A friend started a new job where she is responsible for filing literal and electronic documents in such a way that others working for the same company can find them as they need them. Her tasks are specific. She is not told to make coffee, park cars, dust the furniture, or knit sweaters, play with her dog, write a book, or surf the Internet because she is set apart to oversee the company library.
In the same way, God’s people are set apart for Him, doing what He has put us in His kingdom to do. While none of the distractions and other activities that interest us are evil things, we are called to stick to our job description, the very things that He called us to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
Besides being His priests, Christians are to proclaim His excellencies as we live here as His possession. Holiness can also be called sanctification but either term means to be set apart for God, to do His will and to become free from the power of sin. It is both a positional truth: I am set apart for God — and a progression: I am being set apart for God. He declares me holy — and He is making me holy.
He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. (Colossians 1:22)
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
When God saved me, I became His possession, not perfect but no longer ‘employed’ by sin and the devil and busy doing my own thing. Positionally, I am totally His. Practically, I’m learning the joy of my task. I get distracted by other activities and most do not seem evil, but if they are motivated by ‘I want’ rather than the Holy Spirit, they are still part of what is called sin — and something I was not saved to do.
Holiness is not some sort of attitude that I’m better or more devoted to God and therefore above others. Sanctification is not isolation from the world nor is it a pious refusal to do the ordinary responsibilities of life. Instead, it is paying attention to God and refusing to rule my own life or let anyone else draw me away from Jesus. Jesus is the reason I live, the One who calls me to live a holy life, to be like Him rather than do my own thing. And because I am in Christ Jesus and He is my wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, I am to boast in Him and not myself. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)
Jesus does the work. His offering to God at Calvary “perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds.’ ” (Hebrews 10:14–16) and “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.’ ” (1 Peter 1:15–16)
He gave me Himself so I have His eternal life, but also so I can be holy in this life. The first was instant. The second takes a lifetime to perfect, and will not be 100% until I die.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are . . . . We are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:1–3)
PRAY: Lord, the battle against sin and particularly the sin of trying to run my own life without Your input or enablement, is a real battle. I thank You for my positional holiness in Christ. How amazing that by it I am perfect in Your sight, yet so imperfect in my own view. I also thank You for the power of the Holy Spirit that enables me to listen to You and obey You, a steep learning curve with many distractions and temptations. Thank You for promising that You will finish what You started in me.
PONDER: Ephesians 1 tells what I have in Christ. Read it again today and be grateful!
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