Hebrew12:14
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the
Lord” Hebrews” The text which heads this page opens up a subject
of deep importance. That subject is practical holiness. It suggests a question
which demands the attention of all professing Christians-Are we holy? Shall we see
the Lord?
That question concerns all ranks and conditions of
men. Some are rich and some are poor-some learned and some unlearned-some masters,
and some servants; but there is no rank or condition in life in which a man
ought not to be holy. Are we? I ask to be heard to-day about this question. How
stands the account between our souls and God? In this hurrying, bustling world,
let us stand still for a few minutes and consider the matter of holiness. I
believe Church might have chosen a subject more popular and pleasant. I am sure
Church might have found one more easy to handle. But I feel deeply that Church
could not have chosen one more seasonable and more profitable to our souls. It
is a solemn thing to hear the Word of God saying, “Without holiness no man
shall see the Lord.” I shall endeavour, by God’s help, to examine what true
holiness is, and the reason why it is so needful.
Let me try to show what true practical holiness
is-what sort of persons are that whom God calls holy. A man may go great
lengths, and yet never reach true holiness. It is not knowledge-Balaam had
that: nor great profession-Judas Iscariot had that: nor doing many things- Herod
had that: nor zeal for certain matters in religion-Jehu had that: nor morality
and outward respectability of conduct-the young ruler had that: nor taking
pleasure in hearing preachers-the Jews in Ezekiel’s time had that: nor keeping
company with godly people-Joab and Gehazi and Demas
had that. Yet none of these was holy! These things alone are not holiness. A
man may have any one of them, and yet never see the Lord. What then is true
practical holiness? It is a hard question to answer. I do not mean that there
is any want of Scriptural matter on the subject. But I fear lest I should give
a defective view of holiness, and not say all that ought to be said; or lest I
should say things about it that ought not to be said, and so do harm. Let me,
however, try to draw a picture of holiness, that we may see it clearly before
the eyes of our minds. Only let it never be forgotten, when I have said all,
that my account is but a poor imperfect outline at the best.
(a) Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with
God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of
agreeing in God’s judgment-hating what He hates-loving what He loves-and
measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word. He who most
entirely agrees with God, he is the most holy man.
(b) A holy man will endeavour to shun every known
sin, and to keep every known commandment. He will have a decided bent of mind
toward God, a hearty desire to do His will-a greater fear of displeasing Him than
of displeasing the world, and a love to all His ways. Rom. 7:22, Psalm 119.
128.
(c) A holy man will strive to be like our Lord
Jesus Christ. He will not only live the life of faith in Him, and draw from Him
all his daily peace and strength, but he will also labour to have the mind that
was in Him, and to be “conformed to His image.”
(d) A holy man will follow after meekness, longsuffering,
gentleness, patience, kind tempers, and government of his tongue. He will bear
much, forbear much, overlook much, and be slow to talk of standing on his rights.
(e) A holy man will follow after temperance and
self-denial. He will labour to mortify the desires of his body-to crucify his
flesh with his affections and lusts-to curb his passions-to restrain his carnal
inclinations, lest at any time they break loose.
(f) A holy man will follow after charity and
brotherly kindness. He will endeavour to observe the golden rule of doing as he
would have men do to him, and speaking as he would have men speak to him. He
will be full of affection towards his brethren-towards their bodies, their
property, their characters, their feelings, their souls.
(g) A holy man will follow after a spirit of mercy
and benevolence towards others. He will not stand all the day idle. He will not
be content with doing no harm, he will try to do good. He will strive to be
useful in his day and generation, and to lessen the spiritual wants and misery
around him, as far as he can.
(h) A holy man will follow after purity of heart.
He will dread all filthiness and uncleanness of spirit, and seek to avoid all
things that might draw him into it. He knows his own heart is like tinder, and
will diligently keep clear of the sparks of temptation.
(i) A holy man will follow after the fear of God. I
do not mean the fear of a slave, who only works because he is afraid of punishment,
and would be idle if he did not dread discovery. I mean rather the fear of a child,
who wishes to live and move as if he was always before his father s face,
because he loves him.
(j) A holy man will follow after humility. He will
desire, in lowliness of mind,to esteem all others better than himself. He will
see more evil in his own heart than in any other in the world. He will
understand
(k) A holy man will follow after faithfulness in
all the duties and relations in life. He will try, not merely to fill his place
as well as others who take no thought for their souls, but even better, because
he has higher motives, and more help than they.
Holiness, where do you stand?
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