The Joy of Holiness

When I reference the word “holiness” in this context I mean a state of grace whereby the heart has been purified by faith (Acts 15: 8-9). This is a divine act, not something you earn. Your responsibility is to place yourself in a position to receive. For example, if I told you to meet me at 3pm today at the corner of Main and 3rd Street, that I would give you $1000, and if you were there at 3pm, you would get the money. However, if you showed up at the wrong time, wrong day, or wrong location, you would not receive the gift of $1000. It’s still a gift, but there are conditions to receiving. The conditions to receiving a sanctified heart are salvation, complete consecration (surrender of one’s entire life, talent, will, emotions and future), and faith in the Word of God that promises the gift, believes it is the will of God, and that the work is done now.

The joy comes from being dead to insults and flattery. When temptation comes (and it will come because our Lord Jesus was tempted), the temptation finds no friend inside you to agree with it. The sanctified Christian walks everyday growing in the faith and serving the Lord. There is a difference between purity and maturity. The newly sanctified believer is pure but may not be mature. That comes in time; holiness comes in a moment of time (yet meeting the conditions may take some time). There is a joy when the heart is full of the Holy Ghost.

Years ago, I was involved with a discussion with a minister who did not believe in holiness. He was asked, “If it was possible for God to cleanse your heart from all sin, to remove your anger, pride, envy, jealousy, lust, backbiting and all other carnality, wouldn’t you want such an experience?” To my surprise, he said “no.” He was so emphatic in wanting to remain carnal that he left upset and angry. I have found that those with a pure heart, while having many of the same struggles in life as the unsanctified, can approach those struggles with joy unspeakable because they have surrendered their all into the hands and care of a loving God. And, that is a reason to be joyful.