"Being Real" Without Forgetting Holiness

You can't go too far today in Christian circles without hearing something about "being real" and "authentic". It's popularity is far and wide.

I have heard it too.

I understand what they are getting at. I do. No fake stuff, please. Believe me, we don't need any more of that. We DO need real.

It helps us to understand each other better.

But not only do we need real and authentic but we need something even more important: holiness.

See it doesn't all just end at the messy stories. It doesn't all end at grace.

That is only part of the story.

I recently read this article from The Gospel Coalition titled, Has Authenticity Trumped Holiness,  and here is what they had to say about that:

“Grace covers. And it covers again and again. Thanks be to God.” But if we stop there, “We are only telling half of the story. . . . Receiving grace for my failures also includes Christ's help to turn from sin and embrace new obedience.”

I love that. 

We desperately need to hear that truth.

Our Savior died for it.  

I also wonder about the person who might not go around openly sharing their "real" story. 

Is that even acceptable today? Would they be judged for trying to be too... perfect?

The article continues to say this:

"But why must “real” be synonymous with flawed and imperfect? When someone opens up about their junk, we think, “you're being real,” and we can relate to them. But what about the pastor who has served faithfully for decades without any scandal, loved his wife and family, and embodied the fruit of the spirit? Is this less real?"

Yes, that is real. 

And we can't forget that. 

Or dismiss or discount it. 

Because God doesn't.

The every day taking care of my kids is real. 

My faithfulness towards my husband is real. 

My faithfulness in the home is real. 

I think about how He watches from above. 

And knows our hearts. 

Which is why we need to look to Him.

The writer of the article, Brett McCracken, affirms:

"To overcome our “authenticity” confusion, evangelicals must see themselves differently. Rather than focusing on our brokenness, we should look to Christ and those who model Christ-likeness. We should move in that direction, by grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit...."

And He asks the most important question of the day:

"Could it be that the most authentic thing any of us can do is faithfully pursue holiness and obediently follow after Christ?"

Yes. 

They go hand in hand.


And I don't want to forget that.

Thank you, God, that my messy story just doesn't end there. 


But it ends with You. 

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