Come As You Are

Romans 12:1-2 ESV  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

When we lay our lives before the Lord as a living sacrifice, sometimes we may think we can only bring the pure and undefiled parts, because the sacrifices God wanted were the best of the flock without blemish.  Only Jesus could come to God as that kind of pure, unblemished, perfect sacrifice. We can only bring our weakness and imperfection as a sacrifice unto God and let Him take it and transform us.

In this verse the fact it says "holy" may make us think we need to get ourselves cleaned up first.  It has to do with consecration unto God, a coming to Him based on Jesus' sacrifice. It is the only way to be acceptable.  All our attempts at being holy fall far short of the holiness of God that can only be manifest in our lives because of Jesus' sacrifice and our submission to Him. Holiness is a separation unto God and from the ways of this world.

We come boldly before the throne of grace based on the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We come with all our need to receive mercy and grace. If we wait until we are good enough, we will never come.  It is there before the throne that we are cleansed as we confess our sin and receive all we need to live a pure and holy life.

It is only as we come to Him with all our imperfections and needs that we can be transformed and become all He created us to be.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

HOLINESS MOVEMENT

Recently I was reading one person’s account of the prayer movement over the past couple of decades. It was rather amazing, yet we have not seen revival. There are little stirrings here and there, but not what you would expect in light of the prayer movement as it was chronicled.  I asked God, “Why?” The immediate answer I heard was, “there is a need for a holiness movement.” Jesus is coming back for a church that is “holy and without blemish.”

Leading up to the 2012 election I was glad to hear of so many prayer initiatives across the country.  But I began to be grieved because I had a sense there was prayer going on, but little true repentance or humbling of hearts before the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14 does not only say, “if my people pray.”  It says we need to also, humble ourselves, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.

Ephesians 5:24-27 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish

1 Peter 1:15 ESV “ but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

 

Leviticus 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

 

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

2 Corinthians 7:1

2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

This is a verse that captured my attention recently. Although I have read this many times, this time it real jumped out at me. There is little I can say about it. The verse itself is quite clear.