We Pursue the Wrong Things

Christians get obsessed in their pursuits of what they deem to be “righteous.” We get obsessed with Politics, and who’s in the State House, Court House, or whatever house governs our nations. We get obsessed with good works. We get obsessed with how we do things. We pursue things, hoping that we’ll somehow get in good with God, or at least, make our situation more comfortable, but we forget what we’re supposed to be pursuing: Christ and His Holiness. Jesus didn’t obsess over Rome, nor did His ministry revolve around good works or traditions (though He had plenty to say on the latter two issues). Jesus pursued Righteousness before God and called others to dwell on that. While the Pharisees were busy being self-righteous according to their traditions, the Sadducees focused on their interpretation of the Law of Moses, the Essenes isolated themselves from everyone to preserve the Jewish writings and way of life, and the Zealots railed against Rome, Jesus was calling people to a pursuit of Holiness.

It’s funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same. These days, many in the Church are following the pursuits of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Zealots, when Jesus is still calling us to Holiness. We were made in the image of God, Holy as He is Holy, but sin marred that image, and stained it to a degree where it was no longer recognizable. Jesus taught on God’s purpose and intentions in the Law and Prophets, while calling people from pursuing sin into God’s design and purpose for them. We still pursue all the wrong things, when we ought to be trying to look like Jesus and pursue His Holiness! Loved ones, let the world go: seek to save the lost, but stop trying to carve a comfortable niche into it. Stop trying to control how God does things, and surrender to His Holiness! Be holy as He is holy! Only then, in the light of His glory, will you see Him more clearly, and the cares of this world will seem trivial.

1 Peter 1:13 -2:12

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 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.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

“All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

and the flower falls,

but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

and

“A stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.