Seek Holiness in Christ, Not in Your Experiences of Him

Flee often to Christ in the sacraments. Faith in Him is a powerful motivator for holiness, since faith and the love of sin do not mix. Be careful, however, not to seek holiness in your experiences of Christ, but rather in Christ Himself. William Gurnall admonishes: “When thou trustest in Christ within thee, instead of Christ without thee, thou settest Christ against Christ. The bride does well to esteem her husband’s picture, but it were ridiculous if she should love it better than himself, much more if she should go to it rather than to him to supply her wants. Yet thou actest thus when thou art more fond of Christ’s image in thy soul than of him who painted it there.”

Joel R. Beeke, Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism (Kindle Edition)