Read: Isaiah 6:1-7; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:13-16
Over the last several posts I have been writing under the premise that what we believe will ultimately impact how we behave. Even more importantly, I have been affirming in all the previous posts that what we believe about God has the potential of positively transforming EVERYTHING in our lives.
In this post I want to talk about “holiness." God’s holiness in particular!
When you hear the word holy, what comes to mind? Perhaps you conjure up images of people who are stand-offish. Or maybe you think of a specific kind of worship experience where people are doing wild and crazy things. We sometimes refer to such people as “holy-rollers.” But what does the word holy really mean?
Once again I want to encourage you to read the biblical texts cited above. Read them carefully, and several times if you can. As you do, you will see a progression of thought. You should be able to see
- something about God,
- something wonderful that God has done, and
- something important that God wants us to do.
Something about God
Isaiah 6 is a famous text that emphasizes the character of God. Along with passages like Leviticus 11:44 we are reminded that Yahweh is “holy.” The word has the idea that God is unique beyond all other gods. In addition, Isaiah realized in his vision that God was 100% pure. There was no hint of sin or evil in His being. At the same time, the word “holy” has the idea of being “separate” and “devoted.”God is always holy!
God is separate from sin and from people in the sense that He is not sinful like us. God is also devoted. He is devoted to the truthfulness and faithfulness of His own character. He will not stop being God. At no time will He ever have any imperfection. That is why He is also devoted to keeping the promises He makes.
Something wonderful that God has done
The idea in Ephesians 1:4 is that God has saved some people from His wrath and righteous judgment. He did this through the finished work of Christ, so that we might be “holy and blameless in His sight.” Imagine the grandeur of that statement.No matter what sins you have committed, God sees you as holy.
[Did I just hear you say, “AMEN”? Me too!] GOD…HAS…MADE…CHRISTIANS…HOLY!
Something important that God wants us to do
According to 1 Peter 1:13-16, this very same God who is holy and who makes us holy, calls us to live holy lives.Does that mean we will now be perfect in all we do? No, that’s not what Peter and the other Biblical writers are suggesting. The command to “be holy” means that we are to be devoted to God. We are to live for His fame and to do His will as the number one priority in our lives. So what are the ramifications of holiness?
Since God is holy, He calls His people to live a holy life.
Three Things You Can Do To Practice Holiness
So how does one go about living up to this calling to be holy? Keep in mind that holiness on a human level means that Christ-followers are to be DEVOTED to God. So what would it look like if we were pursuing holiness? There are a lot of answers to that question, but here are three things you can start to practice today.
WORSHIP
Start your day as a worshiper. Tell the Heavenly Father how grateful you are for all the blessings He has placed in your life. If you think you don’t have any, read Ephesians 1:1-14 to get started. Then give thanks to God for your family, your job, the food you eat, and anything else that the Holy Spirit brings to mind.
REFLECT
Devotion will be reflected in your desire to get to know the Triune God better. Adjust your daily schedule so that you have time to read and reflect on God’s Word. Start with a book of the Bible like Ephesians or Philippians. Read it again and again. The more you do, the more you will discover ways you can be devoted to our Holy God.
PROCLAIM
Every day you have hundreds of opportunities to speak with others. Some of those individuals are close friends and others are new acquaintances. The more you build relationships with people, the more you will have opportunity to tell others how God has changed your life. When you choose to be devoted to God, the more you will want to tell others how great He really is.
God is holy! He has made us holy through faith in Jesus Christ. The God who is holy calls us to be holy in all we do.
I can’t make you believe all that is recorded above. But if you choose to believe it...
God’s holiness will transform every action and every relationship for both time and eternity!
God’s holiness will transform every action and every relationship for both time and eternity!
