my pursuit of holiness.

Tonight I started reading The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges again.  It is, by far, the most challenging book that I have ever read.  I almost didn’t want to pick it up.  But something told me to.  I finally listened.

Something struck me in the first chapter more than it did when I read it last year while living on Gay Street surrounded by amazing friends.  

“Many Christians have what we might call a ‘cultural holiness’.  They adapt to the character and behavior pattern of Christians around them.  As the Christian culture around them is more or less holy, so these Christians are more or less holy.  But God has not called us to be like those around us.  He has called us to be like Himself.  Holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God.”

Yowza.  This could not be more true in my life right now.  As the people I have surrounded myself with have changed this semester, so has my standard of holiness.  Just because friends claim they know Jesus and live a life that portrays certain sins aren’t actually sins, doesn’t mean it is okay for me to do the same.   I know what you are thinking, “well, duh, Lana.” But, if I am honest with myself, this semester, I have  begun to water down holiness… I have attempted to compartmentalize sin in my life… as if me being in a college town surrounded by college students makes any difference in the Lord’s demand for me to be holy.

Notice demand.  He does not request that we live out holiness.  He simply says “Be holy, for I am holy.”  And Hebrews 12:14 outright claims without holiness we will not see the Lord.  Well by golly, I want to see the Lord.

…more on this later…