Wholly Holy

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. God has just really been hitting me with this over the last week or so as He has been teaching me about leadership. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God. The pure in heart.. what does that mean. We immediately think of clean or undefiled, but it also means an undivided heart. In other words, a heart that has one passion and goal and that will not be taken off course. How can we, as sinful man/woman, have such a heart? Yet throughout scripture, God promises that those with clean hands and a pure heart can ascend the hill of the Lord to see Him (Ps 24). In Genesis 1, God creates us to bear His image - to be righteous and holy - to know and walk with Him. Colossians 1:16 says we were created by Him and for Him. So God created us to know Him and to be like Him in our character - our heart. But I look at my heart.. ouch. In Ezekiel 36, though, God promises that He is going to do something new that will make it possible for us to have a new heart - the heart we were meant to embody. Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17 sheds light on this - "In Christ, we are a new creation. The old has passed and behold, all things are made new." In Christ, we are a new creation. We are given a new heart solely by the work of God. In 1 John 3:3 it says, "Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 1 Peter 1:16 says, "It is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"So, a new heart is the work of God, but when we are given Christ, we are a new creation that is called to know God and to obey Him - to be holy. Is it possible to be 25% holy? 50%? 90%? I don't believe so. Holiness is a state of being, not a partial state. We are either wholly holy, or not at all. Ephesians 4:23-24 calls us to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness to the truth." If we are in Christ, we are a new creation in which the image/likeness of God has been created within us (that which we were created to reflect) in righteousness and holiness. This holiness and righteousness is not our own. It is God's. He places His righteousness and holiness on us through His Son. I know I am getting really deep, but this is powerful truth. God does not call us to something that is not possible. He has made a way for us to be wholly holy - to be pure in heart - to live with one passion and purpose. This is what He created us for in the beginning, and what He has restored us to in Christ. Acts 17:26-28 tells us that God created man that we might seek and know Him. This is our purpose and our goal - to seek and know God. He made it possible through Christ, because only in Christ can an unholy being be made wholly holy that he/she can enter into the wholly holy presence of God.

Ok, back to reality. So what does this mean for me? For us? It means, am I willing to ask God to search my whole heart - to shed His light on all that I am - to reveal where my heart is divided? He has that ability. He knows the intentions of the heart, and He alone has the power to create a new heart within me. So, step one.. "God, search my heart. All of it. Bring to light all that which is unpleasing to Your name and Your will in my life. Shed light on my sin and break the chains that so easily bind me. Reveal the areas that are distraction for my heart, that You might be my sole passion and purpose. Let no area of my heart and life go undetected and unchecked. Search it all. You have called me to holiness, and that does not mean partial holiness. You have made me new in Your image that I might fully reflect and embody Your holiness and righteousness. So please, destroy every part of me that refuses that purpose and task. I ask these things that I might truly live the life You created me for - the life that brings You the most glory and honor. Amen."

Now, step two. In 1 Peter 1:22, Peter calls those who have salvation to purify themselves as He is pure. What this means is I have to be willing to let go... to give up the things God brings to light. God will not force me to give up these things. He will bring them to light and give me a new heart, but I have to choose to walk in it. Proverbs 4:23 calls us to watch over our hearts, for they are the well-spring of life. I have to choose to watch over it... Ps 119:9-10 says, "How can a young man keep his ways pure? By living according to Your word. I seek You with all my heart; Do not let me stray from you." This process is one of action and prayer. It is not enough to do the right things.... The Pharisees were really good at that, but Jesus said their hearts were wicked and far from Him. No, it is about the heart. The heart is made pure by knowing and obey His word.. for the purpose of knowing Him. We seek Him with our whole heart. And in this, we rely on Him and not our own strength. The psalmist begs God, "Do not let me stray from You." This is our cry because our goal and motivation is not to be holy, but to know God.

So, am I willing to let Him deal with every part of my heart and life that is not of Him? Are you? We were created by Him and for Him. He is our maker, owner, and redeemer. Why should I fear letting Him have all of me? There is no reason except pride and my flesh. Both of which, when I study their affects on my past and present, bring nothing but pain, loneliness, and death. God spoke and created life from nothing. He is the author and perfecter of life. Why should I not trust Him? There is no reason at all. I invite you to pray and pursue these things with me, and I ask you to pray for me. There is so much in my flesh that refuses to let go, but I know God is greater. He has not created me to walk in lust, fear, and doubt. He has created me to reflect His image - holiness, boldness, and purity of heart. Thank you for laboring and fighting alongside of me!