In The Beauty Of Holiness

March 18

There is no price we can pay, nothing we can do, to earn our salvation. Some religious doctrines erroneously convey the false hope or burdensome responsibility (depending on how you view it) to man that he is capable of attaining favor in the eyes of God by complying with a set of rules or executing prescribed deeds. This is absolutely not the truth.

The Word of God, the Bible, the only ‘holy book’ available to lost man affirms that Jesus Christ the Righteous lived the only life that ever satisfied God’s holy standard of righteousness—and because He loves us, He imparts His righteousness to us if we will but receive His free gift of salvation.

Once we have done that, the Holy One sees us as righteous because we are under the blood of Jesus. In Psalm 18:20 David says, “The Lord has dealt with me according to righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me.” There is a place for living holy lives once we are saved. Though our attempt at holiness cannot save us, it is expected of us when we have been made righteous through Christ.

This concept complies with what Paul wrote to believers in Colossae, “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” When we have received Him, it is our desire and our privilege and our responsibility to serve Jesus in the beauty of holiness.