who sowed seed in his field and when the wheat sprouted and formed heads, the weeds also appeared. There is another perspective to it that we should try to see. Whether weeds grow along with it or not, the seed will sprout into a wheat plant. The negative presence of the weeds does not prevent the seed from producing wheat. God expects such faithfulness from us, irrespective of our circumstances.

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