“Holiness” = right living/righteousness.

One of the founding principles of The Salvation Army is holiness–right living. Christ-followers are called, not just to get themselves to Heaven, to get others to Heaven, and to serve others on earth. We are also called to live a holy, obedient, and pure lifestyle here on earth. The blue in The Salvation Army Flag symbolizes “holiness.”

Jesus put it this way: “Seek first the kingdom (rulership) of God and His righteousness . . .” Holiness/right living is not automatic. It is a pursuit. We must seek/strive to live right and to obey Jesus. Fortunately, we Christ-followers have the Holy Spirit (the living, resurrected Jesus) living in our heart to give us the wisdom and the power that we need to obey Christ.

So the question becomes a matter of choice: 1) Do I choose to ignore, deny, justify, or overlook my wrongful thoughts, attitudes, words, and behaviors? Or . . . 2) Do I choose to acknowledge them, renounce them, and continually strive to overcome them? Holiness demands from me, choice #2.

“Holiness” is a word that all of us who claim to be Christ-followers should seek to live out in our daily lives, with all of our hearts. Do you? Will you?

How?

Confess any known sin in your life to God and to another human being and ask for forgiveness.

Then begin to fight against those sins with all your might and with prayer, faith, reading the Word, worship, accountability, etc.

Also, ask God to show you any sin in your life that you are not aware of. If you have the courage to do this, the Spirit and your conscience will begin to show you unknown sins in your life. Once you see them, confess them, turn away from them, and fight them will all your might.