The Whole Self!

There are some things in life that people approach half-heartedly. Others go about tasks with the mind somewhere else. Such division creates the potential for lack of quality in works and may ultimately draw one away from proper actions. This is no more true than in relation to our spiritual lives. A divided focus does not lend well toward faithfulness to the Will and Purposes of God and does not truly reflect a worshipful focus on His worth-ship. Worship has been defined by one as follows: “For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open up the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.” [attributed to William Temple, an Archbishop of Canterbury] In other words, it comes about through a focus wholly on God and all that relates to Him!

Paul expressed the proper life focus this way. . .
“(23) Now may the God of peace himself SANCTIFY YOU COMPLETELY, and may your WHOLE SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY BE KEPT BLAMELESS at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV)

The word translated “completely” is from the Greek “holoteles” which means “wholly” or “through and through”. Having been sanctified, we have been set apart for GOD’S EXCLUSIVE USE! That is to encompass not just one aspect of our life, but our entire being; our “whole spirit and soul and body.” We are to strive for blamelessness and holiness inside and out! No aspect of our life is to be excluded as we consider our “spirit” to be our connection with God, our “soul” as the habitation of the consciousness and character or essence of our being, and our “body” as the physical active part of our life. All of this is with joyful anticipation of our Lord’s return.

The holiness and blamelessness God makes possible is what enables us to be at peace with “the God of peace.” Just as there can be no peace when there is division between others, so there cannot be true peace when our individual life is divided. Let us continue to be mindful of GOD’S EXCLUSIVE USE of every aspect of our being so that His worth-ship is made evident through genuine worshipful living.

Have a great day OF WHOLLY HOLY SUBMISSION TO GOD!
Carl

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