09/22/2018
Do you seek to be holy as God is? Do you long to live a life of righteousness and abhor sin because that is how He would have you live? If so, you are pursuing God’s desire for us and the stakes are high. This is an aspiration without degree because we are either found to be with sin... or without it; this is a race in which there is no second place, but fear not.
“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
The nearest physical equivalent to the concept of sin vs. holiness that I can think of existed in the time of Jesus, and centered around the disease of leprosy. If you were found to have even the slightest symptom of this disease you were branded as unclean and separated entirely from the rest of society... and the mark of this disease followed you into death. When a person who had leprosy died, they could not be buried in a graveyard alongside those who were clean; they were buried in separate places set aside solely for lepers. Such was the fear and hatred of this dreaded disease.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 ESV
Sin is the equivalent of spiritual leprosy, and is so hated by God that it remains completely separated from Him, and to Him you are either righteous (free of sin), or not. Yet, so great is God’s love for us, and aversion to the sin of man that He was wiling to give His own Son as a means of cleansing us of it. We read further regarding this in a verse of scripture that might very well be the most quoted verse of the New Testament...
“"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 ESV
So until we have accepted God’s love, and Jesus Christ, His remedy for our sin, then we are lost... we are spiritual lepers and separated from God. Yet the hand of Jesus is extended to us, and He is willing to heal all who come to Him. The question remains... are we prepared to seek out Jesus and receive the healing He offers us?
“And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.”
Mark 1:40-42 ESV
This is our path to holiness, and it is a narrow way, a narrow gate, or as Jewish writing regarding the law of Moses claims, it is a narrow bridge. There are no alternate routes, only through Jesus can we ever hope to become holy as God has instructed us. Each commandment takes us another step down this narrow road beginning with the first commandment, but until at last we stand before Jesus; the great healer of mankind... the eye of the camel through which sinners must pass to be pure, we are not healed. In Jesus we find ourselves at the temple where we offer ourselves as He instructed (see Leviticus 1:1-32)...
“and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them."”
Mark 1:44 ESV
Are we ready for the healing? Are we ready for the cleansing? Are we ready to be righteous and are we prepared for holiness?
These are the questions, and Jesus is the answer to each of them. What do you say then? How do you pray?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who removed the barrier of sin that has stood between us. I thank you for your love Gracious Father that has overcome my sinfulness by the blood of your Son who you offered for me. The way has been long, and the bridge which leads to this gate has been narrow, but now I stand at the door and knock; hear me Oh Lord, and allow me to step through this eye of the needle. Help me as I take this final step. It is short, and yet it takes me from sin to righteousness in an instant as I come into your presence... into your holiness. Praised be your name Father, for great are you, and greatly to be praised! Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God of love and righteousness. Bless me, and call me Holy, Merciful Father, welcome me; the traveler of the narrow way, he who traverses the narrow bridge, and the child who steps through the narrow gate into your house.
Rich Forbes
“The whole world is a very narrow bridge; the important thing is not to be afraid.” - Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav