Three Levels of Holy Living

"Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31, NKJV)

When Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," He's talking about holy living. Let me tell you about three different levels of holy living.

The first level is like when you discipline children. You teach them right from wrong by saying, "If you do this wrong thing, you'll get disciplined." That can be compared to a kind of holiness because you think God will punish you if you don't. Sometimes people say, "I don't talk that way because I don't want lightning to strike me." That's not an accurate picture of God.

It is important to clarify that Hebrews 12 does indeed state that God will discipline His children when they are living in unrepentant sin. If you can live any old way you want and God never does anything to correct you, it shows you're an illegitimate child—not really one of His children. I have said at times, "God wouldn't let me get away with that." Do you feel that way? When God lovingly disciplines us, it shows we are His children. So, there is a level of holy living where you avoid sin because you don't want to displease God or be punished.

The second level of holy living is seeking a reward. You live a holy life because you want good things to happen to you. If you read Proverbs, you'll see lifestyle choices and their repercussions. Do right, and God's blessing will be on your life. Even non-Christians figure some of this out—living right generally leads to better outcomes.

Psalm 84:11 says, "The Lord God is a sun and shield. He gives grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." There's a reward for holy living.

But we should move past these first two levels. It's like having a "honey-do" list from your spouse. You might do the work because you don't want to "hear it" from your spouse (discipline), or because things go better when you work through the list (reward). But these are not the best reasons, nor does that make a happy home.

The third and highest level is where we live holy lives simply to glorify God. We do what honors Him not from fear of punishment or desire for reward, but because we want to make Him look good to the watching world.

The word "glory" (doxa) means to make something seem bigger, better, more beautiful. It's like a magnifying glass. When we live holy lives, we're putting a magnifying glass on God's goodness so others can see His beauty and glory. This happens when we "live for the glory of God". This level of holy living is what God's people should want to exhibit. Jesus Christ died for us, we can certainly live for Him. Amen?

Reflection Question: Which level of holy living best describes your current relationship with God—avoiding punishment, seeking rewards, or just simply to glorify Him with your life?

Father, I want to move beyond immature motivations in my relationship with You. Help me grow past just avoiding punishment or seeking rewards. Create in me a heart that hungers for righteousness simply because You deserve all glory and honor. May everything I do magnify Your goodness to the watching world. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Hunger for Holiness": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/xjchmry/4-hunger-for-holiness