In today's world, churches and Christians seek to be relevant to people from various walks of life in the pursuit of winning them over to the Lord and making disciples of them. Yet, in this noble pursuit, some have abandoned the pursuit of holiness, which is ultimately what God wants His people to pursue.
Here are some reasons why holiness matters more than relevance.
1. God wants it
God Himself said in Leviticus 20:26 that we Christians must set ourselves apart as He is set apart: "You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own." In fact, God has clarified that and gave specific instructions for us to do just that. 2 Corinthians 6:17 tells us, "Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you."
Thus, the pursuit of being relevant to people with the intention of bring them to God must never outweigh our pursuit of God's holiness. We must always prioritise God Himself above winning people to Him.
2. Christ prioritised it
While we desire to become relevant to the world, let's face the truth that as a Christian – if indeed you are a genuine Christ-follower – the world with all its worldliness will never accept us. Let us consider the Lord Jesus Himself, who "came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognise him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him" (John 1:10-11). Let's face it, if we pursue Christ's holiness, we will never be accepted by the world.
Christ Jesus Himself did not pursue relevance more than essence. He continued spending time with the Father, not letting go of His real identity and purpose. Sure He mingled with people, but He knew His boundaries: "Jesus didn't trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person's heart" (John 2:24-25).
3. Holiness itself is irrelevant to the world
The Bible tells us that there's not a holy person in the whole world, thus holiness itself is irrelevant to the whole human race. Consider these verses from the Bible:
1 Samuel 2:2 – "No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God."
Romans 3:10-11 – "As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God."
Romans 3:23 – "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard."
So, is the pursuit of relevance wrong?
It is very important that we Christians must learn how to communicate the truth of God to all men, bringing its life-saving power to all of them. Don't worry if people insult you for being set apart, because Christ Himself was set apart. Yet it was because of His holiness that He was able to pay for our sin on the cross of Calvary, and provide for our salvation.
Remember Hebrews 12:14, which says, "work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord."
