Holiness of God

Holiness of God

“The call of God is the manifestation in time of the purposes of eternity.” Andrew Murray

What a profound statement! Yet the question so often asked is, what is the call of God? Many will say that any career Christian was ‘called’ to that particular vocation; be it missionary, medical, teaching, or whatever. We certainly believe we have been called to work among the lost, the lonely, the abused, weak, or down-trodden. But was this our first calling from God.

I don’t believe it was. I believe the first call of God on man is holiness. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” 1Peter 1:15. There are other verses of course - “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:7, and, “Because it is written, Be holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

I believe God calls us first to the imitation of His own attributes before any other thing, and from our attempts, poor though they may be, He gives us all other things, including even revival. Our churches today are simply too unholy to hold, contain, or even begin revival. I specifically used “too unholy” as against “not holy enough” because that is how I felt Holy Spirit was prompting me. If the call of God is, at this time, the manifestation of God’s eternal purposes, then holiness, both personal and corporate, must be our starting point. 

Without holiness, we are unfit to hold any kind of revival, despite the fact that nearly all the gifts of God that go with revival – like healing, deliverance, signs, and wonders – are normally without repentance.  Revival is, I believe, almost a “special case” because revival without repentance just isn’t and cannot be revival. Repentance therefore must start with the church and it must be channelled towards greater holiness in order to be even capable of handling the Holy presence of God – itself a hallmark of revival. 

Unholy and holy cannot mix. That which is Holy expels, drives out, even destroys (!!) that which is unholy. We cannot continue to call upon God for revival if we have an unholy and unrepentant church. Holy it may never be, not completely, but we can start by repenting of our lack of holiness – our unholiness – then we can stand back and watch God move in our midst.

That, surely, is the call of God on this generation for His eternal purposes.