One of the main points I try to make in this sermon is that while holiness is not optional for the Christian, you and I can’t make ourselves holy.Rather, God makes us holy. Or, as Paul says in Philippians 2:13: “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
This is a relief. We’re all inconsistent, forgetful, and often lacking motivation. Thanks be to God that the Holy Spirit is always at work in our lives, making us holy.
However, we must be careful not to misinterpret what this means.The fact that God is the One who makes us holy does not release us from daily effort and discipline. What this means is that we cannot dig around in our hearts to find holiness, or create it through our effort. Rather, holiness is a gift that comes from outside of us through the means of grace—the Word of God, the Sacraments, and the fellowship of God’s people.
In other words, holiness is not something we create or conjure; it’s something that rubs off on us. Holiness is something we catch, like a cold (this is a weak analogy, since no one wants a cold, but you get the point). Holiness takes root and grows in our lives as holy things are planted and nurtured in us.
Consider, for example, flamingos. I’m always amazed by these creatures, not only because of how alien they look, but also how the pink pigmentation of their feathers is caused by their diet. Flamingos are born with grey feathers. It’s their diet of shrimp and algae that changes their plumage to pink. This is how holiness works in us. By remaining connected and devoted to God’s Word and Sacraments within the Christian community, the Holy Spirit begins to change our colors from the inside out.
Do you want to grow in holiness? Consider what you’re feeding your soul. Daily meditation on God’s Word is the nourishment that changes us from the inside out. The more we read, ponder, discuss, and apply God’s Word to our lives, the more unholy things lose their appeal. They begin to smell bad. And likewise, the more God’s ways become delightful to us.
Here’s my encouragement: If you don’t already, take 5 to 10 minutes each day to read Scripture. And if you miss a day or a week, don’t despair. Keep at it.
You might do the following:
Read a chapter of the Gospels in the morning, during lunch, or before bed.
Pray a Psalm first thing in the morning or before bed.
Listen to a Bible app on the way to work, school, or extracurriculars.
Sign up for an app that sends Scripture directly to your email or via notifications.
In my last congregation, one of our members had never read the Bible consistently outside of Sunday church services. In response to a sermon about the importance of spending time daily in God’s Word, he subscribed to a daily email that led him through the New Testament in one year. He worked from home and spent a lot of time on his computer, so this worked well for him. Little by little, daily Scripture reading became a part of his routine.
I often wonder how the spiritual temperature of our congregation would increase if each of our members made time in God’s Word a daily habit. What would this habit do for our families? Our relationship? What difference would it make in our daily struggles? How might we better hear, understand, and apply sermons to our lives? How might holiness increase in our community?
As I write this, please know I am praying for you and our community that God would increase our desire for holy things and that we might grow deeper in the holiness God has given us through Christ. And then, take a step of faith and get into God’s holy Word.
