Is Holiness Relevant for Our Generation?

Holiness has become a lost concept in today's Christianity. If we don't do something about it now, we will lose future generations to the enticements of secularism in the world. Back in 2006, a survey was conducted by The Barna Group, on the subject of holiness (I'm sure these percentages haven't gotten any better over the past 3 years.) They said 35% of Americans believe "God expects you to be holy." While born again believes come in a bit higher at 46%. This percentage doesn't seem too bad if the polls were based on a running candidate, but when it is referring to a major building block in a believer's faith, it is very serious. The question is, what is the other 54% thinking?

Flowing robes, stiff collars, pious expressions, these are a few thoughts that come to mind when you think of the word Holy. Many people think holiness only applies to those that live in seclusion or who have chosen to live chaste lives. Holiness is often identified with religious people who are saintly and untouchable allowing the common man to flow with the current culture with very little consequence. This way of thinking eases the sinful conscious of the "common" man by determining that holiness is not required for everyone. By their honoring what they "perceive" as holy they feel at ease, while their own lives continue unchanged. Sadly this approach is very often seen in the church today. In congregations around America, the pews are filled with carnal Christians. Although the leadership is expected to represent holy living, and rightly so, the congregation continues to indulge in secular delicacies. When did it come acceptable for Christians to claim to be faithful followers of Jesus, but live their lives in complete contrast? The line between sin and righteousness has been erased. Instead, we do whatever we feel like doing. The instruction in the Bible is there for us, but it hasn't become a way of life. The world's entertainment has become much too delicious for us to pass up. Every future generation is affected by the previous generation's complacency. We owe it to future generations to get serious about God; otherwise, they will not only follow our same nonchalant attitude but do it in excess. We must change the course of our lives and break this pattern of apathy.

Was God only looking at the present day culture when He commanded His people ...' Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2); and again here, Peter exclaimed ...what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:11, NIV). Knowing that God is the same yesterday, today and forever and He does not change, we can all agree that the same guidelines of holiness that were set thousands of years ago are still relevant for today's culture.

Today's television programs tell all, say all and show all. Reality t.v. has hit the airwaves and is becoming increasingly popular. The price people pay for the exploitation of their family's life is devastating and the repercussion it plays is usually beyond repair. The sacredness and respect of their private lives have become front page news. The dirtier the scandal, the more we tune in to watch. Much entertainment from movies and television use our God's Holy name as a curse word and delight their viewers with scenarios that contradict our Biblical believes. Yet, we sit there soaking it all in as if it doesn't even faze us. We are drawn to these things and we gladly indulge in them.

How does God view all this? Does He really care what we watch, what we read or what we listen too? Many of us never even consider God's thoughts in these areas. We just assume that as long as we're not doing the things we watch, then God isn't bothered. But He is and His word says so.

What does the Bible says about the subject? Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). When we become Christians, there is a change that takes place inside us. Our spirit becomes new; our past sins are forgiven; and the Holy Spirit indwells us. Our spirits are much like a newborn baby...sensitive to its surroundings. There is an awareness that God is with us. Committing sin at this point brings conviction to the heart. The more conscious we are to the Holy Spirit's indwelling, the less likely we are to indulge in sin. Sin is much more identifiable when the Spirit is present. At the same time, the more we resist the Holy Spirit's conviction on our hearts, the more we indulge in sin until eventually we lose discernment between right and wrong.

Holiness is simply living our lives in a way that is more pleasing to God than to our own flesh. If I were to create a detailed list, for someone, that separated holy acts from unholy acts, I would provoke in the reader insincere devotion. Holiness is not that. True holiness comes from a passion for God. Apathy comes when our passion for God begins to cool until it is nonexistent. This is a place where sin in many forms is unrecognizable. Worldly entertainment being the greatest downfall of our spiritual lives, with its anti-Bible implications, becomes accepted. This is a dangerous place to be because our spiritual senses become blinded by it.

So where does one begin? When our heart comes in line with God, our actions will follow in succession. Repentance is the antidote for holiness. It must begin with acknowledgement of our wrong choices and our apathy before God. Like I mentioned before, when we are in this state, we cannot always discern right from wrong. Just because something seems right doesn't mean it is. I once heard a friend say concerning R rated movies. "It's ok if I watch them because they don't have any effect on me." His discernment wasn't there. Without God's word we would not know right from wrong. A 2-year-old doesn't understand what is right and wrong. They must be taught otherwise they will grow up to do whatever they please. In the same way, we too must search God's word to find out what truth is and is not. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts (Proverbs 21:2). Without the Spirit's convicting power and the truth that we find in the word of God, we will not know what it means to live holy.

Once we have gotten our hearts right with God, then our desire for holiness will grow. The closer we come to God, the deeper our hunger to live pleasing to Him will develop. It's only out of our desire to please God that we will turn the television off when we hear God's name used blasphemously; avoid a movie because of its playful acceptance of sex before marriage; or change the radio station because of a song's casual reference to getting drunk and partying.

If you find a person who lives a holy life, you have found someone whose heart is devoted to God. Remember, living holy is not just a suggestion, but a beneficial command!