Reason number
three, because of His son’s sacrifice on the cross. Paul in I Cor 6: 19 and 20
says, ‘Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is
in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought
at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are
God’s.’ For you were bought with a price. You do not belong to yourself. You do
not own yourself. You are a slave to Christ. You cannot do what you want to do.
Do you realize
how difficult it is to go out in the streets, knocking doors as a salesman? As
a salesman, I have done door to door sales and I know how difficult it is to
make yourself get out of your room, shed your ego and shame and go knocking. I
have stood in the malls and exhibitions approaching people, we call it prospecting.
Do you realize how difficult it is? All salesmen do whatever it takes to
procrastinate, postpone the prospect of going out and making cold calls. And
Jesus having shed His glory and honor endured the shame and humiliation of being
beaten and spit upon. If that was not enough, he was made to walk all the way
to the Calvary, making himself a spectacle in front of the whole crowd who had
gathered to see this event. If people didn’t know Him, it would have been
easier for Him to go unrecognized as just another criminal being punished for
his crime. But here He was, among the same people whom He taught daily in the
synagogue, whom He healed, spoke great monologues. They knew Him and that’s why
they mocked Him. He faced treachery from His own people, falsely convicted,
humiliated and mocked by soldiers, endured pain due to the beatings and crown
of thorns, isolated at the cross, died the death of a criminal. He did it
because He chose to suffer for our sake. Jesus said in Jn 10:17b-18, ‘I lay
down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it
down Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.’
II Cor 5:15, ‘And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.’ Peter in I Pet
1:18 and 19 says this, ‘Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible
things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition
from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot.’
Reason number
four, because you are saved. God demands holiness because He is holy. God
demands holiness because He hates sin. God demands holiness because of His
son's sacrifice on the cross. God demands holiness because you are saved,
transformed, redeemed, new creation. So, do not conform yourselves to the
former lusts. II Pet 1:14. Conduct (behave) yourselves throughout the time of
your stay in fear. I Pet 1:17. Fear means reverence.
God demands
holiness from people who do not know Him for even though they may not know the
True and Living God, they have a conscience which either accuses them or
excuses them. Rom 1:19, 2:14, 15. How much more pertinent it is for those who
are God's children to yield to this demand of their God.
