?Strive for peace with everyone, and for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.? Hebrews 12:14 There is a practical holiness without which we will not see the Lord. Many live as though it does not exist. There are people who call themselves Christians, yet live such unholy lives that in the end they will hear Jesus? terrifying words: ?I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness? (Matthew 7:23). Paul says to those who claim to believe: ?If you live according to the flesh, you will die? (Romans 8:13). There is, therefore, a holiness without which no one will see the Lord. One of the most important things we must learn is that we fight for this holiness by faith in future grace. There is another way of striving for sanctification that can backfire and lead to death. Paul warns us not to serve God in any way except by faith in his grace, which enables our sanctification. God ?is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything? (Acts 17:25). Every attempt to serve him that does not rely on him as the power of our service and the reward of our hearts will be a sign of disrespect toward him and will portray him as a pagan god who needs such things. Peter describes the alternative to such self-reliant service to God: ?Whoever serves, let him serve by the strength that God supplies?in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ? (1 Peter 4:11). And Paul says: ?I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me? (Romans 15:18; see also 1 Corinthians 15:10). Grace comes to us moment by moment to equip us for ?every good work? to which God appoints us. ?God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work? (2 Corinthians 9:8). The fight for good works is the fight to believe the promises of future grace.

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.(1.Cor.15:10) Grace does not look on us when we sin?it is a gift that enables us and gives us the strength not to sin. Grace is power, not just forgiveness. This is clearly seen, for example, in 1 Corinthians 15:10. Paul describes grace as the power that gives him the strength to act. It is not simply the forgiveness of sin, but the strength to progress in obedience. ?I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.? So when we strive to obey God, we do so not in our own strength, but ?with the strength that God supplies, that in all things he may be glorified? (1 Peter 4:11). It is the obedience of faith, faith in God?s gracious power that continually comes and empowers us to do what is right. Paul confirms this in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 by calling each of our acts of kindness ?an act of faith? and saying that the glory it brings to Jesus is ?by the grace of our God? because it happens ?in power.? Let?s look at the entire passage: ?I always pray for you, that our God would count you worthy of his calling and fulfill every good purpose for his goodness and the work of your faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you?and you in him?according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.? Obedience that pleases God comes through the power of God?s grace in faith. The same formula applies to every phase of the Christian life. The power of God?s grace that saves through faith (Ephesians 2:8) is the same power of God?s grace that sanctifies through faith.

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