Christians are called to a different lifestyle. A lifestyle is a pattern of living wherein we live out what we believe. As Christians we were not called to blend in. As Christians, we were called to stand out! The old saying, "When in Rome do as the Romans do" does not apply to Christians.
It is unfortunate that holiness is sometimes viewed as a mask that people try to wear rather than a lifestyle that people try to live.
In the late 1920’s a woman and her new husband moved into the man’s old family home. It was a clapboard house with a hall down the middle. It wasn’t much of a home, but it was all they had. Ten years later, however, the two had managed to save just enough money to tear down the old house and build another next to it which was to be their home for the rest of their lives. To cut back on the expense of the new place the husband, without informing his wife, decided to reuse many of the materials from the old house in the construction. He used old facings and doors, and many other pieces of the finishing lumber. When it was completed, the woman was finally permitted to inspect her "new home." As her husband walked her through it, tears streamed down her cheeks. Unfortunately they were not tears of joy, however, but sadness. For as she looked around she saw the same old doors that wouldn’t shut properly; the same crown molding that was split and riddled with nail holes, the same unfinished window trimming…There wasn’t much in fact that was really very "new" about it at all. So on what should have been one of the better days of her life; she eventually sat down and had herself a good cry. Her husband was confused at her response. "But I’ve built you a new home," he objected. "No, you didn’t," she responded. "You just rearranged the old one."
It seems to me like a lot of people today have approached the Christian life in much the same way as this man approached the construction of his "new" home. Rather than allow God to completely remake and conform them in His image by and through the power of His Holy Spirit, they have only remodeled themselves, so that they are nothing more than a little better version of what they were before.
God is not interested in reforming our fallen, sinful nature…He is in the business of making us new creations! He wants us to be visible representations of Jesus Christ in this world. This process by which the lives of men and women are conformed to the very likeness of Christ is called sanctification…and, the word means "to make something holy." In the Bible it refers to the ongoing work of God in man that makes us increasingly free of sin and like Christ…“It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good pleasure”. (Philippians 2:13)
I have said before that sanctification carries two meanings and purposes; one is that we “are” sanctified in God’s eyes through Christ…and the other is that we are “being” sanctified by God through His Holy Spirit. Grab on to this saying once again; “Through God’s Holy Spirit we are becoming what we already are - through Christ Jesus”… That’s just a little meat for those who are beyond milk to chew on!
The Bible says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14). This is the life that pleases God.
The truth is, every aspect of our lives should reveal our faith in Christ. Living to please God ought to be every Christian’s priority, not in an attempt to earn God’s favor, but out of intense gratitude for what he’s done, and is doing…in our lives. We ought to be the kind of people who say and do and act like we truly believe…what we say we are...followers of Christ!
Ultimately, the most pleasing thing of all to God is our obedience. More than our worship, more than our service, more than our money, more than our words…Why? Because without obedience, our worship, our service, our money, are nothing more than lip service. Matthew 15:8 says - “These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me…They worship me in vain.” So, if we are called to these things in God’s Word, then what happens if we don’t obey our calling? How can we claim to know and love God if we are unwilling to obey him?
God’s grace is available to cover us in our failure, but we should be careful not to abuse the gift of grace through willful disobedience. Listen, God’s grace works in cooperation with our obedience. Grace is something we experience through participation; our willful participation. By obeying God we are choosing to participate in the activity of his grace through our allowing His Holy Spirit to mold us, and make us holy. Obedience is the pathway to living a life that pleases God…“who saved us and called us to a holy life.”
This always seems like it is a part of the Christian life impossible to achieve. “After all”, we always say, “we are just imperfect, fallen creatures”. We even put stickers on our bumpers that say “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”…If you have one of those I would suggest that you remove it and throw it away! It says to the world that God is not able to do what He says He can do!
In closing, let me show you what Peter has to say about this business of being called to be holy; 1 Peter 1:13-23 – “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” And chapter 5 verse 10 says “And, the God of all grace, who has “called” you to His eternal glory…will himself restore you, and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
Now, here is why all this is so very important for us to learn and understand; Listen to this verse from Revelation 17:14 - “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his “called”, his chosen and faithful followers.”