Devotional Song: ... Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of the group, Selah, singing one of her best songs… Press On; … declaring the reality of whom we have become in Christ … one who pursues ad deeper, holier relationship with our Lord day-by-day.
Highlight Passage Romans 6: 22-23 [NKJV] …
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Highlight Context - Romans 6: 14-23[NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
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Reference Passage #1 - Ephesians 1: 13-14 [NKJV] …
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
… It is coming to Christ - as our King - whom our surrender seals us in the promise of holiness
Reference Passage #2 - Philippians 1: 6 [NKJV] …
6 … being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; …
… And aren’t we glad, as Christians, that it is God’s pursuit to remake us into the image of our LORD and Savior … and that is “holiness?”
Reference Passage #3 - Philippians 3: 13-14 [NKJV] …
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
… And that goal and prize is promise of holiness in Christ!!
Reference Passage #4 - Hebrews 12: 14 [NKJV] …
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: …
… So, pursuing pursuit of holiness becomes an identifying signpost of our salvation, doesn’t it?
Reference Passage #5 - 1st Peter 1: 14-16 [NKJV] …
14 … as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” [see Lev. 11: 44-45]
… Old and New Covenants would have all believers in the LORD pursuing the holiness of Christ.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by David C McCasland, begins his blog with a provocative survey question, writing, … We often see surveys that ask people if they are happy, or satisfied with their work, or enjoying life. But I’ve never seen an opinion poll that asked, “Are you holy?” … How would you answer that question?
Interesting question, isn’t it? Personally, after reviewing McCasland’s ODB entry today and the Scriptures he referenced, as well as the truths which bubbled into my consciousness above, I would have to answer “YES and NO” to that survey?
I would say “YES,” … because I know that I am POSITIONALLY Holy. In other words, having surrendered my life in faith to the Lordship of King Jesus, God sees me in the light of my pursuit of holiness; and God, the Father, when He sees me, He sees only His Son, our Lord, … Who is holiness personified.
However, also in answering the survey question on holiness, I would also have to say, “NO,” … in the reality of my day-to-day life. No, I’m not holy, … because PRACTICALLY I still retain the sin nature into which I as born in my humanness. But I truly believe, … CONFIDENTLY, … that I’m headed to heaven if I were to drop dead right here and now (which is certainly not my desire!!). And how do I know that? … Well, … it is because it is my heart’s desire, my head-long pursuit, and my total belief in the promises of Christ, that I desire to leave my past sin nature behind and forge ahead to become more like Christ EVERYDAY; … to become more holy today than yesterday and even more holy tomorrow than today. [Be sure you use the link above to hear Selah singing “Press On!”]
Can you see that reality? A lost person, i.e., one who is headed to hell should they die today, would not be driven (I believe by God’s Spirit) toward holiness. Such a person would be driven inward, toward selfishness, rather than outwards toward holiness.
So, I’ll leave it to you to meditate on the truth of God’s word, referenced above, and then to ask yourself,
… “Is it my life’s pursuit to become Holy, as my Lord is holy?” … OR ...
… “Is it my life’s pursuit to satisfy myself rather than follow my Savior?”
Because, the answer to those questions will show you whether you are pursuing eternal life or eternal death? …
My Prayer for Today … O Lord, … I surrender ALL to You, King Jesus! … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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