October 24 - Holiness and Usefulness
The purpose of knowing God’s Word is for obedience and obedience ensures our holiness. When we are holy, God may use us for His glory. Serving God is not to do things on our own but to become holy first and then we may become His vessel to do honorable things. The mere head knowledge about the Word is the greatest contradiction in Christianity although many have fallen into the trap of only knowing the Word intellectually. Such approach to the Word has brought about empty talks, debates about doctrines and eventually ending up in ungodliness, the exact opposite of what we are supposed to do.
Paul exhorts Timothy to flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. Real Christian fellowship is to fellowship in God’s presence when all wants to pursue holiness and are men and women of prayer. When God is the focus, we may then escape ignorant controversies and stupid quarrels. The servant of God is supposed to be mild and kind, ready to teach and correct with gentleness. In so doing, those who are under the sway of the devil may have a chance to come to their senses.
The last days will be a time of difficulty because people are self-centered, sensuous and rebellious. Even within the Christian church, believers can only preserve the form of godliness but denying its power. Things look good on the surface but when one goes deeper, there is nothing there in their so-called “spirituality”. Today, there is much talk about godliness but in most part the gratification of the self instead of relating rightly to God. People are constantly learning but never arrive at a knowledge of the truth and as a result, not useful to their Master.
The answer lies in the Word of God who can bring us into holiness if we follow it. Paul offers his teaching, his conduct, his goal in life, his faith, his patience, his love, his steadfastness, his persecutions and sufferings as an example to Timothy. All these fruits of his life and ministry are due to the power of the Word in his life. He declares, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Let the Word of God change your life now. Allow God to, through His Word, to bring reproof and correction so that you may be trained in righteousness. This is the only way that you are equipped for the work of God. Serving God is not about acquiring some training in ministry skills, it is about living a life of holiness. The only way is to be changed by God’s Word. Ask God now to change you life through His Word so you may be holy and useful to Him.
Ps 119:17-24 Jer 44:24-47:7 2 Tim 2:22-3:17 Prov 26:6-8