Monday, May 23, 2011

HOLINESS

It is our job to communicate the vision of Jesus to the world. We typically associate vision with great leaders like Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, Ed Young Jr and others. We don't usually think of Jesus as having vision, but He did and He does.

We're called to pass on His message and to live in His mode. We're called to imitate Him by entering into relationships with unholy people while at the same time calling them to holiness.

Keeping those two together is anything but easy. Christ-followers often emphasize one and neglect the other.

We might label materialism as 'divine blessing,' racism as a 'good joke' and gossip as 'godly concern.'

Maybe we're afraid to hurt people's feelings by telling them some of that behavior is wrong. Maybe we're afraid of being accused of sounding judgmental.

On the other hand, some Christ-followers continue to uphold Biblical holiness in their words, but adopt a more Pharisaical approach to holiness in their works. We denounce the sin as we withdraw from sinners. We advocate holiness while we separate ourselves from people we consider unholy, but we are selective about the holiness we choose to denounce. Coarse language, despicable. Greed, no problem.

We must struggle to speak clearly and consistently about holiness while at the same time open our hearts and lives to those who don't embrace Biblical holiness. We must struggle to resolve that tension and not pander to our own personal preferences.

And be blessed.

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