Holy Living

As we go about our day through this life after God has shown us grace and saved us from the wrath we deserve, what is our focus?  

Is it the worry of our day ahead?  

Is it our financial situations?  

Is it our marriage?  

Is it our children? 

What truly is your and my main focus whilst we live this life day by day? 
 
I can imagine this might be something most of us have read about at some time throughout our Christian life. Yet for some, this might be the first time you are reading about this subject. I can most assuredly tell you — I don't have “it all together” in every part of my life. I do, however, know what the Bible says about this subject. 

As I did a short study on this subject to prepare to write what I thought would be an easy post, turned out to be a lot more detailed than I thought. In this short study — that anyone can do — I found over 32 scripture references on holy living. One of my Favorite scriptures on this would have to be Psalm 119:9 which says:

“How can a young man keep his ways pure? By guarding it according to your word.”

​It may seem to be a simple statement but I assure you, it isn’t. 

​As we have mentioned before here on this website's posts and in our videos, we stand firmly on the Word of God. It is the standard by which we measure and live our lives. It is the Inspired, living, breathing Word of God given to us for everything we need to know on every subject and situation in our life.  
God knew what He was doing when He gave it to us. 

The scriptures speak time and time again on the subject of keeping our thought life pure, our speech clean and holy. Let's look at just one of these scriptures. 
   
“Therefore, preparing our minds for action, and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but 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.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold bit with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”  1 Peter 1:13-19 

Just in this one little section we see that we are told to “prepare our minds for action."  

What is this action? It could be simply explained as living your life and while you live your life, “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). We’re told to be obedient children; obedient to God and His Word.
 
Jesus said if we loved Him we would obey His commandments. I encourage you to read your Bible and find these commandments. They aren’t hidden from us.  
This passage also tells us not to be conformed to the passions of our former ignorance. The life we led before we were born again, wasn’t the one we were meant to live.
 
Not only did we obey the desires of our flesh, we clung to them as a child does their teddy bear.  

We held them close to our hearts. They were dear to us.
 
That life is gone now, and so should our love for that life as well. We are called to live God-honoring, holy lives in all situations and in all aspects of life.
 
Will we always succeed at this? No.
 
Is His grace sufficient? Yes.  

This doesn’t give us a license nor an excuse, but it should make us that much more thankful for the salvation and forgiveness that we have in Jesus and because of His sacrifice on our behalf.
  
I urge you to read your Bible and follow what it says.  

Apply it to your life and obey God.  

Share the Gospel with everyone at every chance you get.
 
To live a holy life is to be obedient to God and His Word: not a legalistic lifestyle, but an obedient one.
 
Not looking down on others for not living that way, but loving them by sharing the Gospel and showing them, as you have been shown, mercy and grace. Forgiving one another and having patience for everyone even when you don’t want to. 

Jonathan Eckel