a.k.a. “Get the Order Right”

It seems contradictory to say, “Stop pursuing holiness.” When I say this, some Christians think I am saying that holiness is not important to God. “The Bible tells us to pursue holiness,” they argue. “Who are you to argue against what the Bible teaches?”

Let me state up front: I am not saying that holiness isn’t something that God desires. Sanctification—the process by which God purifies us of sin and evil and makes us more like Christ—is very important to the Father. What I am emphasizing is God’s order for doing things. When we get the order wrong, we fail to manifest the life of God within us. God is not a God of disorder (1 Corinthians 14:33); He does things in a certain way, following certain principles. When we don’t get the principles—or first, foundational truths—right, we actually block many of the blessings of abundant life God promises us.

For example, we already saw previously that God opposes the proud (James 4:6). We saw that the root of pride is self as a point of reference—i.e., self-sufficiency instead of God sufficiency. That is, when we rely on our self-effort to accomplish the will of God, we are actually acting in pride. No matter how good our intentions are, if our mental abilities, intellect, willpower, motives, or desires are the point of reference for holiness and obedience to God, we operate in pride. What we find, much to our dismay, is that God opposes these efforts. We often find ourselves becoming less holy and falling into more sinful behavior. We become bewildered. We think, “Lord, I desire to obey you. Why can’t I stop [insert whatever besetting sin you struggle with here]? You know my heart, Lord. You know I want to serve you. Why aren’t you empowering me to do it?”

It takes a long time, but if we stay with that line of questioning long enough, the Spirit will eventually reveal the answer. What the Spirit revealed when I asked Him these questions was this: “I never intended for you to serve me. In fact, you can’t serve me. I never intended for you to try in your own effort to make yourself holy. And as long as you keep striving, I let you, until you come to the end of yourself.”

Once I get this revelation in my spirit, however, things begin to change. I become aware of a new Source of power flowing in me and through me. I come to grasp the truth Paul stated in Philippians 2:13: “… for it is God who works in me, to will and to do according to His good purpose.” I stop striving, as self-effort is no longer my point of reference. Then, I begin to notice besetting sins falling off me, with little to no effort! It is truly miraculous as I begin to let Jesus live the life through me. I wake up one day, without even having noticed that I’ve gotten more holy (in the seen, temporal) by accident. It wasn’t really by accident; God knew exactly what He was doing, and our loving and gracious heavenly Father doesn’t do things aimlessly. But when I peek “below the line,” I notice, much to my pleasant surprise, that I’ve matured in the Lord without any merit on my part.

But before we get to the end of ourselves, we are always fighting. This is because we’ve gotten God’s order wrong.

“In Genesis 16:13, Hagar says (check out this order): ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me,’” Pastor Mike preached on Sunday.

“This is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us,” Mike continued, quoting 1 John. “Not that we see God but that God sees us. Not that we cared about God but that he cares about us. Not that we have pursued God but that He pursued us! We have to get the order right,” Mike reminds us.