By Festus Ndukwe
Many will be surprised that the basic pre-requisite for usefulness and power is not more Bible knowledge and prayer.
It is holiness. It is not holiness as defined by man or church or religion. It is holiness as lived by Christ.
Holiness is simply being set apart from sin, self and the world. It is being set apart from all that defiles. It is being in the world and yet not of the world. It is touching, reaching out, laughing, shaking hands, having dinner, working with and mingling with the world and yet not corrupted by it. It is not being a hermit or getting yourself isolated. “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all point tempted like as we are, yet without sin,” Heb.4:15. That is Christ. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,”Heb.7:26.
That this kind of high priest, holy, became ’me’ makes a deep impression on me. Though holy Christ became ‘me’ to reach me. Though holy, I must also mingle with sinners to reach them. I must mingle yet not mix up with them. I must mingle yet separate. I must mingle yet different.
Every Christian is called to live like this in a wicked and perverse generation.
It is possible to isolate yourself, live as a hermit and yet not holy. It is very possible to mingle and interact with the world and yet still be holy.
If we turn from the world we will lose them. Our holiness will be useless. Our holiness is the power that draws the world and brings them to Christ. Our holiness prepares God a platform to pour Himself in us and, through us, perform the miracles that bring filthy sinners and get them cleaned up.