JOHN 12:20-21 – Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Holiness. Likeness to Jesus. Conformity to His character. These are the goals in the Christian life. They are also what the Apostle Paul points to as the Christian life – Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). We are “working out” lives of holiness as God works in us lives of holiness and holiness, in its simplest definition is “becoming like Jesus.” This truth of salvation also appears in the opening of chapter seven in the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth – 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). What is important for us is the understanding of what fuels a life of holiness or the chief motivators keeping us keeping on in the pursuit of Christ-like conformity or personal holiness. Allow me to offer three.
First, we are motivated to pursue Christ-like conformity or personal holiness because that is why God saved us – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (Ephesians 1:3-4). God didn’t choose us in Christ to simply give us heaven. No. He chose us in His Son to be like His Son to enjoy fellowship with us that was lost due to sin in the Garden of Eden. This is important. If we have no desire for holy fellowship with the Lord it means we have no new life in the Lord. With new birth in Christ is the hunger and desire to know and become like Christ; and that is manifested in the pursuit of holiness.
Another motivator to pursue Christ-like conformity or personal holiness is the incredible love of God for us. Likely the most familiar verse in all the Bible is also one of the most motivating verses for the Christian to seek to know and become like Christ – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). When tempted to grow weary in fighting sin and self in the battle for holiness, stop and ponder John 3:16 and particularly the words “so loved.” It will strengthen us in the war for holiness.
Finally, a great motivator to go after Christ-like conformity or personal holiness is to be constantly thinking on and longing for Christ’s return. The Apostle John would tell us this promotes holiness in the believer – See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:1-3). Think often on seeing Jesus and notice how much progress in personal holiness occurs. A lot.
Growing in personal holiness. It is the goal and purpose of our salvation. Be motivated by this truth, God’s intense love, and the second coming of Jesus and we will be well on our way of working out our salvation as God desires and intends.
PRAYER: “Father, deepen my desire to be with Your Son, to see Your Son, and to become like Your Son.”
QUOTE: “It is by learning to ‘see’ Jesus in scripture, prayer, and His church that His likeness is formed in us.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim