Articles
More Holiness Give Me
More Holiness Give Me
Philip Bliss has been one of the most influential hymn writers in American history. One of his most beautiful and powerful compositions is a familiar hymn titled “More Holiness Give Me.” Bliss called this hymn “My Prayer,” and anytime we sing it, we realize it ought to be our prayer as well. So, if you are seeking spiritual growth, begin with this: holiness.
Holiness is a quality that we may feel unfamiliar with. It sometimes seems like an ancient rite reserved for priests who had been anointed for special service before God, men who live morally perfect lives. In reality, that is exactly what it is, and although it is ancient, is is not outdated.
The truth about holiness is that it is attainable by every person, and is required by those who would be God’s children. Each Christian is a priest of God (1 Peter 2:5,9). This Christian priesthood is the fulfillment of the Old Testament priesthood under the Law of Moses. The whole Old Law looked forward to the establishment of Christianity (Galatians 3:24-25), with Christ appointed as our High Priest (Hebrews 7:12). As in the Levitical priesthood, we have access by birth (now a spiritual birth) to be priests for God, set apart, sanctified, for His special service.
And so we pray for holiness — holiness which can only be reached by the atoning blood of Christ. Without him, we could not be holy, and we would not be qualified for service to God.
If we understand the privilege set before us to serve God, holiness should be a top priority for us today. In fact, it is the core characteristic of God’s people. Do you want to better relationship with your spouse or parent? Seek holiness. Do you want to be a better servant in the Lord’s church, a better friend, a better worker? It begins with holiness. The purity with which we live — that is, living with a clean and right heart devoted to God — determines the success we have in our various roles. Without holiness, we cannot expect to have a the life God has promised.
“More holiness give me.” If you truly desire that quality which binds you ever closer to our Holy Father, you must be prepared to devote yourself to Him, eschewing those worldly attitudes and actions that pull us away from the holy to the common
