Perusing Holiness

And to the angel of the church of the Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne.
(Revelation 3:14-21)

I’m not a really accurate typist, and I often mistype “pursuing” as “purusing” which sounds like “perusing.” Peruse is often used to describe a quick review, but it really means to read or examine, typically with great care. Which got me to thinking about the difference between pursuing holiness – actively chasing after it – and perusing it – viewing it, contemplating it as one would a piece of art. Perusing is what you do before you become a Christian, but unfortunately even after salvation many of us continue to peruse and never get to the pursue stage.

These verses from Revelation about being lukewarm came to mind, and the phrase, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire,” really struck me. How can we buy something from God? We can ask Him for something, but the idea of payment stumped me until I realized that the only currency we have with God is us. There is nothing we can give him that He values except we ourselves. Our zealousness for His glory. Our repentance. The proof is that He died for us; you would never die for something you didn’t value. Buying gold from him means giving him ourselves. Ask that He would be glorified in your life, no matter what the cost. A friend in China told me about this saying:
真金不怕溶爐火 “Real gold is not afraid of the fire of the crucible,” or sometimes translated “Real gold fears no fire.” In other words, real gold (or real Christian) can stand the trial by fire. Trials test your faith and purify it. We should welcome trials. After Hurricane Katrina, Brent Detweiler of Sovereign Grace Ministries came down and delivered a sermon (click to listen) to our church. Brent said, when trouble came, Paul said, “I delight” not “I renounce” or “I bind” or “I rebuke.” Right now the big fight for the faith to most American Christians is whether it ought to be called a Christmas tree or a holiday tree. Somehow, I think God had a little bit more in mind for us than that.

For American Christians, at this point in time, there are no serious widespread trials like the Chinese, North Vietnamese, Indonesian, or Christians in Islamic countries undergo. You might say we are blessed, but I’d say you’re wrong. They are blessed. I’m not suggesting we all drop everything and try to be Jim Elliot. Some people are called to that, but most of us are called to serve closer to home. Do you really need the Hummer, or would a Yukon take you to all the same places the Hummer would go? Is there some place God might want you to donate the difference? Do your neighbors even know you’re saved? Is there a homeless shelter in your city? Frankly, I think American Christians have lesser tasks because we are weak in the faith and this is all we can handle. If we stopped whining and said, “I delight,” and proved faithful in the smaller tasks, bigger ones would be given to us. Pursue it. Take the risk. God promises that it’s worth it.

so that the trial of your faith (being much more precious than that of gold that perishes, but being proven through fire) might be found to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:7)