be holy – Praying Pint

“So be holy in all you do”

1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Leviticus 11:44-45 I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

Leviticus 19:1-2 The Lord said to Moses,  “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Leviticus 20:7   Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

Have you ever thought about what it means to be Holy? “Be holy, because I am holy”. Those who would be kept from any sin must be careful to avoid all temptations to it, or coming near it. As Christians, we enjoy our liberty in Jesus Christ “Alone” as our redemption, salvation, and forgiveness. Observances of various laws, statutes, and rules were given during the exodus from Egypt. Temple worship, sacrifice, and proper conduct in life for honoring and glorifying God were given. These laws, rules, and statutes painted a picture in great detail of what it meant to be set apart for God. They also pointed out the ease at which sin surfaces within a person. Being freed from the bondage of the laws of Moses by the blood of Jesus Christ is where we find our liberty in Christ. However, we should ever be careful and sincerely watchful that we do not abuse this liberty. “Be holy, because I am holy”.

Holy: separated, pure, and wholly devoted to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions, all of the time.

I fear our liberty has allowed us to diminish holiness. What would holy living look like lived out in our lives today?

Intentionally devoted to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions.
Studying God’s Word continuously.
Praying continuously.
Being continuously in the presence of God in your heart, mind, and soul.
Worshiping Jesus Christ.
Praising Jesus Christ.
Glorifying Jesus Christ.
Rejoicing in Jesus Christ
Expectantly listening for leading and wanting to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Continuously clinging to, trusting in, and relying upon Jesus Christ in all things.
Displaying the fruits of the Holy Spirit; faith, love, joy, patience, kindness, hope, generosity, brotherly kindness,
Continuously desiring God to search your heart and make known to you that which is offensive to being holy and God-honoring.

“Be holy, for I am holy” – In our culture holiness (holy living) gets watered down to that which is mere baby food like examples. Our hearts are not set on being holy. We rarely think about honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all our thoughts, words, and actions. We allow the busyness of life to justify our lack of pursuit. We allow cultural tolerances to weaken our pursuit. We allow weak preaching to weaken our desire to be holy. We allow our time to be consumed by what the world and our flesh deem as more important. We desire and seek after what the world has to offer more than our pursuit of holiness.

Less than two months ago we celebrated Easter. During this celebration, we remembered the great cost Jesus paid for our salvation and redemption. I would think our hearts were moved to serve and honor Him with reverence, thankfulness, and commitment. How is that going? Is it fresh in your mind?

Let us never forget this and desire to be holy in all of our thoughts, words, and actions for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ.

Holy: separated, pure, and wholly devoted to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions, all of the time.

47.i. “Wilderness” – 11.o. “And be holy to your God”

Num 15:37 The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

Leviticus 11:44 For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy

Leviticus 19:2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Ephesians 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

1 Peter 1:15-16 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

We should use every means of refreshing our memories with the truths and precepts of God’s word, to strengthen and quicken our obedience, and arm our minds against temptation. Be holy unto your God; cleansed from sin, and sincerely devoted to his service; and that great reason for all the commandments is again and again repeated, I am the Lord your God. (Henry)

But be found in the observance of every moral precept, and of every religious ordinance and duty: and be holy unto your God: as in his presence, according to his will, and for his honour and glory, by keeping his holy commands, and living an holy life and conversation, well pleasing in his sight. (Gill)

For I am the Lord your God.—As the Lord who is their God is Himself holy, His people, in order to enjoy perfect communion with Him, must also be holy. Hence they must abstain from all these objects of defilement which mar that holy communion. (Ellicott)

Ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for I am holy; that is, separate themselves from all other people, and be distinct from them. By observing his commands, and living according to his will, and to his glory, they would be holy in a moral sense, as they ought to be, who were under the peculiar care and notice of a holy God, and so highly favoured by him. (Gill)

They were to sanctify themselves, that is, to avoid uncleanness, because God is holy, and they were God’s. (Unknown)

Do we give proper thought to the holiness of God? Do we even register a thought on being holy? Do we grow in our understanding of God’s Holiness by neglecting His Word? Are we ever growing in our knowledge of His holiness? Unless we grow in this knowledge we will never understand the depth of His grace, mercy, and love.

43.t. “Wilderness” – 8. “You shall be consecrated to me”

Exodus 22:31. “You shall be consecrated to me.

Revelation 4:8   And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Revelation 6:10   They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Leviticus 11:45   For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Leviticus 19:2   “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

Deuteronomy 14:21    For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

1 Peter 1:15-16  but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

You shall be holy men unto me. The holiness really desired was holiness of heart and spirit. Outward ordinances could not effect this; but, to keep the thought perpetually before- men’s minds. (Ellicott)

And ye shall be holy men unto me,…. They were so by God’s act of election, not special and particular, but general and national; choosing and separating them to be an holy people to him, above all the people on the face of the earth. (Gill)

And ye shall be holy men unto me. Ye shall not be as other men, but “an holy nation, a peculiar people;” (Unknown)

The moral excellence of God that unifies his attributes and is expressed through his actions, setting him apart from all others. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy. God’s nature is holy, He is perfect, He is uniquely holy, God’s name is holy, God’s dwelling-place is holy, God’s holiness is revealed in his righteous activity, God’s people are to be holy because he is holy, The holiness of believers originates from God., God’s holiness is to be seen in his people, God’s holiness makes sin objectionable to him, God’s holiness necessitates dependence upon him for forgiveness.

We do well to seek to ever-grow in our understanding of God’s Holiness and the sinfulness of sin.

52. You shall be called Sought Out

Deuteronomy 14:2 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Exodus 19:5-6    Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;  and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

Leviticus 11:45    For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Leviticus 20:26     You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

Isaiah 62:12    And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

Titus 2:14    who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Peter 2:9     But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Redeemed, chosen, a treasured possession, sought out, and separated for good works describe those called by God. We are sought out and chosen by God. This is not because of who we are but because of who He is. This is not because of something we did to deserve it but because of what He has done. Just think, God of creation has sought you out, chosen you, redeemed you, and sees you as a treasured possession to be separated and set aside for good works.

Being sought out and chosen by God is no small thing and should not be viewed as small, trivial, insignificant, inconsequential, unimportant, or of no importance. This is God’s love demonstrated and extended to His creation. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God’s steadfast love and external call go out to all mankind. He demonstrated love and sacrifice so great and all-encompassing that all are called (chosen) – but not everyone chooses to accept the call of being chosen. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

It is important to hear the call but much more important to respond to that call. Remember response to this call is not an ending but rather a new beginning of being a chosen, redeemed, treasured possession, sought out and separated for goods work child of God. The response to God is every minute of every day. Be ever listening to His leading and ever obedient to His word.