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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I am a worship leader in my church and love it. One of the church leaders told me that I should write more about living a holy life. Isn’t that a little outdated? That’s one of the reasons people are reluctant to go to church, because of the standard churches once imposed on people. We can do things for Jesus without striving for this unreachable standard of sainthood. Isn’t holiness for Heaven, not for living in this hurtful world? – H.S.

A: For Christians, living a holy life does not mean living life perfectly. We are sinners saved by God’s grace, but He expects His followers to live righteously. Another way to say it is that we should live “wholly” for Christ, putting Him at the very center of our lives. We demonstrate our love for the Lord through obedience to His Word, and He gives us the power to do so if we seek Him.

We must never take the holiness of God lightly, for it is the very essence of His character, and Jesus has told us to follow Him. He prayed to His Father in Heaven [for those who receive Him] and said, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17, NLT).

Christians are called to seek after holiness. God wants our minds to be shaped by Him so that our thoughts and goals reflect Christ. We should seek ardently the kind of life that reflects the beauty of Jesus and marks us as being what saints ought to be. Living the Christian life means thirsting for His righteousness, and we cannot be satisfied with our goodness after beholding the holiness of God.

“The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26, NKJV).

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

©2025 Billy Graham Literary Trust. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

(c)2025 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.