The Motive for Holiness
. . . Ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. II Corinthians 6:18-7:1
Often times when I share with other believers how blessed I have been through not only reading the Bible, but also trying to do what it says, I get a response something like this: “You need to be careful. That sounds legalistic, we’re not under the law, we’re under grace!” I have had this same conversation over and over again with many different people. It seems to me that the greatest critics of literally following Christ when it comes to holiness…are other Christians. They call it legalism when you try to obey the commandments of Christ. I’ve even heard that following his commandments somehow dishonors him, by implying that we are trying to add to his finished work on the cross. Legalism is not a term occurring in the scriptures but it has become commonplace in Christian vernacular. Originally it spoke of someone trying to earn their salvation, rather than accepting it as a free gift. I’ve never met anyone trying to do this, I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but I’ve never encountered it personally. The term is now, however, commonly misappropriated.
I know that we are not under the law but under grace; I know that we are saved by grace, through faith; it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast. These things are self evident. I have been trying to figure out why their objections are so troubling; it has taken me a while but I finally put my finger on it. Why would Christians imagine the only motive to clean up their lives should be to avoid hell? As if avoiding hell, is the only valid motive for spiritual action. In our own lives, we do all kinds of things, for all sorts of motives other than avoiding hell. Do I love my wife to avoid hell? Do I eat Ice cream to avoid hell? Do I go camping to avoid hell? I do all these things because I want to do them. I do all these things because I enjoy them. I also genuinely enjoy following after Christ literally. The Westminster Catechism states that, Man’s primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.1 Without doubt I enjoy glorifying him by living a holy life.
I understand why the world doesn’t want holiness, but I cannot understand why some Christians do not want it. The elders in Revelation tell us that, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.2 Paul tells us that all things were created by him, and for him.3 Is pleasing and glorifying God an insufficient motive for us? How can anyone who has been given so much by Christ find no pleasure in living a life that pleases him? To look at it another way, why shouldn’t Christians live a sanctified life? When Paul raises the question, Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound,4 how does he answer himself? God forbid! How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?5 The apostle doesn’t seem to think a sinful life glorifies God, and neither do I. Moreover I can truly say that attempting to live a sanctified life has brought me far more satisfaction than avoiding it ever did.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Romans 6:22
1. Westminster Shorter Catechism
2. Revelation 4:11
3. Colossians 1:16
4. Romans 6:1
5. Romans 6:2
