The Highest Expression of Love
Clyde Cranford was a music minister and worship leader from West Memphis, Arkansas. Cranford was also the founder of Life to Life ministries, a mentoring and discipleship program for young men.
The following excerpt is adapted from Because We Love Him, a book on personal holiness.
Before holiness can be evidenced outwardly in our lives, it must be anchored deep within. There is more to it than merely living a moral life. Moral purity is involved, but morality alone cannot denote holiness. Morality may be simply a pharisaic adherence to certain rules of conduct—an outward thing that has nothing to do with true holiness.
Holiness is more than morality; it is separation from the world, which is first an attitude of the heart. It is devotion not to a creed or to a system of rules, but to a Person, and it is wrought by the indwelling spirit of God. As he stirs our hearts to love God, our lives become more and more an expression of the holy life and love of Christ in us. Where there is no love, there is no holiness.
Holy living is a matter of love. How simple this is and yet how profound! Holiness is not the highest form of legalism. Holiness is the highest expression of love.
I used to wince at the word holy. I felt condemned because I didn’t measure up. But love obliterates condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Love, the supreme motivation in practical holiness, echoes the great love of God, and the form that echo takes is holiness.