Have You Achieved Holiness?
"Holiness is the strength of the soul. It comes by faith and through obedience to God's laws and ordinances. God then purifies the heart by faith, and the heart becomes purged from that which is profane and unworthy. When holiness is achieved by conforming to God's will, one knows intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the Lord. Holiness speaks when there is silence, encouraging that which is good or reproving that which is wrong."
(James E. Faust, "Standing in Holy Places," Ensign, May 2005, 62)
When I think of Holiness I think of the first three letters Hol (Whole). I think holiness involves us being whole human beings in the godly sense. The closer we become to being the people that God desires us to be, the Holier we can become. Right now in my life I am not completely whole in the spiritual sense. I am not the Man I want to be. But the closer I pattern my life after the Savior's, the closer I come to achieving holiness.
QUOTE (tortdog @ 4-Sep 07, 9:06 AM) |
Sad thing is I know what more I could do to be holy, but sometimes don't want that ... yet? For example, while generally I'd argue there is no harm in violent video games, I can see that engaging in the games does detract from the Spirit. |
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"When holiness is achieved by conforming to God's will, one knows intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the Lord." - (James E. Faust, "Standing in Holy Places," Ensign, May 2005, 62) |
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"There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man." - Mark 7:15 |
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"Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." - Titus 1:15 |
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"For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God. And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with areal intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such. Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift." - Moroni 7:6-10 |
Message Edited... LDS_forever: Please use quote tags when appropriate, thanks. |