You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. Leviticus 20:26 NIV
At the heart of Christianity is our belief that God is holy. This idea must be valid for everything else we believe about God, His creation, and our purpose for being here to make sense. Without His holiness, heaven and earth are no more than random happenings, and chaos is the rule.
When we talk about God's holiness, we refer to the unparalleled majesty of His incomparable being. It encompasses His blameless, faultless, and unblemished moral purity. We acknowledge His transcendent perfection as the supreme otherness that sets Him apart from all other beings. God's holiness is beyond our comprehension. As His creation, we are drawn to Him for His unequaled goodness and majesty while standing in awe before His all-revealing light.
Thanks to God's grace in taking the human form of Jesus, the unblemished offering who sacrificed himself for us, Jews and Gentiles, we have become the nation set apart. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are separated from the common and set aside for God's use, and with that apartness comes great responsibility: We, too, are to be holy as God is holy.
How do we, the sinful, fallible humans we are, become holy? You may have heard of the three R's of education, "Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic." Here are the three R's towards holiness, "Repentance, Relationship, and Reverance."
Repentance is essential. We acknowledge our sins, turn away from them, and trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness. When we accept Christ, we become new creations with a changed nature—our desire shifts toward holiness and away from our former ways.
Relationship with God. Like earthly relationships, this takes work. Prayer, studying God's Word, worship, and fellowship with other Christians help us grow in holiness. As we draw near to God, we become more like Him. His nature is holy, and our pursuit of Him shapes us into holier individuals.
Reverence and Submission. Honor and revere God. Submit to the Lord, prayerfully seeking His face and studying His Word. As the Apostle Paul encourages, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." (Philippians 2:12-13).
God, in His absolute and perfect knowledge, knew we couldn't do this alone. He does not ask of us what He won't help us accomplish. So, by His grace, He sent us a Helper to encourage and strengthen us. All things are possible through Him, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Heavenly Father, we come before You, recognizing Your holiness and majesty. You are the God who separates us from the world, calling us to be Yours. We acknowledge our need for Your sanctifying work in our lives. As we seek to be set apart for Your purposes, we pray that You remove any impurity, sin, or darkness that hinders our fellowship with You. May our hearts be vessels fit for Your presence. Help us think differently, aligning our thoughts with Your truth. May we meditate on Your Word day and night. Guide us by the Holy Spirit and enable us to live out our faith in practical ways. May our choices, words, and deeds reflect Your holiness. May our intimacy with You deepen. Let us abide in Your love, seeking Your face continually. We desire to be vessels of honor, instruments in Your hands. Use us to bring glory to Your name. As we walk this journey of holiness, remind us that it is not by our strength but by Your grace. May we echo the psalmist's prayer: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). We pray this in the name of Your Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
I invite you to join us for our Bible Study on Leviticus on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/400480759.
