Be Holy

Reverend Christopher Brenyo, pastor of Ascension Presbyterian Church in Longwood, Florida, reminded students at chapel service this past Thursday that as Heb. 12:14 states, without holiness, no one will see the Lord. He preached from 1 Peter 1:15–16 where we are called to be holy as God is holy. As a holy people, we have been set apart to reflect God’s holiness, but it is important to note that God’s grace in Christ is the foundation of our holiness. We are declared holy by the work of Christ, yet we too easily become content in our sin and do not pursue holiness. Reflecting on Romans 12:1–2, Rev. Brenyo observed that the life of the believer is a whole body sacrifice. As he explained, “Holiness demands a continual renewal of the mind.”

For practical help, Rev. Brenyo addressed the personal side of holiness by looking to the example we have in Christ. He also expounded on a list of helpful ways we can pursue holiness in our everyday lives:

1. Read, study, and treasure Scripture.
2. Use the sacraments as a means of grace.
3. Remember who you are in Christ.
4. Remember prayer and work go together.
5. Flee worldliness.
6. Cultivate relationships with godly people.
7. Keep holiness in the present tense.

Even though we have been declared holy in Christ, we should not neglect the pursuit of personal holiness. We will not be perfect in this life, but our failure becomes an occasion for grace and reminds us of our need for Christ as we seek to be holy as God is holy.