Be Holy

Good day

In the last two messages from 1 John 2:3-6 we have discussed the importance of obedience and the importance of walking like Jesus did. This should be imperative if we know Him and would like to know Him even better.

We are going to deviate slightly, but not really, because what we will discuss here is directly related to knowing the Lord.

Leviticus 19:1, 2: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’”

The definition for being Holy is to be set apart, and we generally see it as being set apart for the Lord and His purposes. However, God declared in this passage that He is holy, and this is general knowledge to Christians. How then can He be set apart for Himself? This is exactly what it is. The Lord is totally set apart and devoted to Himself. His entire focus is on Himself and His purposes. We simply need to read through the Bible to see the many references of God to Himself.

Is this then a bad thing? No, if the Lord's attention has to be divided by non-godly things that distract Him, how would He accomplish the amazing plan He has with the world, with His Kingdom as well as with the salvation and development of souls for unification with His Kingdom and His purposes. The Lord separated Himself altogether from anything that is worldly. He is not involved when we engage with things of this world, and everything He does benefits His Kingdom. God is completely focused on and dedicated to His calling, character and the reason for His existence.

He expects His people to be Holy because He is Holy. We need to be set apart for that which we are called for within His purposes and Kingdom, simply because God is set apart for His purpose. We need to be dedicated and devoted to the calling with which we are called simply because He is dedicated and devoted to that for which He exists.

In our small group we have discussed the fact that an unholy lifestyle is too easily justified by the fact that the Lord is full of grace. Grace seems to be a cop-out for our lack of commitment and obedience. But what is the standard that Jesus set for us? We said in our previous message that we will answer to Jesus on judgement day according to the standards He set for us in the commandments He personally preached, as well as the commandments the Holy Spirit gave us via the pens of the apostles as recorded in the epistles.

I do, however, want to lift out a couple of Jesus standards that we find in the Bible. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:48: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” This is written in the context of Jesus' command on loving your enemies. If you look at man in his natural state, who is quite accurately portrayed by worldly people, would you say that loving your enemies comes natural? How can you feel love towards, and pray for those who seek your downfall?

Neither can the Lord feel love towards any sinful human being, of whom many hate Him, but He chose to separate Himself from any form of human nature and be different. Therefore He chose to act love toward them and, in spite of feeling like destroying them, like he did with the flood (Genesis 6:6-7) and with Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18) and like He wanted to do with Israel in the desert when He spoke with Moses (Exodus 32:10), He acted in love by sending His only Son (John 3:16).

In the same way He desires of us to be perfect in separating ourselves from being human and being more godly. Therefore we are told is Philippians 2:12-16: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing (these are the things the Lord prompts us to do in order to change), that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life...”

Read the last passage carefully again. Is this not a description of the process of holiness, also called sanctification? The “salvation” referred to here is being saved or delivered from those things that keep us from becoming holy, i.e. separated from the earthly things.

Would you please consider the chilling passage in Hebrews 12:14: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”

Where do you stand?    

Lord, help me realise the essence of becoming Holy.