Tag: I am holy

“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? 

  1. Intentionally devoted to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions.
  2. Studying God’s Word continuously.
  3. Praying continuously.
  4. Being continuously in the presence of God in your heart, mind, and soul.
  5. Worshiping Jesus Christ.
  6. Praising Jesus Christ.
  7. Glorifying Jesus Christ.
  8. Rejoicing in Jesus Christ
  9. Expectantly listening for leading and wanting to be led by the Holy Spirit.
  10. Continuously clinging to, trusting in, and relying upon Jesus Christ in all things.
  11. Displaying the fruits of the Holy Spirit; faith, love, joy, patience, kindness, hope, generosity, brotherly kindness, 
  12. 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.