Not How Happy, But How Holy

"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Romans 6:15)

A selfish desire for happiness is as sinful as any other selfish desire. Its root is in the flesh which can never have any standing before God. People are coming more and more to excuse every sort of wrongdoing on the grounds that they are "just trying to secure a little happiness."

The effect of this modern hedonism is felt also among the people of God. The gospel is too often presented as a means toward happiness, to peace of mind or security. There are even those who use the Bible to "relax" them, as if it were a drug.

How far wrong all this is will be discovered easily by the simple act of reading the New Testament through once with meditation. There the emphasis is not upon happiness but upon holiness. God is more concerned with the state of people's hearts than with the state of their feelings. Undoubtedly the will of God brings final happiness to those who obey, but the most important matter is not how happy we are but how holy.

The whole matter of personal holiness is highly important to God! Morally, we dare not ignore this commandment, "Be ye holy."

~A. W. Tozer~