The best way to be holy

[Blueridge Believer]

The best way to be holy

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Turn to the Lord with weeping and with mourning."
Joel 2:12

The best way to be holy is to accuse, indict, arraign,
and condemn yourself for your unholiness. Greatly
lament and mourn over your own unholiness, over
your own wickedness. Go to your closet, and fall
down before the most high and holy God, and
mourn bitterly over . . .
the unholiness of your nature,
the unholiness of your heart,
the unholiness of your affections,
the unholiness of your intentions,
the unholiness of your thoughts,
the unholiness of your words,
the unholiness of your life.

Oh, who can look upon sin . . .
as an offence against a holy God,
as the breach of a holy law,
as the wounding and crucifying of a holy Savior,
as the grieving and saddening of a holy Sanctifier,
and not mourn over it?

Oh, who can cast a serious eye . . .
upon the heinous nature of sin,
upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
upon the aggravations of sin--
and not have . . .
his heart humbled,
his soul grieved,
his spirit melted,
his mouth full of penitential confessions,
his eyes full of penitential tears, and
his heart full of penitential sorrow?

The Christian mourns that he has sinned against . . .
a God so great,
a God so gracious,
a God so bountiful,
a God so merciful.

Oh, how should a sinner fall a-weeping when he
looks upon the greatness of his wickedness, and
his lack of holiness! As ever you would be holy,
mourn over your own unholiness.

Those who weep not for sin here--shall weep
out their eyes in hell hereafter! It is better to
weep bitterly for your sins on earth, than to
weep eternally for your folly in hell.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they
will be comforted." Matthew 5:4

 

[Staphlobob]

The best way to be holy

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Turn to the Lord with weeping and with mourning."
Joel 2:12

The best way to be holy is to accuse, indict, arraign,
and condemn yourself for your unholiness. Greatly
lament and mourn over your own unholiness, over
your own wickedness.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they
will be comforted." Matthew 5:4

Brooks was extremely insightful.

Several years go the man who discipled me gave me a saying that is now my scrolling screensaver: "The sign of growing perfection is growing awareness of imperfection."

 

[etexas]

Please don't stone me anyone but I must confess a thing, I think John Wesleys's emphasis on living out our faith in personal holiness was some good stuff......sorry. I mean really though you read some of John's sermons on true faith being a "good soil" for Holiness, there is stuff that will knock your socks off!

 

[Tom Roach]

nice post. Thanks : )

 

[Tom Roach]

May I add a good way to become more holy?

Be 100% honest with ourselves on every matter in our hearts.
Perhaps this is how we remove the large beam from our own eye
so we can remove the speck of wood from our neighbor's eye
Matthew 7:3-5

 

[Staphlobob]

Please don't stone me anyone but I must confess a thing, I think John Wesleys's emphasis on living out our faith in personal holiness was some good stuff......sorry. I mean really though you read some of John's sermons on true faith being a "good soil" for Holiness, there is stuff that will knock your socks off!

You're absolutely right. I've got many of his sermons and they're excellent.

 

[etexas]

You're absolutely right. I've got many of his sermons and they're excellent.

Always happy to find someone else who s not ashamed of reading a little John Wesley.

 

[bookslover]

Always happy to find someone else who s not ashamed of reading a little John Wesley.

You're reading John Wesley? Wasn't he some kind of Commie, or something?

 

[etexas]

Chuckle, I think he went to China and followed Mao for a while. That was before the Holy Club!