Index To All Sections
Part I - Introduction
The Holiness of God..
One of the primary attributes of God is that He is holy. However, He does not conform to a standard of holiness - He is the standard of holiness. The Call To Holiness
one of the central themes of Leviticus is God's call for His people to be a holy people - And it didn't end with the Old Testament. Holiness Is Not Optional
Too many modern day teachers say "just believe" - the Bible says "Pursue... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Who are you going to believe? The Warnings
Jesus did not say you should not serve God and mammon, but you cannot serve God and mammon Both Holiness and Sinfulness Have Eternal Consequences
This life is the only opportunity we will ever have to choose where we will spend eternity. Modern 'Holiness'
Reading inspirational 'Christian' messages, daily doses of wisdom from Proverbs, uplifting Bible verses and listening to a 15-20 minute sermon every Sunday is NOT holiness Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14 NASB) The Holiness of God..
In today's day and age, churches go to extreme lengths to ensure that their congregations are 'comfortable' with God, usually seen as a wonderful loving God that would never hurt a flea [See The Wrath of God ]. And, if He did so in the Old Testament, well! We are under the new covenant now. All that matters is that we establish a "relationship" with Him. Yet, we seem to know next to nothing about this Being we wish to have a relationship with. One of the primary attributes of God is that He is holy. In Isaiah 6, the vision the prophet had of the "Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up" His train filling the temple, was accompanied by the cry of the seraphim. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." (Isaiah 6:3 NASB)
In Revelation 4:8 "the four living creatures never cease saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy Is The Lord God, The Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."
Because it is rare for a word to be repeated three times in Scripture, we need to sit up and take notice because it definitely indicates strong emphasis. And unless we consider that we are better than the prophet Isaiah in some way, we need to pay attention to his response to the vision. He did not fall on the floor, burst into uncontrollable laughter (See Is There A Biblical Basis For "Holy Laughter"?), immediately make his requests known, nor strike up a conversation. Instead the first words out of his mouth reflected an overwhelming conviction of his own unworthiness... Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5 NASB)
In the New Testament, Peter had a similar reaction when confronted with visible evidence of the power of the Christ. After a night of unsuccessful fishing, Jesus instructed the disciples to put their boats out again. When they did so, they caught so many fish that their nets were in danger of tearing. However, what is particularly instructive about this incident is Peter's reaction to this miracle. He immediately fell at Jesus' feet, and said, "leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man." Both men well understood the holiness they were confronted with and their own unworthiness in the face of it.
The Call To Holiness
One of the central themes running throughout Leviticus is God's call for His people to be a holy people. In fact, Leviticus 19 that recorded a number of diverse commandments was prefaced with the words...
"Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be holy (Heb. qôdesh), for I the Lord your God am holy (Heb. qôdesh) (Leviticus 19:2 NABS)
Leviticus 20:26 echoed the thought 'Thus you are to be holy (Heb. qôdesh) to Me, for I the Lord am holy (Heb. qôdesh); and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. (Leviticus 20:26 NABS)
There was a timeless spiritual principle behind many of the Levitical laws which was distinguishing between what is "clean" and what is "unclean", and separating the Holy from the profane. These laws gave the nation of Israel an identity very different from the nations that surrounded them. And it didn't end with the Old Testament. The New Testament Instructions to Be Holy
From the New Testament, consider the following beginning with the warning that "..all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 NASB) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify (Gr. hagiazo) you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB) Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness (Gr. dikaiosune), faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22 NASB) Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification (Gk. hagiasmos) without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14 NASB) For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? and if it is with difficulty that the righteous (Gr. dikaios) is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? (1 Peter 4:17-18 NASB)
Holiness Is Not Optional
I dread to think what would happen if someone in the 21st century church were to preach that you have to attain to a certain level of righteousness to be saved. The hue and cry would be deafening from one end of the Christian world to the other - the preacher soundly denounced as a false teacher who is teaching salvation by works. But, consider for a moment Jesus' words in the Sermon On The Mount (Emphasis Added)
"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20 NASB)
In fact, Jesus greatly stressed the fact that obedience was indispensable in salvation. In the closing verses of Matthew 7, He said (All Emphasis Added) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.' "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:21-25 NASB)
If we would only look carefuly at what the Bible says, we would realize that... An Unholy Person Cannot Even Approach a Holy God
If we think back for just a moment, perhaps we would remember God's instruction to Moses to remove his sandals, for the very ground he walked on was holy ground (Exodus 3). God did not try and put Moses at ease, or make him comfortable, but very bluntly told him to make the necessary changes before he was even allowed to approach. In Exodus 19, at the foot of Mount Sinai, God made it very clear that sinful man could not approach Him. The Lord also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ... "Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them." (Exodus 19:10-11, 22 NASB)
Additionally, only one man... the High Priest, was allowed into the holy of holies and only once a year after the blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins had been made. One has to wonder whether those that claim to read the Scriptures with some regularity actually absorb the words they are reading, or does the reading resemble putting on a comfortable old sweater, which one scarcely notices the rest of the day. Have the words become so familiar that they are no longer taken literally, or even seriously? Never once did Jesus say that all we had to do was believe. Instead He taught that we had to do the will of the Father... as did the author of the book of Hebrews And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, (Hebrews 5:9 NASB)
Yet, in spite of this and many other passages, what is commonly heard from the pulpit today is that a person only has to believe in order to be guaranteed a place in heaven. Too many modern day teachers say "just believe" - the Bible says "Pursue... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Who are you going to believe?
The Warnings:
Furthermore, the Bible warns that because our allegiance is to God's Kingdom we are not to be shaped and influenced by this world, or even be friends with it. Jesus taught that no man can serve two masters, Paul emphasized that Christians should be shaped and influenced by God not by the world, while James in his usual blunt style minced no words in calling friends of the world, enemies of God..
Jesus: If you pay close attention to Jesus' words in Luke 16:13, you will notice that He did not say you should not serve God and mammon, but you cannot serve God and mammon. As He told His disciples.. they were in the world, but not of the world. "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Luke 16:13 NASB) "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (John 15:19 NASB)
Paul: The apostle Paul warned his readers not to be ... conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NASB)
James: In today's language James would probably be called a "straight shooter" - his book marked by a refreshing directness, without so much as a hint of subtlety or evasion. In his characteristic outspoken way James bluntly stated... You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4 NASB)
John: When John penned the following words, it seems clear that he was referring to a love of the things the world has to offer... material objects, power, prestige, influence, etc. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15 NASB)
In other words, the minute believers are born again, they are adopted as sons and daughters of God, and become citizens of His heavenly kingdom. However they cannot maintain a dual citizenship. Their allegiance has to be to one or the other and, if it is to this world, they become enemies of God, with no inheritance in His Kingdom. In view of these and many more similar statements in the New Testament, I have no idea how we can imagine that we can live our lives like the rest of the world, but still be welcome in God's presence. If you have really read, and absorbed, the verses above, perhaps you will realize that Christians are called to be different from the secular society around them... they are called to be holy, and unless they are, they will not see God.
Both Holiness and Sinfulness Have Eternal Consequences
There is no doubt that one of the biggest obstacles we face in the battle against temptation is that, at first glance, sin usually seems to be enjoyable or profitable. So, when tempted to sin, instead of allowing emotions to overrule intelligence and common sense, we have to learn to discipline ourselves to take the time to realistically consider the consequences of our actions.
The reason I say realistically is because the price for wrong doing is often higher than people realize, consider, or care to admit. Many of them are probably unaware that the majority of moral do's and don'ts are not the precepts of man, but commanded by God Himself. As Paul said in his first letter to the Thessalonians, Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8).
Something that king David already knew centuries earlier. When he became enamored of Uriah's wife Bath-sheba and she became pregnant, David arranged to have her husband killed so that he could marry Bath-seba. He was later confronted by Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 12:1-19). When David wrote about this incident, he said this (All Emphasis Added) Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. (Psalms 51:1-4 NASB)
Even when we sin against others, it is primarily God we are sinning against thus disobeying has eternal consequence. As Paul succinctly said For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NASB) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8).
Also note that not only does God punish the person who commits sin, but also those that lead others into temptation But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6).
While the pleasures of sin are usually very temporary, if you are a disciple of Christ the benefits of living a righteous lifestyle are eternal and means eventually hearing the coveted words.. "well done good and faithful servant", which means you will never not be judged worthy of death, but will live in His kingdom for all eternity. See What and Where is Heaven? Let us take the words of the ancient prophets very seriously "But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period - if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully - he is righteous and will surely live," declares the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 18:5-9 NASB) "Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother (though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination, he lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head. (Ezekiel 18:10-13 NASB)
This life is the only opportunity we will ever have to choose where we will spend eternity. When we close our eyes for the last time, and step into what lies beyond, we will take nothing with us. Not our money, fame, power, influence, looks, skills, achievements, eloquence, or intelligence. All we will take with us is whether or not we obeyed the commandments of God. Whether or not we lived a righteous life. Whether or not were true followers of Jesus Christ.
Modern 'Holiness'
In our world today, all too many professing Christians are a long way from being aliens and strangers in the world (1 Peter 2:11), their morals often indistinguishable from the morality of the world.
'Christian culture', which has nominal Christian values but doesn't adhere to the teachings and commands of Jesus, has so weaseled it way into our thinking that our religion has been reduced to a church service once a week, using 'Christian' T-shirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, jewelry etc. and, of course, reading the latest 'Christian' book - most of which bear no resemblance to Biblical Christianity. Quite a percentage of modern Christians survive on a diet of Christian quotes, inspirational messages, daily doses of wisdom from Proverbs, and uplifting (and probably out of context) Bible verses conveniently delivered by e-mail. Add to this a 15-20 minute sermon every Sunday, and the modern Christian is suffused with a warm glow of "spirituality". He basks in the fact that he has done what God expects of him. He is wrong, and could very well be dead wrong. This type of holiness amounts to no more than calling a newly whitewashed tomb clean, without heed to the dead man's bones inside. (Matthew 23:27). As the prophet Amos pointed out so clearly, holiness is not participating in ceremonial rituals but is in everything we say and do. Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate. (Amos 5:11-12 NASB) "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21-24 NASB)
In fact, a lack of holiness is an insurmountable barrier to a relationship with God. The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day fell into the same error as the ancient Israelites... They were meticulous about ceremonial righteousness, but they did not care about their neighbors nor protect the widows and orphans. As Jesus said... "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matthew 23:14 NASB)
The tragedy is that like the Pharisees we have lost sight of what God thinks of sin. We have forgotten that the Bible tells us that without holiness no one will see the Lord and further warns us not sell our birthright as cheaply as Esau sold his - giving in to the very temporary pleasures of the world and forgoing the permanent ones. All of which brings up the question as to what exactly "holiness" is. It is crucial to remember that the holiness founded on the nature of God is much deeper and far more demanding than surface changes.. | 
