02/01/2018
Do you have a desire to be Holy? Are you on a quest for sanctification, or is just leading the life of a believer enough? We can exist on the margins of faith by simply believing God to be the one true God, and Jesus to be His Son, but if we want to move past this milk toast existence, we must fully open ourselves up to them. We must become all that Jesus teaches us of the nature of God, and we must allow God Himself to make us Holy. Holiness, this is God’s true desire for us.
“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 1:15-16 ESV
Being Holy is an appointment, and the bestowing of an aura of faith by God’s mere presence. We achieve it by the will of God and not by our own accomplishments. There is no formula in the bible that says do this, and this, and this, and if you do I will call you Holy. The closest we come to a formula is God’s command for us to consecrate ourselves, and this is repeated over and over again in the Bible.
“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 20:7 ESV
This is our call to dedicate ourselves to the service and worship of God, but consecration is not the act of being Holy... it is a giant step along the way to holiness. As I read Andrew Murray he expressed the importance of being Holy, and then he described what that meant. Let’s listen to his words...
“Our calling, before and above everything else, is to holiness. The quality is not something we do or attain by our own power: it is the communication of the divine life, the inbreathing of the divine nature, the power of the divine presence resting on us. - Andrew Murray
Holiness is the outward manifestation of an inward presence. When we serve and worship God within our heart and spirit, the natural outcome will be an aura of holiness that will surround us. In looking for a good comparison I surmised this... it is like the “glory of God” that shone on Moses’ face. Just as that glow did not emanate from Moses, but was of God Himself, so will holiness come upon us by the intense presence of God in us. He alone can sanctify us and declare us Holy.
“And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you,”
Leviticus 22:32 ESV
Are there things in our lives that occur as a natural offshoot of who we are? Absolutely! We volunteer at the soup kitchens, and build houses for humanity because there is an empathy and caring for others that resides in us. We pray for others because of a love for our neighbor, and maybe we even sacrifice ourselves because of an inward need to place others before ourselves. So when who we are become sanctified, and consecrated, then our actions reflect the divine nature... holiness.
“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
In summary, holiness is not a characteristic of our own nature... it is a divine reflection of God, and being Holy requires our consecration, sanctification, and the presence of God in us. It is also true that God wishes us all to be Holy, for the simple reason that He is Holy, and that we can’t do this on our own; we can’t be Holy without Him.
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for the holiness you bring into my life. I thank you for the aura of your holiness that is upon me because of your very presence in me. I worship you Holy Father, and I consecrate my life to you. The door to my spirit is open to your knock, and a place is forever set at the table of my soul for you. Fill me Merciful Father with your Holy Spirit, and in so doing, show forth in every aspect of my life. Let me be Holy because you are Holy; there is no glory in this that does not belong to you... humble me in your service, grace me with your presence, radiate from me like the light of the sun. Teach me to be Holy in my conduct, even in the simplest of my actions.
I praise your name Holy Father! You are Great, and I tremble at the thought of glimpsing you. Even so, I long to see you, and if I can only see your back as you pass by, that blesses me. Holy, Holy, Holy art thou God Almighty! In your holiness let me remain forever.
Rich Forbes