Blessings as the fruit of holiness

Holiness continues to be a term that is difficult to assimilate for today's Christian. There is a verse in the Bible, a jewel of Scripture, that emphatically expresses the importance that God places on sanctification - the spiritual growth of his children to be like Christ. The Lord says in Hebrews: "Follow peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." Peace and holiness seem to be inseparable attributes that the Christian should confront in his Christian walk, but if we try to seek peace with everyone and consciously undertake the glorious path of sanctification alone, it will be impossible to achieve the high goals and purposes that the Lord has planned for our lives.

Only by growing in grace and the Spirit of truth will the path be cleared of the many temptations and falls to come. We must relentlessly strive in our continued growth in sanctification. There is no other way. And what happens to us if we space in our lives the thousand and one opportunities that the Lord gives us to grow spiritually? If so, then we will also have very few opportunities to experience its blessings. Haven't you heard from brothers in Christ who say they don't experience God's blessings? Although we are not apt to judge, stamp it; That life is urged to have a reencounter with Christ and to resume the path of holiness, that is, of growth in the Spirit, of directing the process of sanctification.

God's blessings flow from our sanctification, from our daily struggle against temptations and sin. The truth is that if we are really born again, sanctification must be a constant search for growth "to the stature of the fullness of Christ" is to put on the clothing ... of the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of the Creator ”(Col 3:10)

God longs to bless us through the riches in glory of his son Jesus, but a life in Christ that does not show signs of a search for holiness, that does not manifest a spiritual struggle to overcome sin, that does not seek peace with believers and unbelievers and does not Pay attention to your spiritual growth, you will not have the privilege of seeing the face of God, nor will you be able to exercise a godly life centered on Christian service and stewardship. The Lord will never consider us fit to administer everything that belongs to him, nor will we be a channel of blessing to others, if we do not urgently seek (or resume) the path of holiness that He demands of us. Our holiness is a process that is not completed in life, but the moral observations contained throughout the Bible and especially in the New Testament epistles exhort us to live a life of progressive and permanent sanctification in order to enjoy the rich blessings that come from heaven. God exhorts us in 2 Corinthians 7: 1 "Let us purify ourselves from all that pollutes the body and the spirit, to complete in the fear of God the work of our sanctification."

To seek holiness is to seek God and it is that the Christian's sanctification process is above all the work of our heavenly father: "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you completely" (1 Thess. 5:23). Christ is our example, the paradigm of our sanctification and the Holy Spirit is the one who works radically in us to modify our behaviors and sanctify us; He is the one who produces in us the fruit of the Spirit to be able to “follow the goal” of constant and daily sanctification and only then be blessed to bless others.

God has called us to holiness and to be a bond of blessing for those around us, whether they are believers or not. This does not mean that we leave all the work to God. While God is sanctifying us, we must fight to be better every day, to fulfill his precepts, to lead a humble, sober and pious life of service away from the desires of the flesh. We have a good share of responsibility for our sanctification. It is not about sitting back and waiting for the Lord to do the work, but about taking the necessary steps and being active in the pursuit of holiness.

Paul tells the Thessalonians: "It is the will of God that you be sanctified" (1 Thess. 4: 3). Isn't it a tremendous hope for each one of us? Yes, God wants holiness for his children, that we reflect in our lives the visible testimony of a life regenerated by the Spirit, justified by Christ and blessed to be able to bless others. Holiness affects our whole being, our intellect, our will, our spirit, mind and body. If we do our part and work actively with God in our process of spiritual growth, the Lord will also give us the privilege of being richly blessed, of being more useful servants and in that way sharing the multitude of blessings fruit of a life regenerated by power. of the Spirit. Pursuing holiness - growth in the likeness of Christ - will enable us, according to promise, to definitely see the face of God on that day.

God bless you!