Reflecting God’s Character From The Inside Out

In the Christian life holiness is  often overshadowed by the pursuit of platform and success.  Holiness in the Christian life isn’t about building a brand; it’s about reflecting God’s character from the inside out.  In a world where influence and online platforms hold so much power, it’s easy to shift the focus from glorifying God to glorifying self.  What starts as a genuine desire to pray, serve, and minister can over time,  become more about image, personal success, and even financial gain.  This subtle shift is dangerous because it takes the attention off Christ and places it on a person, their appearance, their wealth, or their brand.

Holiness in the Christian life isn’t about building a platform; it’s about reflecting God’s character from the inside out.  When we focus on holiness in the Christian life, we align ourselves with God’s purpose, growing spiritually from within.  This inner transformation is what sets true holiness apart from external appearances and platforms.

 

When Appearances Become A Distraction

Today many who claim to represent Christ seemed more concerned with how they are perceived than with pointing people to him.  Whether it’s a heavy focus on outward appearance, material success, or personal influence, the message of holiness gets lost when the spotlight is no longer on Jesus.  Are we leading people to Christ, or are we subtly making it about ourselves.

True holiness doesn’t need validation from social media, extravagant displays , or emotional manipulation.  It doesn’t require dressing it up in a way that shifts the focus away from God.  When we live holy lives, our actions, words, and even our presence should reflect his nature- not distract from it.

 

A Call Back to True Holiness

The Bible reminds us to pursue peace with everyone, and holiness without it, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).  Holiness isn’t an option for believers; it’s a command.  It’s how we show the world who God is, not just through what we say, but how we live.  It’s not about performance.  It’s about a heart that desires to please him above all else.

So, this is the heart check: Are we truly representing God, or are we representing ourselves?  Are we more concerned with being seen than pointing people to the one who saves?  The call to holiness is a call to humility, to surrender, and to a life that reflects Christ.

 

The Danger of Self Promotion in Ministry

One of the greatest dangers in modern day ministry is when it becomes about self- promotion rather than soul transformation.  It’s a slow fade. What starts as a desire to share the gospel can turn into a desire for influence, recognition, and validation.  If we’re not careful, we can begin to measure our effectiveness not by how well we represent Christ but by how many people follow us, engage with us, or give to us.

Being blessed and having influence are not wrong in themselves.   But the more we begin to crave those things more than we crave God, we’ve lost the sight of holiness.  The moment we use the gospel as tool for personal gain rather than pointing people to Christ, we’ve made it about us rather than him.

This is why it’s so important to stay rooted in the Word, to stay accountable, and to continually check our hearts.  To live in true holiness, we must willingly say, Not my will, but Yours be done.  It’s about surrender, obedience, and a desire to remain in right standing with God even when no one is watching.

 

Holiness in a Culture of Compromise

In todays’s world, the line between holiness and worldliness often blurs.

Many believe that as long as they say the right things, they are still representing God even if their lifestyle tells a different story.  But the Bible is clear: holiness is a lifestyle, not a performance.

Holiness isn’t about striving for perfection; it’s about dedicating yourself to God’s purpose.  It means making choices that honor him, even when it’s not popular.  It means standing firm in truth, even when the world pushes compromise.  And it means constantly asking ourselves, Is my life pointing people to Jesus, or is it pointing them to me?

 

The Heart Check We All Need

At the end of the day, we must examine our own hearts.  It’s easy to look at others and recognize where they might be missing the mark, but holiness begins with self-reflection.  We should be asking:

  • Am I truly living a life set apart for God, or am I blending in with the culture?
  • Do my actions and words align with the holiness God has called me to?
  • Am I using my influence to bring people closer to Christ, or to elevate myself?
  • Does my life reflect the fruits of the Spirit, or the fruits of self-promotion?

 

God is calling his people back to holiness-not a watered down version, not a feel good message, but true set apart biblical holiness. It’s not about legalism, and it’s not about outward appearances.  It’s about the posture of our hearts and genuine desire to walk in obedience to the Lord.

Because at the end of the day, when everything fades away-our followers, our influence, our earthly success- only what we did for Christ will remain.

Are we truly representing God, or are we representing ourselves? That’s a question we must be willing to ask.

 

If you’re looking for more insight on living a transformed life in Christ, I encourage you to watch Jada Edwards powerful message on Breaking Free From The Prison of Your Past.  Check out the video here.