Living A Holy Life
This message continues in the May 1st issue of SELAH magazine.
There comes a point where the noise starts to die down, where the show no longer satisfies, and something in you begins to ask a deeper question. What is living a holy life, what does that mean?
I know what looks holy, what sounds holy, but what's it really about? What does that life truly look like? Am I living out the genuine article?
I have had to sit with those questions not as a theory, and certainly not from a distance.
But up close and personal. Where it presses in on how I live, how I think, and how I respond when no one but God is watching.
What I've found out is that living a holy life doesn't rely on personal views, it isn't influenced by cultural norms, nor can it be adjusted to suit people's preferences.
God alone defines a holy life. And it begins where He begins, in the garden.
What does living a holy life look like?
Genesis 1:26–27 Then God said let us make man in our image, and our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the foul of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; Male and female created he them.
We were not created in a state of confusion.
We were not created with a list of options to choose from like a new car.
God did not leave our identity open to interpretation.
He defined it plainly, once, at the beginning, male and female. Clear. Ordered.
Like the gospel, it was without mixture, without crossover, and without uncertainty.
And this matters more than most people want to admit.
Because the moment we step outside of what God established and begin to accept something different, we're lost.
Whether we accept it by engagement, or by agreement, silence, or support, we are no longer standing on His foundation.
If the foundation is designed by the flesh—formed by human thinking, human emotion, and human understanding—then it is already out of Gods order from the start.
You can build on it, shape it, and try to make it look right, but it will always carry that flaw at its core.
A carnal foundation is unstable because it is rooted in what man decides, what man feels, and what man believes is right in his own eyes.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 21:2
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
A spiritual foundation is entirely different.
It does not begin with man at all. It begins with God—His order, His truth, and His design.
It is not shaped by preference or adjusted for comfort. It is established, whether we agree with it or not. And so is living a holy life.
If you’re still unsure where the line between holy and profane has been blurred, this issue of SELAH magazine will bring it back into clear focus.
The Next Issue Is Coming
SELAH — May 15
What you’ve begun here continues in the May 15TH issue of SELAH.
What foundation are you building on?
So the issue is not just what is being built, but what it is being built on.
If a spiritual work is being built on a carnal, man-made foundation, then the entire structure is already compromised from the outset.
It's as unstable as a mixture of oil and water.
But when the foundation is truly spiritual—set by God and not by man—then what is built on it carries that same order, stability, and truth.
John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
One begins with self, the other begins with God. And that difference determines everything that follows.
Jeremiah 10:23
O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
As was said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
So a holy life begins here. It begins with submission to what God has already said, not what we feel, or what we prefer, and certainly not what the world is pushing.
Galatians 1:8–9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Ephesians 2:20 “Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.”
Psalm 118:22 “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
1 Corinthians 3:10,11
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If we reject that starting point, we cannot move forward in truth.
That's more important than most think. We were created by design, with purpose and in order, not confusion.
We were made in the image of God, and that means our lives are not ours to redefine at will, nor on a whim.
And if we endeavour to do so, it is at our own peril.
Many people have failed, not because they hated truth.
They failed because they were never given a solid foundation to stand on from the start.
That is why a holy life does not begin with behavior management.
It begins with understanding who God created you to be from the start.
And once that foundation is in place, everything else starts to come into focus.
1 John 5:18
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
That is a strong statement, and it is meant to be. It does not say that one who is born of God struggles to sin a little less every day.
Nor does it say that one who is born of God remains in sin but is excused by grace.
It says plainly that one who is born of God sinneth not. Again, we are speaking of willful, committed sin.
That does not mean temptation never comes. It does not mean evil or carnal thoughts never arise. On the contrary, they do, and as long as we are in this wicked flesh they will continue.
As A matter of fact, the older you are when you get saved, the more material Satan has to work with.
The only other logical alternative would be for God to erase your memory of every wicked, carnal deed you ever did, or thought you ever had before salvation.
And I've never heard anyone say that's how salvation works. Which is why scripture offers this remedy.
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Therefore, we are not left without understanding, nor without responsibility.
Get saved while you're young, before you've exposed yourself to this ungodly world and allowed wicked thoughts and fleshly deeds to take root in your life, and in your spirit.
Failing that, even with all that has been stored in the mind, and all that the enemy will try to bring back to your memory, the standard does not change.
The mere presence of those thoughts, and rememberance of those deeds do not define you, and it does not excuse you.
However, it does mean that something has changed at the very core of your being.
There is now a conscience, deliberate fight to keep and guard your mind.
And a real separation from the rule and control of sin, in and over your thoughts and actions.
2 Corinthians 10:4,5
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
This is the point at which many people have been led astray. It is commonly taught that people commit sin every day.
And unsaved people do, it is in their fallen nature to do so.
But to teach that it is equally a part of life for a saint, that no one can help it, and that grace covers a continual life of willful sin and disobedience after salvation is gross error.
That is not the doctrine of Christ. That is not freedom, and that’s not truth. It is a false comfort that leaves people bound while convincing them they are free.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Continue this message in the May 1st issue of SELAH magazine, where the reflection unfolds more fully.
SELAH magazine is freely available to read and download, and may be shared with others without charge.
Those who wish to support the work may do so by clicking the link below, and make a free will donation of any amount, but no payment is required.
Pause. Reflect. Return.
If you're seeking the Lord or dealing with hurt and abuse, SELAH offers a quiet, safe place to meet Jesus, heal, and grow in grace. A place to worship in spirit and in truth.
SELAH is here! Sign up to be on the subscription list. It's free. Come see who we are.
Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
YOU'RE NOT TOO FAR GONE TO BE SAVED, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BE CHANGED...
From Worldly Rags to Heavenly Riches is a raw story of broken choices, spiritual blindness, and the relentless mercy of God.
For anyone who has wandered, backslidden, or felt too far gone, it shows that Christianity is not performance but surrender, not image but inner change.
This is real redemption, step by step, as God restores purpose, brings healing, and turns spiritual poverty into lasting riches. https://a.co/d/0dPMPd4l
Discover What the Bible Teaches, a timeless resource exploring the foundational truths of Scripture.
This work offers clear, scripture-based insight designed to separate the pure Word of God from man-made religion.
Available as a free downloadable PDF, this book was originally published by the Gospel Trumpet Company and can now be accessed online at ChurchofGodEveningLight.com.
