Grace and Holiness

So much of identifying who we are as believers is framed by two different truths;

1. What we experience 

2. What we receive from Scripture

One of the great attacks on the body of Christ is a lack of identity which has a direct result on fulfilling the call of God on our lives. Many people in the world today struggle with their identity and don't even realize it.  The two truths I gave as the frame work of the believer are powerful independently, but they are radically transformational when they are combined.  This is the duality of the kingdom - each part working together to shape identity. 

I used to have an issue with the word, "balance" when talked about in the life of the believer.  I always said, "the last thing we need is balance", and that was because I was looking at the issue from the wrong vantage point.  At that point in my life and ministry I saw balance in a "one or the other" lens.  In other words I saw the word balance as a compromise of the fire of the Holy Ghost.  As if someone was saying that balance meant less of the Holy Ghost and more of a watered down approach to the gospel.  Although that is a very real scenario played out in the modern mentality of the church as a whole, it doesn't speak of the true meaning of the word balance.

A true understanding of the word balance isn't the meaning "one or the other", but rather one WITH the other.  It is working in equal parts and not diminishing one for the other.  One easy illustration is our understanding of the Fruit of the Spirit or the Gifts of the Spirit.  Many would debate on their importance in the believers life, but I would rather demand that it's critical for BOTH to give proper impact. Balance is two walking in unison versus walking in a greater or lesser area.  Instead of looking at balance as a horizontal line working as a seesaw, look at balance as two vertical supports working as legs.  They must each carry their weight in order to support the structure.

We see this conversation arise when members of the body begin discussing the subject of Grace and Holiness, as if one can stand without the other. Each view comes with it's own stigma or level of isolation that creates an automatic disconnect from the other side. It is critical in light of the scripture and our experiences that we see the mandate for the understanding of both of these in our daily lives.  The conversation must stop being, "Grace or Holiness".  It must be GRACE FOR HOLINESS.  

GRACE is truly amazing! Grace is the unmerited, unfathomable, and undeserved favor in our lives.  There is a freedom in understanding that it's not earned nor distributed by our human ability.  Knowing the grace of God is knowing that today we have an opportunity to experience the heart of the Father without barriers through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  Grace isn't up for debate or argument.  Grace is how we live, we move and have our being. To know the scripture, "while we were in our sin, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) is enough to see the great depths our Father's love.  Jesus doesn't equate our salvation as something we are good enough for, but instead something He gives freely without thought of return.  This is truly amazing grace!

HOLINESS in the same manner is without question critical for the believer to embrace.  Not holiness as a strict set of "dos and don'ts", but as a heart that is completely surrendered to the love of Jesus.  Many people see holiness as something that restricts you instead of realizing that holiness is a beautiful marriage to the heart of the Father. We have been given this special unity with the Lord as an earthly concept to gain identity in the idea of holiness.  In the most basic of definitions, holiness is embracing one without giving yourself away to any other. The idea that holiness is a restriction is the same struggle as someone saying that marriage to their spouse is a drag. It should not be difficult to be in a relationship with the ONE who has vowed to love you.  Perspective doesn't see the term of holiness as a restriction, but a position of surrender and relationship.  In the same way that it shouldn't shock you that a spouse should be faithful to one wife/husband in a marriage, instead of entertaining various relationships; our relationship with Jesus should be seen through the same eyes, monogamous and not distracted in any way.  After all, He is our first love!   

The shift in our thinking has to be like the women with the alabaster box (Matthew 26:6-13).  When she felt the wonderful weight of Jesus' grace and mercy, it didn't excuse her to go away just feeling better.  She responded to His grace with holiness.  She brought to Him her very best and most expensive offering.  She brought back to Him something that would cost her everything.  She was willing to waste it all on Him.  Everyone around her couldn't comprehend that kind of waste, but Jesus recognized it as her worship.  

Our view has to move from grace OR holiness, to GRACE FOR HOLINESS!  

To realize that the ONLY appropriate response of the redeemed heart is the alabaster box.  Today, I challenge you to recognize the unmerited and undeserved Grace of God and respond with a heart surrendered to Him.  Don't leave anything outside of His touch.  Be willing to live separated FROM the world and its cares and yet at the same time separated TO Jesus and His Holiness.