Choose Holiness
The week after I was baptized years ago, a man came up to me in the church and handed me a little book that he thought might help me in my walk with Christ. Little did he know how much it would influence my thinking. That little book was The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. I will have to admit, when he first gave it to me, and I read parts of it, the book made little sense to me. However, I returned to it after I understood the gospel, and the words seemed to jump from the page and wrench my heart to its core. I assume this is because prior to Christ, there was nothing about my life that resembled anything that was holy. Do you have any books that both encouraged and challenged you to be more like Christ?
The pivotal moment for me was when I read Sproul’s observation: “It is one thing to fall victim to the flood or to fall prey to cancer; it is another thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” This is why I believe Sproul titled that chapter “The Trauma of Holiness.” When we come to realize the seriousness of our sin against the holy and righteous Creator of the universe, it can and rightfully should affect us. Simultaneously, this understanding helps us grasp the depth of our Father’s love for us. Yes, He is a loving and grace-giving God, but our great God also does not allow us to continue in our ways without confronting our sin against Him.
Sproul emphasizes the importance of recognizing our position before God by referencing Peter’s reaction in Luke 5:8. When Peter realized he was in the presence of the Holy Incarnate, he became extremely uncomfortable. As born-again Christians, we should maintain a sense of awe, understanding that we are continuously in the presence of the Holy God of all Creation. Peter was so overwhelmed by awe and conviction upon encountering Jesus’ power that he fell to his knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). He recognized his sinfulness before God, just as we should. Sproul further explains that “Sinful people are not comfortable in the presence of the holy.” The holiness of the God of the universe makes our sin blatantly obvious and impossible to ignore.
Understanding God’s holiness changed my life deeply. It helped me see the pride in my heart, which needed to be removed. Just as I became a Christian, my sins were revealed to me in a shocking but necessary way, and I was deeply convicted by what God’s Word said about them. As R.C. Sproul says, “Like Isaiah before him, Peter was undone.” This leads to an important question: Shouldn’t we also humbly recognize our sins? We must admit our brokenness and understand how much we need God’s grace and redemption, just as Peter. There might be times when we ourselves deny Christ, but thanks be to God that He is merciful, loving, and forgiving to those who call Him Lord.
I challenge you to look for opportunities to disciple others. One effective way to do this is by providing good theological books to others, as we may not realize how God can use them in someone’s life. This idea supports the notion that if you are a Christian, you are also a counselor. Everything we do involves giving counsel, and we can certainly offer wise guidance through discipleship with quality books. If you come across an opportunity, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would love to assist!
