A free taster...

I'm working on a book on holiness which I'm determined to finish before the end of the year.

For those who are interested here's a free taster from chapter 1:

"The writer to the Hebrews encourages the early Christians to 'make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be Holy...' for 'without holiness no one will see the Lord' (Hebrews 12:14) When individual Christians in a congregation experience holiness collectively, then Christ becomes visible in everything they do. In a 'holy' church, society will see Christ fighting against social injustice, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, setting the enslaved free and performing all kinds of miracles. In a church like this, Christ will be seen at the local council meeting opposing harmful developments and defending the cause of the vulnerable. He will be seen standing up against politicians and projects that seek to take advantage of the weak. In a church like this, Christ will be seen freely associating with sinners and outcasts, living with and loving those on the very edge of society. In a church like this, Christ will be seen, whip in hand, cleansing the temple and re-establishing the fundamental principles of righteousness.

Holiness can do all of this because it fills the individual believer with a perfect love for God and their neighbour and gives them that all important ability to 'stop doing wrong' and obey. Indeed; unless such deliverance takes place in our hearts, we will remain ineffective and unfruitful because our refusal to consecrate ourselves leaves us 'liable to destruction'.

Understanding the function of holiness brings us to the heart of our problem and its solution. Within the contemporary church, certainly in the developed world, there is a distinct lack of expectancy. Although we read about God's power operating in the past, we don't expect that same power to be evident in our churches today. When the unconverted cross our thresholds - especially if the baggage they bring with them is bulky - we don't expect to see instant transformation. Our first thought when an addict knocks on our door is to try and meet their material needs; food, clothing, a sleeping bag or maybe even a train ticket to another town or city – the last thing we offer (if it is offered at all) is Salvation.

Back in September 2007 'The Salvationist' in the UK carried the testimony of a man who said "I could have been in The Salvation Army 10 years ago , but each time I came they gave me food when what I really needed was Christ!"

Why is there this reluctance to offer the bound freedom, the blind, sight, the hungry satisfaction and the sinner forgiveness? Is it because we don't kreally now the power of full salvation for ourselves? Are we all too often bound, blind, unfulfilled and enslaved by habitual sin ourselves? If God hasn't done it for us how can we possibly expect him to do it for other people? The reality is that we can only share the truth if we have personally experienced the comprehensive liberty it promises. Ruth Tracy puts it succinctly when she says:

Only as I truly know thee
Can I make thee truly known;
Only bring the power to others
Which in my own life is shown. (SASB 435)

It is not our theoretical knowledge of holiness or our familiarity with miracles worked in the lives of others or our appreciation of church history that empowers us – we can only ever overcome through the 'blood of the lamb' and the power of our own personal 'testimony'.(Revelation 12:11)"

Grace and peace, A