Also Published in the OnFire Magazine in July 2009.

For me one of the highlights of college so far has been spending a week learning about holiness. It’s been a beautiful and powerful time.

I have often perceived holiness to be an unobtainable attribute of God, which we as Christians should be striving for. For me, holy living in the 21st Century has been about what I do and don’t do. Truly no holy Salvationist would go to a wild party or play card games or even look at a beer add.

In seeking wholeheartedly to be a holy salvo, I’ve rid my house of pagan images, substituted my coffee brand for a fair trade alternative and not conformed to the commercialism surrounding Christmas and Easter. I’ve even become a Cadet!

However, I have been reminded once again that holiness is an attitude not just behaviour- what I am, not just what I do. Our holiness is a state of being, which naturally exhibits out of our character when we allow God’s spirit to reside in every nook and cranny of our lives.

To be like Jesus
O that the world should see all that I am
See something different
See Christ in me
The holy God.

When I think over Jesus’ life- who He was and is, what He did and what He said- He ate with sinners and sat with the sick. According to the law He was unclean, and yet He was holy. Be holy as Christ is Holy. If that is the case, then for me to Christlike I should have dirty hands but a clean heart. To be holy I need to spend time with the lost, lonely and lest. Not because they need me- it’s Christ’s love and compassion they need. I’m but a willing earthly vessel going about the Father’s work.

I will never be perfect, but I’m going to try. God doesn’t ask me to be perfect; he wants my best that comes from a loving heart. How do I get a loving heart… stay close to Jesus, stay humble and stay at the foot of the cross.

The evidence of the Holy Spirit residing in me is a changed life. Purity not just power. Daily I pray that I may receive from Christ the power to be holy.