Holiness is like courage. Courage is not the absent of fear; courage moves forward in spite of fear for the sake of a cause and/or for the sake of the innocent. Holiness is to do the Godly thing even when your flesh desires otherwise.

         You find yourself in need of money. Walking around the park you find a wallet with $1,000.00 cash in it. You know you can find a thousand reasons to keep that money, but your conscience tells you to find the owner of that wallet and return it with all the money in it. That, my friends, is contrary to Satan’s systems that encourages stealing according to John 10:10

         You find yourself single or maybe not sexually fulfilled in your marriage. In that stage of great physical need a beautiful woman practically offers herself to you. Your body is ready for sex, but your desire for holiness is greater, so you walk away as God showed you the exit.[1]

         Holiness is doing things according to God’s will in spite of how you feel about the matter. Holiness is separation, integrity, and the highest demonstration of love and commitment to God.[2] It is a sad thing when the world sees more righteousness coming out of false religions that they do coming out of us.

         There is a hippie Gospel out there that teaches; “well… the best we can do is filthy rags before the Lord anyway. We are already sanctified in Christ, so let’s just enjoy life, nobody is perfect… right? The blood of Jesus covers my sins…don’t judge me! So let’s party and let’s party hard.”

         Many are embracing a Gospel without responsibility. It is the Gospel that judges any kind of works as legalistic; it is the Gospel that justifies and makes provisions for sin.

         I hope you understand that I am not talking about works to gain salvation. Salvation is a free gift from God that can’t ever be gained by any works.[3] Salvation is all God’s work. However, if you are saved it is expected that you do some works.[4] When you adapt this hippie gospel, you adapt a doctrine that announces your own death. Faith without works is death.[5]

         Beloved, it is ok to workout our own salvation.[6] Do you know what that means? This is not a matter of the salvation of your soul; this is about obedience; this is indeed about holiness. It points out what you and I should be pursuing. The Apostle Paul is making a plead for obedience. It points out to us the doing of our part; it is a hunger and a thirst for righteousness that indeed will be satisfied.[7]

         Holiness is the believer’s main responsibility and it was the center of the Apostle’s doctrine. Holiness is the manifestation of love for God and for our neighbor. Holiness is what is expected of the believer.

         Some are teaching that you need to be justified, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost in order to be saved. I say that is false doctrine. I tell you that if you don’t have any inclination to walk in holiness, you are either not saved or in great need of discipleship, for only those who walk in holiness will indeed see God.[8]

         Beloved, holiness is the fruit of righteousness[9] manifesting in you and me. What can possibly make us different from the world than the fruit of the Spirit?[10] Jesus stated that we will be known be our fruit.[11]

         Beloved, it is ok to look at yourself; it is ok to make an assessment of our fruit and to search the quality of our walk.[12] It is ok to change; it is ok to grow in grace.[13] How much longer are we going to embrace this hippie gospel?

[1] First Corinthians 10:13

[2] John 14:23

[3] Ephesians 2:8-9

[4] James 2:14-26

[5] James 2:17

[6] Philippians 2:12

[7] Matthew 5:6

[8] Hebrews 12:14

[9] Philippians 1:11

[10] Galatians 5:22-23

[11] Matthew 7:16

[12] Psalm 4:4

[13] 2 Peter 3:18