Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb 12:14.

If mere religion were holiness, then in our present day you would say that the multitudes are sure to enter heaven. Since the time of the creation there has never been a time when more people claimed to be religious than today. However, we must distinguish between mere religion and "Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Firstly, let's look at what practical holiness is. Secondly, what sort of persons God calls holy.

Firstly, holiness does not consist of a legalistic zeal in religious matters or in perfection in keeping of the law as the rich young ruler. Holiness is a matter of the heart's desire to be of one mind with God. It is from the heart—hating what God hates and loving what God loves.

A holy man's heart will shun every known sin and desire to keep every known commandment because of his love and reverence for God. He will feel what Paul felt when he said, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man," Ro 7:22.

A holy man's heart's desire is to be conformed to the blessed image of Christ, Ro 8:29: desiring to be more forgiving, unselfish, loving, lowly of mind and humble, even as Christ made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself, Ph'p 2:1-8.

A holy Man's heart will be filled with brotherly love as Paul said, "He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law," Ro 13:8. His heart will abhor all lying, slandering, backbiting, cheating, dishonesty and unfair dealing even in the smallest things. He will strive to glorify God in the eyes of the world by his outward conduct.

Secondly, what sort of persons God calls holy. God does not see holiness in a man who is at ease with himself, but in a man who mourns over indwelling sin. When the Holy Spirit quickens men unto that newness of life, their life is a continual warfare against indwelling sin--the world and the devil. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would," Ga 5:17.

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit," Ps 34:18. The Lord says that He, who is the high and lofty One, Who dwells "in the high and holy place," also dwells with him. "That is of a contrite and humble spirit," Isa 57:15.

The Lord is so jealous of His Word! He tells us in Isa 66:2, "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." If we can take pleasure in sin—sinning willfully—without being ashamed before the Holy Eyes of God, we can not claim "Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

If we can trifle with sin we have never had a faith's view of, "Jesus: for he shall save His people from their sins," M't 1:21. Every true believer will confess that sin is his greatest enemy, and the power of its yoke is the source of his greatest sorrow and trouble. Amen.