We might pursue holiness out of logical life planning. Reading God’s Word, we might see the sheer utility in God’s commands and wisdom. Obeying God, while difficult, often leads to simply a more successful life. But at some point, the cost of obedience will outweigh its usefulness. None of these are bad. But neither are they sufficient to carry us all the way on our mission to “bring holiness to completion.”
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Why should we be holy? What motivations are available to Christians for their heartfelt obedience to the law and will of God? Let’s be honest: this is hard enough that we need some high-grade motivation. The enemy will continually feed us powerful lies, stealing our hearts away from holiness. The world will echo those lies, promising us happiness in the path of wickedness. And some part of our hearts remain primed for self-service, idolatry, and the lusts of the flesh.
Lots of options are available to us…
We might pursue holiness out of fear: fear of hell, fear of punishment, fear of shame. But fear, by itself, fades.
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