Unparalleled Beginnings

 The Pulse of Holiness

In the book "He that is Spiritual" by Lewis Sperry Chafer are these two interesting paragraphs. "There is an obvious difference in the character and quality of the daily life of Christians. This difference is acknowledged and defined in the New Testament. There is also a possible improvement in the character and quality of the daily life of many Christians. This improvement is experienced by all such Christians who fulfill certain conditions. These conditions, too, form an important theme in the word of God.

The apostle Paul, by the Spirit, has divided the whole human family into three groups:(1) the 'natural man,' who is unregenerate, or unchanged spiritually; (2) the 'carnal man', who is a 'babe in Christ', and walks 'as a man'; and (3) the 'spiritual man'. These groups are classified by the apostle according to their ability to understand and receive a certain body of truth, which is of things 'revealed' unto us by the Spirit. Men are vitally different one from the other as regards the fact of the new birth and the life of power and blessing; but their classification is made evident by their attitude toward things revealed."

If I understand Mr. Chafer correctly he is saying our attitude toward what is revealed, that is, the Holy Bible, determines our classification by the Spirit of God. I can be a wonderfully active Christian outwardly and hold a contempt for the Word of God inwardly. If that is the case, as spiritual and holy as I may seem, I am a carnal Christian. That may be a shock to some!

Jerry Bridges has written two books about holiness. The one titled "the pursuit of holiness" and the other "the practice of holiness." In his first book he gives this definition of what it means to be holy. "Godliness is a personal attitude toward God that results in actions that are pleasing to God." It's not a long theological definition, but, rather, a short concise sentence explaining biblical holiness. If my attitude does not cause me to be active in those things that are pleasing to God - then at heart I am unholy.

Let me remind you of the words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount. "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8). Perhaps Jesus had Psalm 24 in mind when he spoke this. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in H is holy place? He who has clean hands, and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, he shall receive the blessing from the Lord…"

Commenting on Jesus words in Matthew 5:8 Frank Boreham wrote there were two principles he could see from the words of Jesus. "The first is that heart-purity is the essential condition to the reception of divine revelation. God can reveal himself more readily to the pure in heart than to the mighty in intellect."

"The second is that, in spiritual life, there is a law of action and reaction constantly at work. Those who are pure in heart seek God; the vision of the Eternal intensifies the purity of the heart; and this again increases their desire and their capacity for fresh revelations."

In other words, without a pure heart the Christian life becomes stale. Richness in the Christian life comes only when the heart is kept pure. This is why David was so careful to pray, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting."