FRIDAY May 15, 2026

A Life of Holiness

...and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord....
Hebrews 12:14

The next exhortation from the Apostle Paul was to live a life of holiness. Holiness––I love that word! It literally speaks of our lives being pleasing to God. This is not speaking about rules and regulations, as if to say, “Here are ten rules for you to obey to become holy.” You cannot make yourself holy––it does not work that way. Christianity is not legalism. It is not a bunch of do's and don'ts. Those who have made peace with God by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior are not only to become peacemakers, but they are also set apart––holy before God.

We are made holy in Christ. This means your life is set apart for God. You live your life with the aim to be pleasing to God. Your relationship with God causes you to refrain from anything that displeases His heart, not because you have to, but because you want to. Let me explain. If you are happily married, and you love your wife, will you commit adultery? No! Why not? You enjoy a love relationship with your wife, and you guard against anything that will jeopardize your marriage relationship.

In the same way, in your relationship with God, you refrain from anything that will cause His heart to be displeased. In your conduct of life, ask yourself, “Is this pleasing to the Lord?” Holiness is important. Why? The truth is that without holiness, none of us will see the Lord. So it is really important to grasp what the Apostle is saying to believers. Those who are not pursuing peace and are living unholy lives risk not seeing the Lord. In other words, you cannot call yourself a Christian, walk in the flesh, live a life of sin, and expect to go to heaven. Again, it does not work that way.

In 1 Peter 1:14-16, the Apostle Peter exhorts believers to live lives of holiness: ...as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Are you pursuing peace? Are you pursuing holiness?

Always remember the essence of Christian holiness is simplicity and purity: one design, one desire: entire devotion to God.
~John Wesley~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!