By Arthur Vess
Preach Holiness by example. Not only in your preaching, but in your daily life, manifest and prove your preaching. Live it and give it. Get it, live it and preach it. Live above reproach so that those who oppose your life and ministry will have to realize your holy life and power. If you cannot live it, you cannot give it to others. "True holiness will stand the test, and keep you pure and ever blessed," only this will stand the test, only this will keep me blessed. Give me holiness." Only this gives perfect rest. "Perfect love casteth out fear." In degeneration we have fear without love, in regeneration we have fear with love, in sanctification, we have love without fear, in glorification, we have love without anything to fear.
In closing, here is the great vision of God, wrapped up in the Golden Text of the Bible, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." Here is the substance of God's great salvation:
I. A great love; "For God so loved the world," or loved the world so much -
II. A great scope: "The World." "The field is the world." "'The world is my parish" Wesley -- or pastorate.
III. A great faith: "That whosoever believeth in Him."
IV. A great deliverance: "Should not perish," -- be lost in hell.
V. A great life: "But have everlasting life: "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." How many of us are more interested in eternal life than we are in this present, fleeting life? Which do we talk, act and think most about? In which do we invest the most time and money?
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection."
Possessing, preaching and living holiness is the sum total of the Christian life and character -- here and hereafter. Let us all go back home to live, preach and testify to holiness.
