The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

Holiness is not an option

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More observations as I read my book:

One cannot in himself merit salvation through personal holiness.

Scripture repeatedly refers to the obedience and righteousness of Christ on our behalf (Ro 5:19; 1 Peter 3:18) Two aspects of Christ's work on our behalf:

1. Active obedience--Christ's sinless life on earth, perfect obedience, absolute holiness;
2. Passive obedience--His death on the cross through which He fully paid the penalty for our sins and placated the wrath of God toward us.


Conclusion: Our holiness before God depends entirely on the work of Jesus Christ for us, by God's will.

Scripture speaks of both a holiness which we have in Christ before God, and a holiness which we are to strive after.

The purpose of our salvation is that we be "holy and blameless in His sight" (Eph 1:4).

To continue to live in sin as a Christian is to go contrary to God's very own purpose for our salvation. [see "A Strange Kind of Salvation" post, 11/17/08]

No one can trust in Christ for true salvation unless he trusts Him for holiness.


Holiness is required for:


1. Fellowship with God;
2. Our own well-being;
3. Effective Service to God;
4. Assurance of Salvation

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