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Holiness

Oct 22
Love0

Love in the First Degree

By Accountability, Christian Living, Faithfulness, Holiness, Love, Obedience, Priorities, Righteousness, Salvation No Comments

“Loving God and loving people is all that matters.”

Those were the words in an angry email I received the day after preaching a sermon about personal holiness. Intended as a less than subtle rebuke, the writer was eager to correct what he labeled as my “overemphasis on obedience.” Any directives about resisting temptation or regulating behavior were, he insisted, hateful and legalistic. Or, to put it differently, conforming to the standards of Scripture was an unnecessary distraction to the simple hermeneutic of loving God and loving others sincerely.

On the surface, the argument is convincing. After all, Jesus Himself identified the two greatest commandments as loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) while also loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). The problem, though, is a false dichotomy that fails to consider how we best exhibit genuine love for God.

The moment we substitute loving God for obeying God, we step outside the boundaries of our Savior’s intention for His people. Nowhere does the Bible teach that we simply love God rather than obey Him. Quite the contrary, the consistent witness of Scripture reveals that the greatest expression of our love is obedience. In fact, Jesus not only insisted that we love Him, but He also clarified how we can best do so. “If you love me,” He said, “you will keep my commandments (John 14:15).”

Concluding that since salvation is a gift of grace, we are free to live however we choose is both reckless and misleading. The Apostle John warns us that, because “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, if we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1:5-6).” The analogy of darkness presents the deceptive waywardness of sin as antithetical to the light of a relationship with Jesus.

True believers refuse to misconstrue the grace of God as an excuse for remaining in their transgressions. No one was clearer on this point than the Apostle Paul, who asked rhetorically, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be (Rom. 6:1-2)!” Though we are born again by grace through faith apart from good works (Eph. 2:8-9), the goal of salvation is transformed lives characterized by radical change (Eph. 2:10). The seed of redemption is, without question, the grace of God revealed in the gospel of Jesus, but the fruit of salvation is obedience to and joy in the ways of God.

Perhaps an illustration will shed light on the marriage between our love for God and the actions He commands. Admittedly, no human relationship can completely mirror our connection to Christ, but let me share a story that comes close. Years ago, while dying of a crippling neurological disease, David Ireland came to grips with the reality that he would never hold, kiss, or play catch with the unborn child in his wife’s womb. In his book, Letters to an Unborn Child, Ireland desperately communicated his love for his future son or daughter.

In one of his letters to the child, David included the following description of his remarkable wife: “Your mother is very special. Few men know what it’s like to receive appreciation for taking their wives out to dinner when it entails what it does for us.”

“It means that she has to dress me, shave me, brush my teeth, comb my hair, wheel me out of the house and down the steps, open the garage and put me in the car, take the pedals off the chair, stand me up, sit me in the seat of the car, twist me around so that I’m comfortable, fold the wheelchair, put it in the car, go around to the other side of the car, start it up, back it out, get out of the car, pull the garage door down, get back into the car, and drive off to the restaurant.”

“And then, it starts all over again; she gets out of the car, unfolds the wheelchair, opens the door, spins me around, stands me up, seats me in the wheelchair, pushes the pedals out, closes and locks the car, wheels me into the restaurant, then takes the pedals off the wheelchair so I won’t be uncomfortable. We sit down to have dinner, and she feeds me throughout the entire meal. And when it’s over she pays the bill, pushes the wheelchair out to the car again, and reverses the same routine. And when it’s over—finished—with real warmth she’ll say, “Honey, thank you for taking me out to dinner.”  I never quite know how to answer.”

The point is that you will do anything for someone that you love. For Christians, that means obeying God is never a burden. Gratitude, rather than guilt, drives every believer to honor Christ in word and deed.

Good works may not be the cause of our relationship with the Almighty, but they are the consequence of it. Scripture describes faith in God that fails to produce life change as dead and worthless (James 2:14-26), even as it encourages us to look for deeds appropriate to repentance (Acts 26:20). Jesus Himself explained, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).”

Openly celebrating or continually practicing sinful behavior is entirely contrary to saving faith, no matter how passionately we insist otherwise. Frankly, doing so is the opposite of loving our Savior.

Adam B. Dooley
October 22, 2025

Sep 03
Love0

A Sin Unlike Any Other

By Christian Living, Holiness, Homosexuality, Repentance, Sin No Comments

Of all the strategies that Satan uses to sow destruction into the lives of Christians and unbelievers alike, none are more deceptive nor comprehensive than the lies surrounding human sexuality. Littered among the movies we watch, the music we listen to, and the commercials we mindlessly absorb are both subtle innuendo and explicitly obscene enticements which woo us away from the sanctity and design intended for one of God’s most wonderful gifts. Ours is not, however, the first generation to taste the rotten fruit of the sexual revolution.

The ancient city of Corinth was known for its many sexual perversions. Prostitution was a form of pagan religious expression, making it rampant. Homosexuality, particularly pederasty, was commonplace. Casual intimacy, adultery, and divorce were celebrated norms. In other words, Corinth was not all the different than our modern world where sexuality is an idol that controls many.

Another similarity with our current reality is that first century believers struggled to abandon their immorality due to the relentless, shameless influence of their surrounding culture. Their numerous, twisted justifications were the focus of Paul’s pen in his Corinthian correspondence. All things were lawful, they insisted, so the apostle reminded his audience that all things are not profitable nor healthy due to their addictive nature (1 Cor. 6:12).

Even worse was the Corinthian assertion that food was for the body and the body was for food, though God will one day destroy both (1 Cor. 6:13). The intended parallel served as their basis for minimizing all sexual activities as nothing more than bodily functions. Just as food is for the body, they reasoned, so sex is for the body; and just as the stomach is for food, so the body is for sex.

What emerged was a warped, carnal dualism which separated body and spirit entirely. Misguided claims included: What I do in my flesh has no bearing on my spiritual relationship with God whatsoever; because my sexuality is just an innate desire no different than hunger, there is no reason to suppress it; my body will die anyway, so all that matters is my spirit, not what I do in or to my body.

The same lies are still deceiving us today.

In her excellent book, Love Thy Body, best-selling author Nancy Pearcy accurately writes, “[We’ve been told] that our bodies are products of purposeless, amoral Darwinian forces and therefore they are morally neutral. The implication is that what we do with our bodies has no moral significance. The self is free to use the body any way it chooses, without moral consequences.” The consequences have been devastating and widespread.

A permissive hookup culture is unraveling marriages before they start. The convenience of cohabitation is significantly diminishing the likelihood of marital success at staggering rates. The allure of adultery frequently tears asunder the one flesh union God reserved for husbands and wives. An epidemic of pornography is trampling marital intimacy underfoot. The deceptiveness of homosexuality is openly defying nature itself in the name of love. The lie of transgenderism is actively destroying unsuspecting lives by heralding our rebellion against biology as a milestone worth celebrating.

In an effort to push back against the cunning temptations of the sexual revolution, the Bible offers both theological arguments and a practical plea. First, the resurrection serves as a stark reminder that God cares very much about our physical existence. Just as God the Father raised Jesus up from the dead, He likewise promises to raise us as well (1 Cor. 6:14). We will not live eternally as disembodied spirits, but as physical beings whose perishable bodies give way to that which is imperishable and immortal (1 Cor. 15:51-53). God has big plans for these frail bodies of ours!

Next, Scripture prizes our physical bodies as the dwelling place for Christ Himself, emphasizing the spiritual union existing between believers and our Savior (1 Cor. 6:15, 19-20). The Lord unites with us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We are never without Him nor free from His presence. Because sexual intimacy is meant to be an act of spiritual union that creates one flesh between a husband and a wife with God in the midst, sexual sin is about much more than simply breaking a rule (1 Cor. 6:15-16). Immorality connects a holy God to an unholy action.

Finally, the Bible offers a pastoral encouragement that is equally theological and yet, profoundly pragmatic. We should run from sexual transgressions, not because God is prudish, but because no other sin affects us like these (1 Cor. 6:18). Such actions violate our bodies and live with us long after we disobey. No matter how casually we might treat it, there is no such thing as casual sex.

Physical intimacy connects us with others so deeply it never leaves us. This is why people remain in toxic, even abusive relationships despite the pleadings of their loved ones. This is why some marriages start to unravel before they ever begin. This is why some spouses lie in bed at night fearful of who their partner might be thinking of. Scoff if you will, but as someone who helps couples pick up the pieces after the unthinkable happens, I can tell you that sexual deviations have adverse effects.

Even worse, no matter how hard we try to separate our relationship with God from how we express our sexuality, Scripture rejects such selfish compartmentalization. Despite our excuses and our insistence otherwise, we cannot be right with the Lord and rebel sexually. These prohibitions, though, are not meant to hurt us but to help us. As such, directives like these are meant to strengthen and encourage rather than to condemn.

Don’t believe me? Look no further than Paul’s description of believers in Corinth before they came to Christ. He admits that many were fornicators, adulterers, and even homosexuals preceding their new birth (1 Cor. 6:9-10). And yet, God washed, sanctified, and justified them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth (1 Cor. 6:11). The Lord will save anyone who calls out to Him in repentance and faith, no matter how great the sin, whether it be sexual or otherwise. The key, however, is to recognize immoralities as behaviors we should turn away from rather than glory in.

Adam B. Dooley
September 3, 2025

Mar 27
Love0

The Art of Finishing Well

By Christian Living, Discipleship, Holiness, Righteousness No Comments

The year was 1949. CIA operative Douglas Mackiernan fled for the border of Tibet as Mao Tse-Sung’s communist army swept through China. Though the national boundary was a treacherous 1200 miles away, getting there was the only hope for survival. For seven months he endured the elements. First, he needed to cross the desert. Going without water for three days at one point left Doug and his companions nearly dead. A seeping spring saved their lives.

Next, Mackiernan faced the Himalayas in the dead of winter. While traversing the jagged terrain at 16,000 feet, the air was so thin and cold that speaking was simply too painful. Speaking only through hand signals, Doug and his comrades pressed on. The piercing winds threatened frostbite. Mounds of snow obscured the path. Losing his horse made the trek more difficult. But Mackiernan pressed on, never veering too far off the centuries old path marked by large piles of stone.

What were these mounds? They were above ground tombs for those who endeavored to make the arduous journey before. With the ground frozen solid beneath them, local residents did not attempt to dig graves. They simply pulled the deceased to one side of the trial and heaped piles of rocks over their bodies. These markers to the left and right of the path formed a natural map for those brave enough to keep pressing forward. Each grave was a visible reminder that despite your progress along the trail you could not let your guard down until you finished.

The same is true for Christians today. No matter how long we serve the Lord, how faithful we’ve been, or how much distance we’ve covered, we can never let our guard down until we get to heaven. Finishing the race of faith well is much more important than how we begin. As we age and mature in our walks with God our temptations may change, but they never go away. Remaining faithful to the Lord until the very end requires much discipline and intentionality.

For as long as I can remember the Old Testament character Gideon has fascinated me. Living during one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of Israel, some might refer to this unassuming man as a coward. The first time we meet him he is hiding in a winepress from Israel’s oppressors, the Midianites (Judges 6:11). Through a dramatic turn of events, God empowered Gideon to confront the false prophets of his nation and defeat the enemies’ army (Judges 6-8). His acts were heroic, and his humility was refreshing.

When it was all over, Gideon was so popular that his countrymen attempted to make him king over Israel (Judges 8:22). The honor was misguided, though, because at this point in their history God was the only King over His chosen people. Thankfully, Gideon resisted the opportunity, at least with his words (Judges 8:23). Forty years of peace ensued as the entire nation reaped the rewards of faithfulness.

I wish the story ended there. Yet, as a testimony of its veracity, the Bible reveals that that Gideon’s practice did not mirror his profession. He divided the spoils from war like a king (Judges 8:24-26). He took multiple wives and concubines for himself, just like a king (Judges 8:29-32). He even named his son Abimelech, which means my father is king (Judges 8:31). In other words, despite what he said, Gideon lived as if he was king in Israel. God’s faithful servant stumbled at the finish line and, consequently, led the nation back to the same apostacy he worked so hard to overcome (Judges 8:33).

Unfortunately, this biblical plot is often far more common than we care to admit. Do you remember Douglas Mackiernan? After seven months he finally made it to the Tibetan border. The week prior he radioed the US embassy requesting that they inform border guards of his arrival. When he was finally close enough to see the crossing between the two nations, Doug’s exhaustion turned to joy and he began running ferociously toward freedom. When he was only 100 yards away, tragedy struck as shots rang out.

Doug Mackiernan was hit, and he fell dead on the path. The guards never received his message, and they mistook him for a renegade bandit. Soon, they pulled his body to the side of trail and covered it with stones. The man who labored a lifetime for his country became another boundary on the path. His ending was a tragic warning for those that followed in search of freedom (Adapted from Steve Farrar, Gettin’ There, 118).

Chances are you have heard a similar story. Maybe about a man who lived with integrity for most of his life, until he didn’t. Or a woman who was the epitome of faithfulness, until she wasn’t. Stumbling at the finish line is so familiar that we all have examples to share of families ruined, relationships broken, lives scarred, and faith shattered. We know far too well the devastation that comes when we don’t finish well.

So, let’s learn from the mistakes of those who admonish us through their pain. You and I do not have to be another spiritual casualty in the kingdom of God if we will heed the warnings of those whose mistakes instruct us. The freedom we find in Christ will be worth the discipline finishing well requires.

Adam B. Dooley
March 27, 2025

Jan 28
Love0

The Secret of Satisfaction

By Holiness, Righteousness, Sanctification, Satisfaction No Comments

Jesus’ continual use of metaphors throughout the gospel powerfully anchored truth to our hearts in a way that cold prose seldom do. His principled images left lasting impressions that still resonate with us today, albeit in varying degrees that may differ from His original audiences.

Take for example, Jesus’ powerful reminder that a blessed person is one who hungers and thirsts after righteousness (Matt. 5:6). As the fourth in a series of Beatitudes, this statement builds upon the previous promises shared in order to describe the lives of those who know God. The righteousness Jesus emphasizes here is more practical than positional.

On the one hand, Scripture teaches that at the moment of salvation, God declares a person to be righteous because of the imputed purity of His Son. Simply put, Jesus took our sins upon Himself while hanging on the cross in order to place His holy perfection upon us (Rom. 5:19). When a person repents of sin and calls out to Christ for forgivness, he receives a new position in which God sees him as righteous (Phil. 3:9). Christians often refer to this as justification.

On the other hand, God works in our lives through a process called sanctification as well. How we live is a reflection of who we are. Thus, because the One who called us is holy, we should seek to be holy in all our behavior (1 Pet. 1:15). We should work out practically what God has declared about us positionally (Phil 2:12-13). Outward life change has always been the greatest evidence of inward transformation.

Rather than simply saying, “Seek to be as righteous as you can,” Jesus taps into the most basic of human needs in order to drive His point home. Hungering for righteousness makes sense to us because we sometimes use the same analogy today. We sometimes refer to an up-and-coming business man as being hungry to succeed. We view politicians as being hungry for power. In our minds, the best athletes are those we are hungry to win.

The reality, though, is that not all hunger is created equal. The full weight of Jesus’ metaphor is often lost on us because most Americans know little about starvation. In a world of Hot Eats, Cool Treats, thinking outside the bun, and Golden Arches on every corner, most of us have no meaningful concept of hunger. Yet, nearly every Jew who heard Jesus’ statement likely had a visceral reaction.

Famine and malnourishment were far too common in first century Judea. The Old Testament records a food shortage that was so severe that people in Samaria bartered for donkey heads and dove dung while mothers negotiated to cannibalize their children (2 Kgs. 6:25-29). Void of experiences like these, we might associate hunger with craving something to eat rather than being desperate for sustenance. There is a big difference.

Coach Bryan Bartley helps us see the distinction by describing athletes. “A hungry athlete,” he says, “will hunt and find food, cook it, devour it, and if they have high character, they will clean the kitchen after they are finished. A hungry athlete will find a place to work out and play, they will find a way on the team, and they’ll find a way to make an impact no matter what gets in their way.”

By contrast, “A person who just wants to eat will have a cabinet or refrigerator full of food but will sit at home and wait for someone to cook it for them, and if it isn’t cooked the way they want it to be cooked, they won’t eat it. An athlete who just wants to eat will work out when you make them, but only if you make them because they aren’t hungry enough to make themselves.”

Herein is the profound lesson behind Jesus’ metaphor. Spiritually speaking, are you hungry, or do you just want something to eat? Far too many want the benefit of knowing about God, but have very little desire to walk with Him daily. We love to give the impression of understanding the Bible, yet we frequently lack the concern or commitment to obey it. Those who are willing to digest a sermon on Sunday are not necessarily willing to prepare spiritual food for themselves during the week. God is looking for those who are profoundly hungry for righteousness.

In an effort to solidify His message further, Jesus employs the image of thirsting for righteousness as well. Again, our freedom to turn on the tap any time we need running water fights against our appreciation for the profundity of the lesson here.

Imagine walking across the dessert with empty water jugs and a mouth as dry as cotton. Or suppose you wake up in the middle of the night feeling ill, your lips are chapped, your voice is hoarse, and your tongue is dry. Think about the difficulty of eating an entire meal with nothing to wash your food down, and then, envision doing so for weeks. Like a deer that pants for water in the wilderness, we should thirst for God and His righteousness (Psa. 42:1-2).

And what is the reward for doing so? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” The only way to find lasting joy, eternal purpose, and complete satisfaction in life is by living as God desires each and every day. In fact, every temptation we face is nothing more than a deceptive invitation to find fulfillment outside of God’s will. Don’t fall for the world’s lies. Hunger and thirst for righteousness and you will find greater satisfaction than you’ve ever known.

Do these images describe you? Are you always looking to obey the Lord? Are you continually desperate to be more like Christ? Are you repeatedly eager to give more of yourself to the God? Are you hungry, or do you just want something to eat? Are you thirsty, or do you just want a drink in your hand?

Adam B. Dooley
January 28, 2025

Jan 10
Love0

Does God Care About Our Happiness?

By Happiness, Holiness, Joy No Comments

Do you consider yourself a happy person? If you had to complete the following sentence, “I would be most happy if ________,” how would you fill in the blank?

Acclaimed journalist Jon Krakauer once thought he knew how he might answer a question like that. Two decades ago, this thrill seeker assembled a team to ascend Mount Everest. Tragically, twelve of his peers died during the expedition, souring what previously seemed like a peak goal. In his book, Into Thin Air, Krakauer records his reaction after finally reaching the highest point on earth.

“Straddling the top of the world,” he wrote, “one foot in China and the other in Nepal, I cleared the ice from my oxygen mask, hunched a shoulder against the wind and stared absently down at the vastness of Tibet. . . . I’d been fantasizing about this moment, and the release of emotion that would accompany it, for months. But now that I was finally here, actually standing in the summit of Everest, I just couldn’t sum up the energy to care. . . . I snapped four quick photos . . . then turned and headed down. My watch read 1:17 p.m.  All told, I’d spent less than five minutes on the roof of the world.”

Maybe you can relate? Your Mount Everest was a wedding day, a promotion, a dream vacation, or a sought after award. But whatever it was, and whenever it came, it simply was not as fulfilling has you hoped. After getting what you wanted, you still weren’t happy. Why is this so often the case? And, if I may ask an even stranger question, does God even care? Is our happiness really on the divine radar?

At this point, some will be quick to make an unbiblical distinction between happiness and joy. The former is based upon circumstance while the latter is the result of what we know, or so they will say. The problem with this understanding is that Scripture frequently uses the concepts of happiness and joy interchangeably (see Esther 8:16; Psalm 16:11, 32:11, 92:4; Prov. 23:25; Jer. 31:13). Thus, God prioritizes happiness and joy equally.

This clarification is important because, frankly, the church is sometimes guilty of treating notions of happiness as unimportant and unspiritual. We say things like, “God cares more about your holiness than your happiness.” Admittedly, we should acknowledge that there is a sense in which this is absolutely true.

Far too many are quick to justify sinful behavior with the reckless claim, “God would want me to be happy!” A backslidden husband might use this rationale in defense of leaving his wife. The immorality of sexual sin is often dismissed with the same claim. We might lie to avoid consequences while also making a similar assertion. Those looking to soothe their consciences despite narcissistic tendencies are sure to boast a version of this error. And, in these cases, we would do well to remember that God prioritizes our holiness ahead of our happiness.

The problem, however, is that illustrations like these unintentionally imply that being holy is the opposite of being happy. Though the priority of the statement is often true, the presumed dichotomy is not. While God’s ultimate goal is the holiness of His people (Eph. 5:25-27), we should not falsely assume that this agenda is contrary to our happiness. In reality, you will be MOST happy when you are MOST holy.

Any notion that God is the enemy of our happiness is patently false. Every good and perfect gift meant for our enjoyment is from above (James 1:17). The Lord longs for His righteous ones to be glad, rejoicing before Him continually (Psa. 68:3). The view that God is a cosmic killjoy is just plain wrong. We forget that in God’s presence is fullness of joy and in His right hand there are pleasures forever (Psa. 16:11). When your life belongs to the Lord, happiness and joy will follow.

Practically, every temptation to sin is nothing more than an invitation to pursue happiness in the wrong way because it is based upon the lie that we can find happiness outside the will of God. When God says, “You shall not,” He is graciously protecting us from harm and disappointment. Warnings against sins are really a roadmap to peace and joy.

All of this means that a relationship with God is the key to lasting happiness. I am not suggesting that unbelievers can never know joy, but it will be temporary apart from Jesus Christ. Nor am I implying that Christians will enjoy lives of ease. But, abundant life is possible in world that is desperately broken (John 10:10). The blessed favor and approval of God in your life can satisfy us at the deepest level of existence, bringing lasting happiness no matter what may come.

Adam B. Dooley
January 10, 2025

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