They say that when you are trained to spot counterfeit money, you spend the entire first year learning everything you can about the real stuff. What it looks like, what it feels like, what it even smells like. Every letter has a purpose, every image has to look just right, every detail has to be in place. That way, when you do come across counterfeit money, you notice the differences right away.

We will be doing the same thing with the concept of holiness. It is strange to see how much counterfeit holiness there is in the church these days. Everything from perfectionism to prosperity theology and superficial morality is considered to be holy living. But it's not.

First and foremost, holiness is a relationship with Jesus that demonstrates itself in a very particular way - the Way of the Cross. Getting that wrong will make a mess of all the rest. Confession of sins is key to holiness. Repentance as an act of discipleship, forgiveness and reconciliation as a divine given for those who follow Jesus. These things are not optional.

But that isn't to say that all joy is sucked out of living. By no means. Christian Hedonism, a phrase coined by Pastor John Piper, means that "joy is not optional." It is key to the Way of the Cross, the following, to discipleship. It's just that most of us don't really have much experience with real joy either, the kind of joy that grows rather than diminishes when we are faced with difficulties in life.

And that's just to get started. Here are the rest of the topics to be covered in this first book on relational holiness.... Enjoy!

Outline

Introduction

Chapter One - Relational Holiness

Chapter Two – Christian Hedonism

Chapter Three – The Foundations of the Temple

Chapter Four – Spiritual Effort

Chapter Five – Adrift on the Sea of Crystal

Chapter Six - Getting What You Really Want

Chapter Seven – The Sacrifice That Just Won't Die

Chapter Eight – Spiritual Sin

Chapter Nine – The Perspective from Above

Chapter Ten – The Holy Spirit is a Fake (Story)

Conclusion