March 27

Read: I Thessalonians 4:7-8

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness (I Thessalonians 4:7).

Holiness Is Not Optional

Did I make the affirmation of yesterday my own, or did I merely read the words and put off the decision? How long have I known the truth of heart holiness? How many times have I felt the urge of the Holy Spirit to seek for this blessing? Am I less concerned about the matter now than I was at some time in the past? If so, I am in the beginning of a spiritual tragedy.

One of life’s most sobering facts is that we can become so accustomed to tragedy as to be unmoved by it. We can live on the threshold of spiritual opportunity and yet miss it entirely. There is grave danger that we who sit under holiness preaching shall be content to approve the theory in our minds while rejecting the fact in our lives.

God’s children may enjoy wide differences in nonessentials and still be faithful Christians. But Christian holiness is not a nonessential. Entire sanctification is not an optional blessing after a Christian has heard and acknowledged the truth of the doctrine.

Christians who have no clear light on heart purity may by prayer and faith maintain a justified experience for years without going on to entire sanctification. God has a way of making holy all who sincerely walk in the light they receive. Such Christians may die and make it safely to heaven without ever having clear light on holiness. But this cannot be true of those whom God’s Spirit has convicted of their need for the second work of grace. We cannot fight holiness without opposing God; we cannot consciously ignore or evade entire sanctification without drawing away from the will of God. When the truth of holiness is clearly seen, we either go forward with God or we begin to backslide from God.

Affirmation For Today

I will, today, walk in the light that God gives to me.