11/20/2018
You believe in God, and are determined to seek Him all the more each day. Is your burning desire to reflect a perfection of faith; His amazing characteristic of holiness? Well, it should be, because who sets out to do something, or to be something, and has set mediocre as their goal?
“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."”
Isaiah 43:3, 15 ESV
God alone is Holy; He has told us as much, so how is it that we can ever become holy? Listen to the words of Samuel as he speaks to us of holiness...
“"There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.”
1 Samuel 2:2 ESV
And then listen to John...
“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."”
Revelation 15:4 ESV
So I ask again... how is it that we can ever become Holy?
I have a spiritual mentor who I turn to for advice when I am struggling with a concept of faith. One day I was speaking to a friend about him, and my friend asked me to describe this man. I thought for a moment, and remembering that my mentor was originally from West Virginia, I described him, and his faith in this way... “Have you ever seen a picture of coal miners coming out of a mine entrance after a hard day’s work? They are covered from head to toe with black coal dust, and smiling broadly. This is my mentor... he walks so closely with God that the dust of the Lord covers him from head to toe, and he takes joy in that walk.” Holiness, it isn’t a characteristic that describes us, but rather it is the dust of God that covers us, permeates every pore in our body, and is even breathed, and swallowed, into our very being.
I propose to you that being Holy isn’t something you can achieve by study, or your own intelligence, but must come by first being in close proximity (relationship) with God in your faith, and then made complete by allowing Him to inhabit your very being. Listen to the words of Jesus as He leads us there...
“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
John 14:11 ESV
“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”
John 14:20 ESV
On that day we will know what it is to be Holy. Have you opened the door to Jesus Christ, and allowed Him to step in; to abide in you? If you have done this did something change within you that was so strong and pervasive that those around you began to see it on your countenance... your face... in your actions? This is holiness. It begins as a belief, then a close walk, and finally reaches crescendo in total surrender. Each of these steps allowing God to cover and infuse us all the more... to make us Holy as He is Holy.
“For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy...”
Leviticus 11:44 ESV
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 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."”
1 Peter 1:14-16 ESV
Walk these three steps, and you can begin in this way...
First, Call upon the name of Jesus...
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”
1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV
Second, present yourself through Jesus to God, being changed and led away from the world...
“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. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2 ESV
Then Finally, accept Him fully into yourself, wrapped in Jesus Christ, that you would be fully transformed...
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
Are you ready for a spritzing of dust, then a thick layer of it as if it were ash, or coal, and finally to have God abide within you? If so then you are moving towards righteousness, sanctification, and holiness.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ to redeem me so that I could begin my journey towards you in earnest, and seek to experience your holiness. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to dwell within me and prepare me for each step in this pilgrimage of faith that leads to your taking up residence within me. Help me Merciful Father as I hear and obey the Truth of your Word, and model myself after your Son who walked this way in righteousness... sanctified... without sin. Pick me up when I stumble and fall Father, because my steps are childlike, and often uncertain, but in you I can find sure footing... I can be set aright when I lose my balance between my faith and this world. I desire to know your holiness Lord, and each day I awake to begin anew my journey of sanctification, and open the door of my heart to you. Great are you my God, and greatly to be praised! All creation sings out to you “Holy, Holy, Holy is The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!”, and my voice joins in with this symphony of life to lift you up by glorifying your name. Let me be Holy as you are Holy, and rest in you for all eternity... my Holy God.
Rich Forbes