{"id":48114,"date":"2022-09-02T01:28:02","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T22:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=48114"},"modified":"2025-05-29T02:27:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T23:27:32","slug":"diligently-pursue-holiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2022\/09\/02\/diligently-pursue-holiness\/","title":{"rendered":"DILIGENTLY PURSUE HOLINESS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Welcome, dear reader, as we study the living and eternal Word of God.<\/p>\n

The Scriptures declare:<\/p>\n

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Hebrews 12:14 (ESV):<\/strong>
\u201cStrive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This verse gives us two interrelated commands: (1) Pursue peace with all people<\/em>, and (2) Pursue holiness<\/em>. It is similar to someone saying, \u201cGo into the room and look for a shirt and a pair of shoes.\u201d The sentence may seem simple, but it implies two distinct actions\u2014both are necessary.<\/p>\n

Likewise, the verse in Hebrews is not merely a general encouragement\u2014it is a divine instruction with eternal consequences. Peace and holiness are not optional. They must be actively pursued with diligence and intentionality.<\/p>\n

The Greek word translated as \u201cstrive\u201d<\/strong> (di\u014dk\u014d<\/em>) carries the meaning of chasing after something with intense effort, like a hunter pursuing his prey. Holiness, therefore, is not something that comes passively or naturally. It must be sought earnestly and persistently.<\/p>\n

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Why Must We Pursue Holiness?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The answer is direct and sobering: Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n

This is not merely about missing blessings in this life\u2014it is about eternal separation from God. You may not have the prophetic boldness of Elijah or stand behind a pulpit to preach like Paul, but as long as you are holy\u2014set apart unto God\u2014you can see Him and inherit eternal life. However, without holiness, the door to God’s presence remains shut.<\/p>\n

The Bible is not silent about the kind of life that contradicts holiness. The apostle Paul offers a detailed list of behaviors that are incompatible with the Kingdom of God:<\/p>\n

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Galatians 5:19\u201321 (NIV):<\/strong>
\u201cThe acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This passage is not meant to merely inform\u2014it is meant to warn. A lifestyle characterized by these patterns of sin disqualifies one from the inheritance of eternal life. True holiness is not simply the absence of sin, but the presence of God\u2019s righteousness actively lived out.<\/p>\n

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How Then Do We Pursue Holiness?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. By Mastering Our Desires<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Sin often begins as a subtle desire. According to Scripture, the root of sin is found in our own<\/em> internal cravings.<\/p>\n

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James 1:14\u201315 (NIV):<\/strong>
\u201cBut each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The ability to resist temptation begins with guarding and mastering our desires. If your heart is easily drawn to every fashion, lifestyle, or trend that emerges in the world, your spiritual footing is unstable. Holiness requires discipline over the inner life\u2014a heart that longs more for Christ than for the pleasures of the world.<\/p>\n

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2. By Avoiding the Triggers of Sin<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Sin rarely appears in full form\u2014it is often provoked and fed by subtle influences and environments. Just as anger has its triggers, so does sexual immorality, greed, and pride.<\/p>\n

Consider the triggers of impurity in our generation:<\/p>\n