Your thoughts on HOLINESS. (500 words maximum)
Holiness – a Complicated Journey
by Linda Otter
What does it mean to be holy?
I think it means, ‘set apart’?
It seems a huge expectation
But then God, you know my heart.
It‘s not continuous joy
Or freedom, from affliction or strife
But a process of sanctification
Which continues throughout my life.
It doesn’t mean I won’t be tempted
And there will be times when I fall
I will never, ever be perfect
I just need to give it my all.
Never holy, this side of Heaven,
But, as I journey my whole life through
It should be my life’s purpose
A longing and yearning to …
Be Holy.
It’s about, conforming to God’s nature
To do this, I need to be still
Spending time in his presence
Desiring to do his will.
Obeying his Holy Spirit
Relying on his direction
My life, a constant prayer
His Word, for constant reflection.
Most of all, I must have faith
Believing, not matter what
That He will never give up on me
Because He’s perfectly Holy–even though I’m not.
From Darkness To Light
by Ray Burton
The imp named Failure lashed Simon’s back while his sidekick Shame spoke belittlingly into his ear. The wounds went deep, and the words sent him reeling with the hope of death to bring an end.
Suddenly, Peter entered the park, and his anointing shone to illuminate the truth. Failure turned and fled, but Shame withdrew just a short distance.
Peter approached Simon, smiled and sat on the bench next to him. “What troubles you that you would entertain demonic oppression?” asked Peter in his usual direct manner.
“What do you mean?” asked Simon.
“I discern you are beating yourself up about something and giving the devil legal authority to attack you. So, tell me what you were thinking about just before I arrived?”
Simon shuffled awkwardly and marvelled at Peter’s perception and gifting. “I’m a failure,” he said looking down.
“Failure is an event, not a person. But what makes you feel that way,” asked Peter.
“God keeps telling me to be holy, but I cannot. All that I think, say and do is unholy.”
“I see,” said Peter. “So, what do you think He’s going to do to you,” he probed.
Simon felt confronted by Peter’s directness. “That is the thing. I do not know” he answered sharply.
“Have you asked him?” Peter enquired.
Simon struggled to push aside a feeling of guilt. “No. What is the point. He never answers me. Well, if he does, I do not hear him.”
“Why do you think that is?” Peter asked trying not to come across as patronizing.
Simon sat in silence considering Peter’s question. He had not learnt many scriptures, but he knew enough to know that God’s love for him was immense and totally forgiving. He knew Peter was a teacher of the Bible and any answer he gave would be wrong!
“I don’t know” he said with a sigh.
“Do you want to know?” asked Peter.
Simon began to sense that God was using Peter. He believed God wanted to help him.
“Yes. I do” he answered.
“Then let me disciple you. Your journey from an unholy life to a holy one, is travelled one decision at a time on the road of discipleship. You are holy in the sight of God the Father because of what Jesus did for you, but you are becoming holier day by day as you hear and obey the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus only did that which the Father showed Him to do and the Holy Spirit only said that which He heard the Father saying,” said Peter.
“That all sounds very deep,” said Simon as Shame sniggered.
“It is, but do not worry we will go at the Spirit’s pace because He alone knows the lessons you need to learn and the way you need to learn them. The journey is well worth it. The transformation is from Logos to Rhema, being bound to being free and darkness to light,” said Peter.
Shame withdrew knowing that freedom had arrived.
Thoughts on Holiness
by Sue Wayman
“Be Holy, as I am Holy” says 1 Peter 1:16.
It would be easy to put our own spin on this verse if we did not read the passage in which it is set. We could decide what Holiness means.
However, the Bible interprets itself if we will allow it.
The preceding passage writes of the living hope we have through our new birth which was made possible by Christ’s death and his ensuing resurrection. Our faith is refined, and proved genuine, through any suffering or trials that we experience in life, as we fix all our hope upon Jesus and the blessings yet to be revealed.
As we have now been redeemed from an empty way of life by the precious blood of Jesus into that wonderful living hope, we are called to be obedient to the Lord, and to refuse to conform to the evil desires that are prevalent in this world. Galatians 5 details these. Instead, having been set free from the power of sin, we can live lives full of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As there is no law against these things we can do them without limit!
So we see that being Holy is being obedient to God’s Truth, by the power of his Holy Spirit dwelling within us. As we live in this way, obedient to God’s truth, our lives display God’s holy nature, because we have actually become partakers in his divine nature (2 Peter 1); in other words we share his characteristics, we acquire parts of his nature – his purity, his deep love; his impartiality, his mercy, his grace, his generosity, his protection, his salvation, and all the aforementioned fruits of the Spirit.
2 Peter 1 goes on to build on this truth declaring that God’s divine power has given us everything we need in order to live a godly life. Because of that foundation in our lives, Peter goes on to encourage us to make every effort to build on the spiritual blessings we have received from God, by growing God’s fruit (the fruit of the Spirit) in our lives, persevering in our faith in order to confirm our calling and election and to keep us from stumbling.
So we see how we live in God’s strength each day as he changes us from within. Even through the challenges and trials of our lives we can trust that he is at work, conforming us to His son’s likeness.
Because of the transforming work he has done within each of us who have been born again of the Spirit, we can step out, and as we live our lives, in humility, with the aim of pleasing him, others will see his life and his light shining out from us.
These are some of my thoughts on holiness, and how we can indeed be holy as he is holy.
Holiness
by Bruce Tregonning
Lord, God, we are reminded in Ephesians 4:24 to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. To be holy like Him is a most challenging call on our lives.
So to probe deeper, what is holiness? Succinctly put, Holiness is a most divine attribute ascribed to our Father God, the Triune, God Almighty.
Many fine words, many fine hymns of praise are a memorial sent up to Him on ‘wings of prayer’ to acknowledge and honour His majesty, His Holiness.
Then in Exodus 12:13, the Lord said to Moses, “say to the Israelites, You must observe My Sabbath. This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come so that you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you Holy.”
And in 2 Timothy 1: 9, Paul emphasises: “by the power of God who has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.”
This is a spiritual dilemma out there in our lives: to be holy or not to be holy? The choice is ours. To be a holy people there are many requirements. Commitment is key. We are completely hounded by constant distractions that try to lead us away from things that vie for our attention and hence are not holy.
We can all experience moments of pure holiness, a total devotion to God. It is the doctrine according to Wesleyans of the sanctification of believers: a greater joy in pleasing God rather than pleasing the world.
Holiness in more simple terms is a mindset which gives birth to a holy lifestyle. For scripture states: “You are to be Holy because I am Holy.” We can only become Holy if we stay loyal to God. Also learning about God’s ways through His holy word, the Bible, though in reality Holiness can only be made by the grace of God.
If one chooses to follow after charity and brotherly kindness, then one is in a state of holiness. The scripture teaches us that among many other things we can be sanctified or be made more holy when we exercise faith in Jesus, demonstrate our obedience, repent, be a living sacrifice for Him, keep our commandments thus seeking humility, meekness and patience.
In many other religions of the world to walk in a place of holiness is to remove one’s shoes. I remember, particularly, my experience in walking into the great blue mosque in Istanbul how I needed to show respect and silence by shedding my shoes. Participating in a church of England service as a server to assist the vicar and help in the Holy Communion it was to bow and genuflex at the right moment in recognition of holiness to the cross of Jesus.
To finish this most enlightening subject: I could sing: “Holy, Holy, Holy; The Lord God Almighty; In three persons, blessed trinity!” Amen!
Thoughts on Holiness
by Sue Shelton
Driving along with my daughter and 7-year-old grandson, I asked them, “What are your thoughts on holiness?”
“Sacred,” said my daughter.
“Like Jesus,” added my grandson.
“It makes me think of holy ground,” said my daughter.
In Exodus 3, Moses encountered God in a burning bush.
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Was this cool? Well, yes and no. How amazing that the mighty God who created the universe and everything in it should approach this man. But what was Moses response? He was afraid, and hid his face!
Holiness is a wonderful thing with connotations of purity, perfection, justice, righteousness and is the essence of God. However, coming into the presence of a Holy God can be an overwhelming experience. Isaiah illustrates this graphically when he writes of his vision of the Lord in Isaiah 6.
“I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.“ What an awesome thing – I love that image. But Isaiah was convinced he was undone. Why was this? He tells us:
“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips.”
Isaiah was afraid of coming, with his impurity, into the presence of a Holy God. How does God deal with Isaiah then? And this is what I love! A seraphim was sent with a burning coal to touch his lips, saying:
“Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
And then came Jesus, the embodiment of God’s Holiness. He reached out and touched the unclean, the sinners, the demon possessed, those with diseases and like the holy coal in Isaiah’s vision, cleansed and healed them.
Jesus is not present in the flesh today, but Jesus death on the cross provided the perfect sacrifice which enables imperfect people to approach a perfect Holy God. I am amazed and grateful at the grace of God shown throughout the scriptures. He reaches out to draw us to himself and all I need to do is to believe and accept this wonderful gift of grace to become his child. And then to top it all off, he sends his Holy Spirit to dwell in his children teaching us, convicting us, empowering us. We are instructed in scripture to be Holy. I Peter 16 states “you shall be Holy for I am Holy.” None of us are perfect. However, the Holy Spirit gives us the desire and the power to journey on the road towards holiness.
The Holiness of God then, is not something to run from but to run to, for through his Son, we have been invited to live in his presence for ever and ever. For the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is our decision to reach out and accept this gift.
Holiness – the Key to Seeing God
by Deborah McDermott
Holiness is undoubtedly the most important requirement for living the abundant Chistian life. It was present in all its fullness in the Garden of Eden and—if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed the Lord—it would have continued to have been as natural a state to them as breathing. Instead, shame and sin entered our world and the call for holiness became God’s command to mankind instead of an expectation born out of a pure two-way relationship.
Another word for holiness is consecration. God’s command to be holy or consecrated first appears in Leviticus. In chapters 11:44 and 19:2 of the New Living Translation we read: “You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” and “you must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” In the New Testament, the apostle Peter alludes to these verses when he says, “…now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy” (1 Peter 1:15 NLT).
The reason why holiness is so important is clearly revealed in Hebrews 12:14 which reads: “…work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NIV). And what is the Father’s will? It is for us to be holy, just as He is holy.
So what exactly does it mean to be holy? Both the Hebrew word (qadosh) and the Greek word (hagios) for ‘holy’ essentially mean the same thing. To quote Strong’s concordance, ‘holy’ and ‘holiness’ are words “frequently used to describe God, the Holy Spirit, and believers who are set apart for God’s purposes. It conveys the idea of moral purity, sanctity, and consecration… emphasizing separation from sin and dedication to God.”
For some people, the mere thought of being holy like God is holy may sound blasphemous, but it isn’t because we have been made in His image and are meant to be like Him (see Genesis 1:27). God, through the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus and the forgiveness of our sins, has reconciled us to Himself. And, as we consecrate ourselves and willingly submit to Him, so He will one day completely restore us back to the position Adam enjoyed before he fell. Just as a loving husband and wife dedicate themselves to looking after each other, so we too need to dedicate ourselves to the Lord with a joyful and pure heart.
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8 NIV). Submitting to and loving the Lord with a pure and loving heart is holiness in a nutshell. And, as we submit, so the Holy Spirit will undergird our consecration and enable us to bear fruit that remains.