Holiness and the professing Christian.

Something I've noticed that is often considered trivial, though is actually very important, is holiness. To be holy is to set apart.

"Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."-Leviticus 19:2

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."-1 Peter 1:15-16.

On the one hand, it is true that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by works (that is, not by what we do):

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."-Ephesians 2:8-9.

However, the Bible is clear that true, saving faith must be accompanied by works, both in loving conduct toward one's fellow man, charity, and putting sin to death:

"¹⁶But I say,^AD)">(AD) walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify^AE)">(AE) the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For^AF)">(AF) the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other,^AG)">(AG) to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸But if you are^AH)">(AH) led by the Spirit,^AI)">(AI) you are not under the law. ¹⁹Now^AJ)">(AJ) the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,^AK)">(AK) divisions, ²¹envy,^d]">[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that^AL)">(AL) those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."-Galatians 5:16-21.

"...if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you^W)">(W) put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."-Romans 8:13

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the^X)">(X) holiness^Y)">(Y) without which no one will see the Lord"-Hebrews 12:14.

""Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^a]">[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴For the gate is narrow and^B)">(B) the way is hard that leads to life, and^C)">(C) those who find it are few."-Matthew 7:13-14.

"He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and^Z)">(Z) journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³And someone said to him, "Lord,^AA)">(AA) will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them, ²⁴^AB)">(AB) "Strive^AC)">(AC) to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."-Luke 13:22-23.

Other than the fact that humans are hopelessly depraved (without the Holy Spirit), why is it that so many professing Christians don't see transformation as a big deal? Some of it has to do with "cultural Christian", which itself comes from poor readings of texts.

"And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness"-Romans 4:5.

What's this passage saying? Is it saying that all we need to do is cognitively assent to correct Christian dogma and then we can sit around eating bon-bons and waiting for the endtimes? Of course not. Paul is just saying that we are SAVED by faith, and not by works. As chapters 6-8 of Romans clearly indicate, Paul is very concerned with faith being something transformative. If it's not, you're probably not saved. Paul's point in Romans 4:5 is similar to the point he makes in Romans 10:1-4:

"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God fo rthem is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for god, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteuosness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to god's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to everyone who believes."-Romans 10:1-4.

Paul is talking about the Jews, who believed they could be justified by works. He is simply saying that the bedrock of our salvation is faith and not works; but he would heartily affirm that true saving faith must result in works.

"What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"-Romans 6:15-17.

Living life in perpetual sin is evidence of not being saved. That doesn't mean we won't struggle with sin (see Romans 7:14-25), but we should not be continually in bondage to it anymore. We don't do it uncontrollably and compulsively. Christ died on the cross as a substitution for sinners so that His perfect righteousness could be credited to whoever believes He did this for them. This means we should be progressively conformed to His nature. For someone to know that they are saved by the grace of God, by Christ having died on the cross as a substitute, having born the wrath of God for your sins, should fill you with a desire to live spontaneously as Christ did. That this is considered trivial by so many professing Christians is unsurprising, since as Jesus Himself says, the way is narrow, and few find it.