Christians often equate holiness with activism and spiritual disciplines. And while it's true that activism is often the outgrowth of holiness and spiritual disciplines are necessary for the cultivation of holiness, the pattern of piety in the Scripture is more explicitly about our character. We put off sin and put on righteousness. We put to death the deeds of the flesh and put on Christ. To use the older language, we pursue mortification of the old man and the vivification of the new.

To run hard after holiness is another way of running hard after God.

We take hold of Christ as his words take hold us.

Worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange.

We are not called to bring a broken planet back to its created glory. But we are to call broken people back to their creator.

Before my secret meeting with the Pope I asked him to come wearing white if deep down he agreed with the Reformation. Pretty crazy.

We can stop pleading with God to show us the future, and start living and obeying like we are confident that He holds the future.