Holiness in Spirit

          Highlights from chapter twelve of The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry
     Bridges.


                                  "Since we have these promises, dear friends,
                                   let us purify ourselves from everything that
                                   contaminates body and spirit, perfecting
                                   holiness out of reverance for God."
                                                                             2 Corinthians 7:1


          Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount that God's commands are
     intended not only to regulate outward conduct, but inner disposition as well.
     It is not enough that we do not kill; we must not also not hate.  It is not e-
     nough that we do not commit adultery, we must not even entertain lustful
     looks and thoughts.

          The Bible indicates that our thought lives ultimately determine our char-
     acter.
           Solomon said,

                                 "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."
                                                                             Proverbs 23:7


          An old well known verse puts it this way:

                                "Sow a thought, reap an act;
                                 Sow an act, reap a habit;
                                 Sow a habit, reap a character."


          It is because of the importance of our thought lives that Paul said,

                               "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever
                                is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
                                whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -
                                if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -
                                think about such things."
                                                                  Philippians 4:8


          As Christians we are no longer to be conformed to the pattern of this
     world but we are to be renewed in our minds.

  
                              "... to be made new in the attitude of your
                               minds; and to put on the new self, created
                               to be like God in true righteousness and
                               holiness."
                                                              Ephesians 4:23-24


           Holiness begins in our minds and works out to our actions.  This being
     true, what we allow to enter our minds is critically important.

          The world around us constantly seeks to conform our minds to its sin-
     ful ways.

          Paul warned us,


                              "But among you there must not be even a hint
                               of sexual immorality, or of any kind of im-
                               purity, or of greed, because these are improp-
                               er for God's holy people.

                             "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or
                              coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather
                              thanksgiving."
                                                                   Ephesians 5:3-4

          "Not even a hint of immorality" places any suggestive speech whatso-
     ever outside the bounds of a holy walk.

          We must purify ourselves not only from the gross sins of the body,
     but also from the more "acceptable" sins of the spirit.  Alas, here again
     we Christians have so often failed miserably.

          Focusing on our particular group's list of do's and don'ts, we neglect
     the inner life where envy, pride, bitterness, and a critical, unforgiving
     spirit may reign unchecked.


          The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in
     God.  Only when Asaph was enabled to say to God,

                               "Earth has nothing I desire besides you"
                                (Psalm 73:25), was he delivered from the
                                sin of envy.


          Another defilement of spirit that has shipwrecked many Christians is
     bitterness.  Bitterness arise in our hearts when we do not trust in the Sov-
     ereign rule of God in our lives.

          Bitterness toward people is the result of an unforgiving spirit.  Some-
     one has wronged us, either apparently or actually, and we refuse to for-
     give that person.  Instead we harbor thoughts of bitterness toward the
     person.  We refuse to forgive because we will not recognize that God has
     forgiven us of far, far greater wrongs.

         Closely akin to bitterness is the spirit of retaliation.  When we are
     wronged, the tendency is to retaliate - often in our minds if not in actions.

          Paul wrote,


                                "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave
                                 room for God's wrath, for it is written:  'It
                                 is mine to avenge, I will repay,' says the
                                 Lord."
                                                                  Romans 12:19


          One of the most difficult defilements of spirit to deal with is the
     critical spirit.  A critical spirit has its root in pride.  We are quick to
     see -- and to speak of -- the faults of others, but slow to see our own
     needs.

         We forget that,

                                 "a man who stirs up dissension among brothers"
                                  by criticizing one to another is one of the "six
                                  things which the Lord hates."
                                                                        Proverbs 6:16-19


          All of these attitudes -- envy, jealousy, bitterness, and unforgiving and
     retaliatory spirit, and a critical and gossiping spirit -- defile us and keep us
     from being holy before God.


          We need to pray daily for humility and honesty to see these sinful atti-
     tudes for what they really are, and then for grace and discipline to root
     them out of our minds and replace them with thoughts pleasing to God.