Merida to collegians: Holiness is the goal

Holiness is not about a long list of dos and don’ts. It’s about the Gospel.

“The picture of holiness is Jesus,” said Tony Merida, key speaker during National Collegiate Week Aug. 2-7, 2008, at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, N.C.

Merida, teaching pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Miss., and assistant professor of preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, told the 500 college students and leaders attending the week at Ridgecrest, “We are positionally holy; God has saved us through His Son Jesus. But we are not practically holy.”

Merida offered seven rules for pursuing holiness based on 1 Peter 1:13-2:12:

--Realize we are in a spiritual war and prepare our minds for action.

--Embrace our high calling. “If you don’t have a concept of God’s holiness you won’t understand pursuing practical holiness,” he said. “Jesus – no one else – is your standard for holiness.”

--Live in reverence before God wherever we are. Merida pointed to Joseph, who would not sin against God, even in his time of slavery in Egypt.

--Remember that you have been redeemed. “Jesus has redeemed you from a life of silliness and folly, he said. “You were saved to pursue holiness. Why in the world would you want to go back to your old way of living?”

--Feast on the Word of God. Merida challenged collegiate students to memorize large pieces of Scripture and “hide it in your heart. You must have unhurried and unhindered time with God in the Word.”

--Believe that God is better than sin.

--Declare and display the glory of God to the world. “Holy people go out bragging about God. Don’t isolate yourself. Do good deeds among the Gentiles,” he challenged.

A second Collegiate Week occurred simultaneously at LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center near Santa Fe, N.M. Both were sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. About 1,700 students and leaders from across the country attended both events.