|
We are committed to living as God's holy people -- not people who are merely "do-gooders" and "be-gooders" -- people who truly reflect the character of their holy God!
God's holiness is often described in Scripture with two complementary virtues, which we will call character and compassion! Notice how the Psalmist describes these two together:
The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion (Psalm 116:5).
God's holy character is seen in his righteousness, majesty, glory, and perfection. God's holy compassion is seen in his (social) justice, mercy, grace, and steadfast love.
We are called to be holy as a reflection of our Heavenly Father's nature which is beginning to permeate through our nature, empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are who we are because of what God has done for us and what He is doing in and through us.
To grasp this more fully, reflect on the following two passages -- click the passages and you will be taken to the text of these verses with highlights to help your thinking about the principles they teach us!
|
