BEING HOLY LIKE OUR LORD

A believer in our Lord Jesus Christ recently expressed concern about sinning every day and praying for forgiveness every night. The biblical Word of God tells us to confess our sin, and God is faithful and just, to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, because of the sacrificial atonement of Jesus (1 John 1:9; John 3:16). But it also tells us that it is not God’s will that we continue in  sin so that his grace may increase (Romans 6:1-5). Moreover, the Bible says we should be Holy like our Lord, who died for us that we might be holy like he is (1 Peter 1:14-16; Romans 8:29). 

BECOMING HOLY LIKE JESUS CHRIST

Jesus denied himself and set aside his heavenly throne and its pleasures to come into this sinful world to die to atone for our sins (Philippians 2:6-8). He lived without sin in this world, although he was tempted in all things like we are (Hebrews 4:15). And he always did what was pleasing to God, our Holy Father (John 8:29; Luke 22:42).

To be like our Lord, the Bible tells us we must “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). We need to have a desire and determination to “love

the Lord your God with all our heart, and with all you soul, and with all  your mind” (Matthew 22:37).  We need to obey his every word. And it is necessary for us to pray for God’s help to be holy like our Lord.

OBEYING THE WORD OF GOD

• Be willing to deny yourself and take up you cross daily and follow the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23).
• Become transformed into the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:29)
• Live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4).
• Like newborn babes, desires the pure milk of the Word, so that you may grow up in the Lord (1 Peter 2:2). (The Lord promises that no matter how many times we fall like a baby, and keep coming back to the him with the determination to walk upright and steady before him, he will help us to do so).  (Proverbs 24:16; Isaiah 41:10). 
• Move on from milk to eating solid food for the mature in the Lord, being able to distinguish good from evil, and live accordingly (Hebrews5:14).
• Draw near to God—Resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7).

PRAYING FOR CONSTANT CONNECTION WITH GOD 

• The Lord said, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
• Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
• Meditate on the Word of God day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).
• Whatever things are right,  pure, praiseworthy think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

ACCEPTING THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• The Lord God Almighty says,  “not by power, but  by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).
• Jesus sent us a Helper, the Holy Spirit,  to guide into all truth (John 14:15-17; 16:13-14). 
• The Holy Spirit strengthens and enables us to do what seems impossible for us to do (Luke 18:27; Acts 1:8).

• The Holy Spirit  determines when it is necessary to disciple us as God’s children, because “the Lord disciplines the ones he loves,”  to save our eternal relationship with him  (Hebrews 12:6-11).  For example, King David, who recognized he deserved death for his sins (lust-adultery-murder), was discipled instead when he repented (2 Samuel 12:1-14). David thankfully accepted the Lord’s disciple: “My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees” (Psalm 119:71). 

We may not sin exactly like David, but when we disobey or break any part of God laws, God considers us guilty or breaking the whole law (James 2:1). But when we honestly repent, God forgives us, and the Holy Spirit helps to free us from “the sin that so easily entangles.” (1 John 1:8-9; Hebrews 12:1).

When God sees that we truly love him with all our heart, and earnestly seek to please him, he enables us by the Holy Spirit to be holy like our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ ( Jeremiah 29:13; Romans 8:29).