Holiness and Peace

 Isaiah 22-24; Hebrews 12 

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral…”

Hebrews 12:14-16

Holiness, or being set apart for the purposes of God, is the fruit of Christ’s righteousness given to us. However, it is not a passive state of being, but a daily life of pursuing God’s pleasure in our lives. We value God’s presence and friendship more than the pleasures of sin. We value healthy, peaceful relationships more than getting our own way. Each day we invite God’s grace through the Holy Spirit to fill us and strengthen us so that our relationship with God and with one another is marked by holiness and peace. It is a better way to live but it requires daily choices and the power of the Gospel at work within us. 

“Lord Jesus, thank you for the Gospel and your grace at work within me, for your glory.”