Only One Holy Ground

It is impossible for any of us to achieve holiness in God’s sight by our own strength or willpower. We must come to him saying, “Lord, I have nothing to give you. You have to do it all.”

Despite this, we remain convinced that if we get victory over this one last remaining sin, we will be able to live holy on our own. We take the sword of willpower, promises, and good intentions in hand and set out to kill the enemy in our hearts; but we can never be holy while standing on the ground of self-righteousness.

You and I face the same burning bush Moses did. That bush is a type of God’s fiery zeal against all flesh brought into his presence masquerading as holiness. He says to us, “You cannot stand before me on that kind of fleshly ground. There is only one holy ground: faith in my Son and his work on the cross.”

This is the only way God could have saved and reconciled a whole world. If our works merited our salvation, only a select number would be candidates for salvation, but I believe Christ died for all. We can behold the worst thief, rapist, murderer, drug addict, alcoholic, or people who have no good works at all and testify, “By repentance and faith, they can be presented righteous in Christ Jesus.”

This is the true saving power of God, but many Christians live as if their works are sufficient. On judgment day, they will stand before God in their flesh, saying, “Look at everything I’ve done for you, Lord. I’ve worked to stay clean and holy. I’ve prophesied, fed the poor, healed the sick, and cast out demons. I have done it all to please you!”

God will answer, “You did none of those things through the power of my Spirit. You did them all in your own strength. I accept the righteousness of only one man, my Son, but I do not see my Son in you.”

“But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, NKJV).