PERFECTING HOLINESS

The term holiness denotes that which is sacred, pure, without blemish and set aside for God. One's christian life becomes perfectly holy when he or she reaches a stage in which being overcome by temptation becomes a thing of the past, and he or she acts according to the will of God always.


This is not beyond the reach of the Christian, since Jesus said that if we believed in him we would do far more than what He did, which included not ever sinning. A Christian would attain this when he or she looks up higher for help (from Jesus), for guidance in going through life and not relying on his or her own wits and instincts. Its time for Christians to stop depending on our their strengths to overcome sin.

MEMORY VERSE : 2 Cor. 7:1

HOW DO WE ATTAIN IT?

Letting go totally- By looking up to Jesus, one acknowleges his or her insufficiency in leading a perfctly holy life. Most Christians tend to surrender only part of their lives to Christ and keep other parts under their own will. The devil is able to cause them to sin through those parts of their lives.

Through the Word of God- Ps.119:9 states "how shall a young man clense his way? by taking heed thereto according to your word"(KJV2000). We should note here that when the devil tempted Jesus He answered him with the Word. That is how Christians should also deal with the various ideas that the devil would place in their heads. We can only do so when we are filled to the brim with God's word.

Through prayer- Jesus said in Mt.26:41 "watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak"(KJV2000). A line in the Lord's prayer states "and lead us not into temptation". The Lord knows our frame, so He has made provisions for us to avoid temptations in the first place. Christians should take advantage. When we are faced with a temptation or nearly being overcome by it, we should call to the Lord for help and He will answer us.

THE NUMEROUS BENEFITS OF PERFECTING HOLINESS

When we read Ps.1 we get to see so many good things which are derived from righteousness. Apart from eternal life which is obtained by believeing in Jesus and leading a righteous and holy life, there are many other benefits which would be obtained here on earth. "The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles"Ps.34:17(KJV2000).


Also Daniel and the rest excelled above all the others when they chose not to sin against God. In Ps. 37:25 it is stated,"i've been young, and now am old, yet have i not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his offspring begging bread"(KJV2000).There are many other benefits, found in the Bible.

CONCLUSION

Whenever we find ourselves entangled by sin, in our Christian lives, we should remember that Phil 3:14-15 states "i press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as would be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you"(KJV2000). We should not allow the Devil to discourage us. We should forget about past sins and move on, since they are washed away and we become as white as snow, as soon as we ask for forgiveness from God.