Have You Forgotten That He Is Holy

Three thousand or so years ago, the descendants of Abraham, the people who worshiped the true Hebrew God, generally understood that He was a Holy God. They lived under the Law that Moses received from God Himself. In fact, what kept most of them in line turned out to be ... the fear of God.

A healthy fear of almighty God can be a good thing. But today, having been set free from the Law by faith in Jesus' death on the cross and by the grace which we have been given ... has in fact created another problem. And that is, it seems as if the Christian church today has forgotten that God is a Holy God.

While it is true that Jesus Himself has called us ... "friends" ... He still is just as Holy as He was in the Old Testament. God can never be less then He is. He is holy, we aren't. And we never will be, at least not of ourselves. Any "Holiness" we might profess to have, is like our "righteousness" ... it's not ours, it's His. His righteousness is a gift freely bestowed on us that allows us to stand in the presence of God as if we have His Holiness.

We need to look at what the word "Holy" really means if we are to understand God's holiness. The English dictionary defines holy as ... "something dedicated or consecrated to God; or a person who is morally and spiritually excellent."

Well, that is right as far as it goes, but that's still a little shallow ... there's more.

The First Epistle of Peter is addressed to believers, reminding us of the blessings which God has already bestowed on us through Jesus ... and gives the reason that as obedient children we should live a holy life before God.

1st Peter 1:15-16 ... "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior); Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

God has implanted principles of holiness in us, otherwise the command ... "be ye holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44) would be unjust. The foundation of the command is this; that the Israelites professed to be His people, and that as His people they ought to be like their God ... holy. And so should we.

Since man hasn't changed, nor has God ... don't you think this declared will of God should be passed on to the believers of Jesus? Peter thought so. Because Jesus, the object of Christian worship is holy, the character of His worshipers should also be holy.

Although our personal holiness, as becoming equal to God's, will never be attained to by fallen man, it is still a desirable goal to continue the quest for such holiness as far as we are capable of attaining.

The word that Peter uses for Holy, as well as most of the other writers that are translated from the original manuscripts, is "hagios" (pronounced hag'-ee-os) and means ... an awful thing ... fearful, sacred, pure and blameless.

This is why it says in Hebrews 10:31 ... "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

The term, "a fearful thing" means ... frightful, (that is objectively: formidable, fearful, and terrible.) Almighty God wasn't fearful to man until he sinned. But in our fallen state we recognize that He is "Holy" and that type of holiness is fearful to man.

Jesus said this about fearing (or respecting) God in Luke 12:4-5 ... "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

Jesus was speaking to the general population, those who came to hear Him teach or perform miracles of healing. All those who believed in who He was, came to love Him without any fear of judgment or of being turned away.

In the Apostle Paul's opening remarks in his letter to the Ephesian Church, he states that God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessing, and one of those blessings is the fact that God ... "hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him ..." (Ephesians 1:4)

That we should be holy ... Paul states this is the reason or objective for which God has chosen his people. It is not merely that they should enter into heaven. It is not that they may live anyway they please. It is the design and purpose of the doctrine of Christ to make people holy, and without blame ... period.

The objects of God's love were not chosen because they were holy; they were just the opposite ... but that they might be made holy by His Spirit and live holy in this life without blame.

To be "righteous" is a gift from God through Jesus. To be "holy" is a lifestyle. It is how you live out your faith in Jesus. It's not that you can't or won't sin anymore ... we all do. But it's the effort we make walking each day with the Lord's help. And ... it is expected.

Romans 12:1 ... "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Paul wrote a letter to a young believer named Timothy, instructing him in the Christian life. One of the things Paul told him was that all believers should continue in the Jewish custom of raising their hands in prayer.

1st Timothy 2:8 ... "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

The word holy used here is "hosios" (pronounced hos'-ee-os) and means simply ... right. So I take that to mean that our hands have been washed from the stains of our old sinful lifestyle and are now clean and made holy in the sight of God.

So then ... lifting up holy hands, or hands made right by Jesus ... was to lift up or spread out their arms and hands when in prayer. It is the act of request in an effort to embrace the assistance requested.

The Apostle Paul probably alludes to the old Jewish custom of laying their hands on the head of the sacrificial animal they would bring for a sin offering, confessing their sins, and then giving the life of the animal as an atonement for their sin.

This example shows us how Christians should pray. They should come before God, humble themselves for their sins and bring their sacrifice ... Jesus the Lamb of God. The only way believers today can lay their hands on the head of their sacrifice, is to raise them by faith to Jesus, as a sign of surrender unto God.

The lifting up of our hands also aids in the worship of God.

Revelation 15:4 ... "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy."

Yes, God looks upon us as holy ... but only because of Jesus. Yes, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sin. Yes, we are made righteous in Christ. But even so ... we will never attain to or become equal to the Holiness of God Himself, which is why John writes ...

"For thou only art holy."

Even so, God said ... "Be ye holy; for I am holy."



Comments welcome.