These and many more verses and passages of Scripture speak to God’s call to holiness! And yet, few today speak about personal holiness as a worthwhile pursuit. After all, everybody knows that nobody is perfect. Even we who believe in Jesus Christ, in whom His Spirit is at work, continue to struggle with the remaining remnants of sin in our lives. So why talk about pursuing holiness? The simple answer is: because GOD does!! Knowing you are forgiven in Christ and that God now SEES you as holy because the righteousness of Christ has been credited to you does NOT mean that you just go on sinning. On the contrary, God now calls you to “seek first His kingdom AND His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). As a believer, I’m not yet perfect, but I WANT to be!! Why? Because I love God, my Father in heaven, and I want to be an instrument of light in this world to display His power at work within me. God continually calls those who know Him and who love Him to pursue holiness in order to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Loving God is impossible where there is no desire to turn from sin to righteousness. The very desire to turn from sin and to pursue holiness is evidence of the work of His Spirit within you. Thankfully, our Father in heaven not only calls us to holiness, but also tells us in His Word how to pursue holiness. Remember, this is not for the purpose of BEING saved, but because you have been saved through faith in Jesus! Know God’s grace moves you to love Him and to desire to please Him. Thus, the second mark of a disciple of Jesus: “Pursuing Holiness!”