The word “holiness” has always intimidated me.

“Me! Holy! You’ve got to be kidding,” I thought as I contemplated the often-unholy condition of my heart and mind.

The trouble is, I was so focused inward, where all I could find was darkness and failure, that I was missing the whole point. 

Spiritual attributes cannot be gained directly, like going to a spiritual clothing store and putting them on like a coat.

The Bible explains how holiness is “obtained,” not directly but indirectly through an imperceptible inner transformation wrought by God’s Holy Spirit.

Looking in the Mirror

As explained in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (lit., metamorphosed like a butterfly) into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Bible commentator Bill MacDonald writes: “As we are occupied with the glory of the risen, ascended, exalted Lord Jesus Christ, we are being transformed into the same image. Here, in a word, is the secret of Christian holiness — occupation with Christ. Not by occupation with self; that brings only defeat. Not by occupation with others; that brings disappointment. But by occupation with the glory of the Lord, we become more and more like Him … As we behold the Lord of glory, study Him, contemplate Him, gaze on Him adoringly, the Spirit of the Lord works in our life the marvelous miracle of increasing conformity to Christ.”

We’re looking in the wrong mirror most of the time. Our preoccupation with self has us focused on our own fading “glory,” especially as we age, while Christ is bidding us to look upward to Him and His unfading eternal glory.

Inner Heart Affections 

Family, children, self, football, etc.?

Then how do you understand Jesus’ words in Luke 14:25-27? “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Jesus is not suggesting that we literally “hate” our loved ones. This is a statement of contrasts — you need to love Jesus so much, so intensely, that your earthly affections pale in comparison.

This is where Satan concentrates his attacks on believers. His best tools are distractions that water down and diffuse a Christian’s heart affections, often leaving just leftovers for Jesus.

The tragic result is lukewarm hearts for God, mediocre devotion, and restless, anxious lives.

What You ‘Treasure’

As written in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

So, what do you “treasure?” What does that say about your heart?

Transforming Power

A gaze is not to be confused with a glance. According to Oxford Languages, to “gaze” at something is to “look steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.”

The author of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 12:1-2: 

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The most formidable danger to the Devils schemes of stealing glory from God is an ordinary undistracted saint who is focused upon His Savior.

In himself, the saint is nothing, but when he is positioned in right-relationship to God, there is no limit to the spiritual effect on people around him.

To illustrate: by itself, the moon is just a dead rock floating around in space, but as it reflects the rays of the sun, it illuminates our otherwise benighted Earth in its darkest hours.

Likewise, Christians can bring their inner light, by the Holy Spirit, to this sin-darkened world.

How About You?

Want to get out of the spiritual doldrums?

1 John 2:15-16 points the way: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world … For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”