The Path Back to the Garden
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
— Hebrews 12:14, AMP
Beloved, this is not a gentle suggestion—it is a holy command: without holiness, no one will see the Lord. The words burn with heavenly urgency. It is a call to the deepest part of your soul. It is a call to return to holiness.
In a world that waters down truth and trades purity for popularity, this verse stands like a flaming sword at the gates of Eden. For holiness is not just a command to obey—it is a memory your spirit longs to recover. Holiness is your spirit remembering how it was originally created in the Garden—unclothed by shame, unclouded by sin, walking with God in the cool of the day. You were formed for this. You were made for Him.
The Holiness of God: Our Pattern and Pursuit
The word holy is not merely religious—it is royal. It is the highest adjective ascribed to God throughout Scripture: Holy Ghost, Holy Lord, Holy One of Israel, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. The seraphim do not cry loving, loving, loving, though God is love. They cry holy. They veil their faces, trembling in worship before the God who dwells in unapproachable light.
Holiness is the essence of God’s character, the very atmosphere of heaven. It is said that heaven is a holy place, and no unclean thing may enter it (Revelation 21:27). The angels who surround His throne are called holy ones, the watchers who behold His glory. Even they, created without sin, only partake of His holiness in a relative sense. But you, child of dust, are called higher still—not to observe holiness, but to wear it as you return to holiness.
The Call to Holiness Is a Call to See God
If you do not pursue holiness, you will not see God. This is the plain meaning of Hebrews 12:14. And this should disturb us. The absence of holiness obstructs our spiritual vision. It dulls the soul. It numbs the conscience. It closes our ears to His whisper. Many cry for revival but carry hearts untouched by repentance. They ask for fire but bring no altar.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8, NASB). And again, “Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16, NASB). Holiness is not legalism. It is not perfection in the flesh. It is separation unto God—a life set apart, burning with desire for the One who is worthy.
Holiness Is the Journey of Intimacy
Holiness is not a burden—it is your birthright. It is not about sterile religion, but passionate relationship. Holiness is the path back to the presence of God. It is the undoing of everything that separated us from Him in Eden. To walk in holiness is to walk in the Spirit, to live as Adam once lived—clothed in glory, not garments, as you return to holiness.
When you yield to the Holy Spirit, He begins to restore you. He purifies your thoughts. He transforms your desires. Holiness is your spirit remembering Eden and longing to return. And in Christ, the way is open. The veil is torn. The blood speaks a better word. Do not resist the Spirit’s call. Do not cling to your chains. Listen to the call and return to holiness for true intimacy with God.
The Apostle James wrote, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8, NASB). Let that cleansing begin now. Not tomorrow. Not when it’s convenient. Now.
The Spirit Makes Us Holy
You are not left to purify yourself. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of holiness, and He dwells within you to empower what your flesh could never accomplish. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NASB).
Ask Him to burn away every impurity, to renew the Eden-vision in your heart. The blood of Yeshua is not weak. It cleanses fully. It restores completely. And the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will sanctify you if you let Him.
This is the call to holiness. It is a call to return to the original purity. A call to intimacy. A call to see God.
Prayer
O Holy One, I have heard Your call. Cleanse me from every sin that clouds my soul. Strip away all compromise, all idolatry, all hidden pride. Return me to the purity for which I was created. Let my spirit remember Eden and burn to walk with You again. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and teach me to walk in holiness all the days of my life. I long to see Your face. Let nothing stand in the way. Help me return to holiness. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.
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