TEXT: 1 Peter 1:15
There are twelve gates in Heaven,
but there is one way to Heaven – the narrow way of holiness. To some, it is a
hard way so they have fashioned another way out to accommodate (their)
carnality, compromises and corruption, and they (erroneously) call it a new
discovery of grace. They argue that God is not displeased at them for continuing
in sin (provided they have once given their lives to Jesus) because they are both
humans and helpless and that it is not possible to be holy. What a message! But
an error!!
If holiness were not possible, then
the word of God is not true. God is holy (Psalm 99:9). God says we must be holy
(1 Peter 1:16; Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 5:48). He says ‘without holiness no man
shall see the Lord’ (Hebrews 12:14a). It becomes our mandate therefore, not
just to strive to live in holiness, but in “warning every man, and teaching every man
in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28). God will not accept
anything short of holiness in eternity (Colossians 1:22; Ephesians 5:27; 2
Corinthians 11:2). And so even now He expects us to walk in complete holiness,
trusting in his grace to live above sin and not to continue in sin all in the
name of grace (Romans 6:1-2).
Samson was a man who did “selective
holiness”. He was a Nazarite from the womb. This was a calling onto separation
and consecration to God. As part of obligations, a Nazarite is not supposed to
have the hair cut, and brother Samson did well in this (Judges 13:5). Also, a
Nazarite is not supposed to touch a dead animal, but Samson killed a lion (an
unclean beast) and returned to the dead lion to take food from there (Judges
14:6-9). He was not supposed to touch the unclean carcases. Brother Samson was
keeping his hair as required, but he was touching unclean objects against
obligation. This is how it is today; brethren dressing holy but filled with
lies, malice and envy. They will preach holy dressing, but are wanting with
unholy dealings (of immorality, lukewarmness, pride, anger, masturbation,
jealousy, hatred, etc). This is a fake life, and nothing fake has eternal life
abiding in him (1 John 3:15).
We must strive to live holy in
every area of our lives. Public holiness and secret filthiness is hypocrisy
that endangers eternity. The hypocrite has no place with God (Job 8:13;
13:16:27:8). I pray that God will strengthen and help you in any area where you
are struggling with Him and sin in Jesus’ name. Holiness is possible; Heaven is
possible.
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