Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Pursuit of Holiness

I've just started reading The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. I'm finding it helpful, and pretty easy to read. Here's one bit that really struck a chord with me-

'Why do so many Christians feel constantly defeated in their struggle with sin?

...Our first problem is that our attitude towards sin is more self-centred than God-centred. We are more concerned about our own "victory" over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God. we cannot tolerate failure in our struggle with sin chiefly because we are success-oriented, not because we know it is offensive to God.

...God wants us to walk in obedience- not victory. Obedience is oriented towards God; victory is oriented toward self... This is not to say God doesn't want us to experience victory, but rather to emphasise that victory is a byproduct of obedience.'

6 comments:

Paul Berkman said...

I read this book a few years ago with my then-fiancee/now-wife, found some really useful thoughts in it. I'd forgotten the quote you posted, but it echoes of something that came up in a sermon at church a few months ago on the topic of Pharisaism & Legalism in the modern church.

"Our focus should be servanthood, not spirituality. Spirituality is God's business, our business is to ensure our actions are actions that serve Him." - Denis Lennox (Paraphrased by Paul Berkman...)

Denis went on to discuss the fact that any measure we employ to determine spirituality, whether our own or that of others, will be fundamentally flawed from it's basis in human perception and become a behavioural framework from which adherents claim an illegitimate superiority. I see a kinship between servanthood/spirituality and obedience/victory.

Ben McLaughlin said...

Thanks for your thoughts, Paul. Interesting what you say about the correlation between servanthood/spirituality and obedience/victory.

the first thing we should be busy doing, and the second will come as a result, being ultimately God's work.

Stuart Heath said...

Not a bad book, but a bit individualistic (indicated even by the cover).

We are not just holy individuals, but a holy people. The way we grow in holiness is as we call one another (daily!) to follow the true and living God (Heb 3:12–13). The way show our holiness is not just by individual godly living, but by the way we treat one another — the way we include outcasts and marginalized people, the way we bear with one another and forgive one another, etc. (e.g. Colossians 3 or Ephesians 4–5).

One person pursuing holiness by themselves will soon grow tired (and even if they succeed, they might be written off as an eccentric); a whole people pursuing holiness together can spur one another on, and together can bear witness to the difference God makes through the gospel and the Holy Spirit.

Ben McLaughlin said...

The way show our holiness is not just by individual godly living, but by the way we treat one another

Stuart I totally agree that it can't be individualistic. But I would say that individual godly living is actually played out in our relationships. We can work on ourselves by working for others.

Stuart Heath said...

Yeah, yeah. Both/and :)

Paul Berkman said...

Totally with you both on the importance of community to combat individualism. If our primary focus is serving God and we keep ourselves in the context of community/engagement with people, like Ben said the rest will follow.