“How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing . . . it is irresistible. If even 10 percent of the world’s population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before the year’s end?- C. S. Lewis
In Chapter 1 (“The Splendor of Holiness”) of Holiness, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth wryly observes that we apply “holy” as an adjective to “Bible,’ “Communion,” and “the night Christ was born.” Also, we find it easy to talk about holiness as an abstract concept. However, if holiness gets too personal or interferes with our lifestyle, our comfort level nosedives.
Therefore, the author wonders, does holiness evoke any of the following images in your mind? Do you associate holiness with:
- an austere, joyless lifestyle based on a lengthy list of rules and regulations?
- a monastic existence, where “holy” people talk in hushed tones, spend many hours a day praying, and always keep their nose in the Bible or a spiritual book?
- an unattainable ideal only seen in heaven?
As a result, holiness most likely doesn’t sit at the top of our list of things to discuss. We perceive that holiness is dull. Yet, Nancy firmly reminds us, those in heaven never cease talking about it. Therefore, the author believes we must “reclaim” true holiness- to see the its beauty as revealed in the Word of God.
Rather than portraying a holy life as burdensome, we need to focus on sin as the real burden! Hence, A. W. Tozer grasped the need to challenge common fallacies linked with holiness:
“Holiness in the Bible means moral wholeness- a positive quality which actually includes kindness, mercy, purity, moral blamelessness, and godliness.”
Today’s question: Have you ever thought that holiness is dull, or do you find it irresistible? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The biblical concept of holiness”
