RECAPTURING HOLINESS

 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

Isaiah 6:1-3 (NIV)

                What is your idea of holiness? For many of us, holiness is equated with perfection. When it comes to understanding the holiness of God, this is very true. God is perfect perfection in every way. But if we understand holiness as perfection, when applied to us, then holiness becomes an unattainable goal. We all know that we are far from perfect, so what does it mean for us to be holy? The Bible tells us to be holy, but is that even possible? Peter gives us some clues to what it means for us to be holy.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 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." 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)

                Both Peter and Paul tell us that God’s will for our lives is that we would be holy. If this is God’s will for us, then it must be attainable. For us to begin to move in the direction of holiness, we need to understand a simple truth. In its simplest form, holiness means to be separated from normal use for a specific purpose. When God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle and to furnish it in a particular way, all of the articles of the Tabernacle, including the tent itself, were declared holy. They were to be used only for the worship of God. The entire Tabernacle was separated from common use.

                If we apply this to our lives, holiness is separating ourselves from the world and to God for His use. In one sense this has already been done when we yielded our life to Christ through faith.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- Colossians 1:21-22 (NIV)

                We have been made holy by the work of Christ on the cross. When God looks at us, He sees the holiness of Christ surrounding and enveloping us. We are holy in His sight. That is the big picture.

                But that leaves the practical side of holiness. To be holy is to dedicate our thoughts, words, and actions to God. We are to separate ourselves from the world and live to honor and please God. As Peter said, it means to be self-controlled, to focus on Christ and what He has done for us, and to be obedient to what God calls us to. It means seeing things differently from how the world sees things. To be holy is to embrace God’s values instead of the world’s values. It means living for God instead of living for ourselves.

                Being holy is acted out in the way we live our everyday lives. Throughout our day we make decisions and take actions that may or may not be holy. When we intentionally gather in worship on a Sunday morning, we are engaging in a holy activity. We are setting apart a portion of our day to honor and worship God. When we spend time reading God’s word, we are being holy because we are focusing on Him. When we show love and compassion to another person, we are acting in a holy manner. When we do our best at work, without regard for how others view us, we are being holy. The attitude of our heart and the focus of our life are what determines if our actions are holy or not. When we seek to please God through what we do, we are being holy. As Paul says, And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

                Being holy is not about being spiritual or religious. It is not talking in archaic, religious language or always saying things like “praise the Lord.” It is definitely not acting superior to others; being holier than thou. In fact, that is the exact opposite of being holy. A person who is truly living a holy life is not constantly thinking about their actions, but seeking to please God in all that they do. When they fail, they acknowledge it and go back to God to forgiveness and restoration. They have an upward and outward attitude. They live with a constant awareness of God’s presence, and a genuine concern for others.

                Holiness is not some mystical, magical entity that embodies certain objects, places, or people. Things become holy when they are set apart for God’s use. The Bible is not holy in and of itself. It is holy when it points us toward God. Our church services are not holy because they take place in a church building. They become holy when we intentionally gather to worship God together. Our lives become holy when we intentionally live to honor and serve Christ.

                If you are a following of Jesus Christ, you are holy in God’s sight. But you also have the obligation to live your life in holiness, intentionally seeking to live in a way that will honor God.

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:10-12 (NIV)