YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 7 of 7)

I. What is Holiness?
II. Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
III. Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
IV. The Consequences of Not Being Holy
V. The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
VI. You Are a Temple: The Call to Live as a Holy Person
VII. Do Not Wear Clothes of Wool and Linen Woven Together

DO NOT WEAR CLOTHES OF WOOL AND LINEN WOVEN TOGETHER

"Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled. 10 Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together. 11 Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together." (Deut 22:9-11) (Lev 19:19)

The principle of clean and unclean was given for the people of God to make a distinction between the things that are holy and the things that are common. A parallel to the cleanliness laws is demonstrated through the prohibition against wearing clothing of mixed fibers, planting different crops in the same field, or yoking different animals together. We might be able to reason that varying sizes and strengths make it impractical and potentially harmful to yoke an ox and a donkey together. One of these animals might be forced to carry a greater load, a load beyond its ability, causing injury to the animal.

We have a much greater difficulty understanding the concern about planting different crops in the same field or wearing a garment that is woven of both wool and linen together. (Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, although cotton is loosely referred to linen, but was not available to the Egyptians or Israelites.) The prohibition is not against wearing either linen or wool since both materials were worn by the people of Israel, (Lev 13:48). Nor is the provision against wearing a heavier wool coat over a linen undergarment. Nor is the provision against wearing mixtures of materials that are different from wool and linen such as wool and cotton. The commandment is specifically against wearing a garment containing a mixed material of linen and wool, but why?

Chances are that at any point in time most believers are wearing clothes that are a mixture of different materials. Manufacturers do this to achieve the desired properties of the garment they manufacture. People often avoid materials that are 100% cotton because they tend to shrink when washed. Materials that are 100% wool are warm, but they tend to itch. Materials that are 100% synthetic are sometimes too stiff or do not properly ventilate and tend to make a person sweat. So why does God instruct his people to not wear clothing that is made from the composite materials of line and wool?

In the commandments, the LORD provided beneficial ways of living while demonstrating His deeper spiritual truths. Paul used the prohibition against yoking a donkey and ox together, to tell believers, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers,” (2 Cor 6:14). The prohibition against mixing animals, seeds, and cloth are all part of the greater context of Leviticus chapter nineteen, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy,” (Lev 19:2). Although believers are called to live in the world, we must guard against mixing with the ways of the world. Just like clean and unclean, the prohibition against mixing wool and linen is given to teach us and remind us of a greater spiritual truth.

In scripture, linen is the clothing that priests were commanded to wear when serving in the temple.

“Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. Make tunics, sashes and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them dignity and honor. After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests,” (Ex 28:39-42).

For this reason, David and all the Levites were clothed in linen when they brought the ark from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem.

“Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the singers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.” (1 Chron 15:27)

Linen is consistently seen in the Bible as the clothing of the heavenly beings. The angels in the Book of Revelations who come out of the temple bringing judgments are said to be clothed in “shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests,” (Rev 15:6). The armies of heaven that return with the LORD are said to be “riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean,” (Rev 19:14). Finally, the saints of the Most High, the bride of the Lamb, are made ready by wearing “fine linen, bright and clean…Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev 19:7-8).

Linen comes to represent the purity of heavenly beings and the purity of the saints who are called to be Holy as God is Holy, (Lev 11:44). When God instructed people to not wear garments that are a mixture of linen and wool, He provided a physical picture to remind us that the purity of our walk must not be polluted with the unholy things of this world. Remember, “Bad company corrupts good character,” (1 Cor 15:33). Like most instructions from God, the commandment to not weave a garment mixing wool and linen has both a literal meaning and a spiritual application.

Too often many believers do weave the fabric of this world deeply into their lives. As Gentiles, we may not be obligated to avoid clothing that is composed of a mixed fabric or to avoid planting two types of crops in the same field, but we are called to “Be holy, because I am holy,” (1 Pet 1:16). When our lives become mixed with the world we take on the appearance of the church of Laodicea in the Book of Revelations. The LORD advised the people of Laodicea to buy “white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful nakedness,” (Rev 3:18). In effect, the LORD instructed the people of Laodicea to put on linen garments by performing righteous acts and living spotless lives free from mixing with the wool sins of the world.

Teresa and I had an interesting experience two weeks ago as we search for a new church home in Austin. We attended a church that has an auditorium, but no sanctuary. I do not mean to elevate the church building because it is sanctified by the people who attend who have studied the word, as it is written, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth,” (John 17:17). Yet in this church I saw an abundance of coffee cups, but few noticeable Bibles. Believers are called to be sanctified, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified,” (1 Thes 4:3).   Sanctification begins through the study of the word of God.  How important is sanctification?

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification (holiness) without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14).

 - Scott

YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 6 of 7)

I. What is Holiness?
II. Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
III. Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
IV. The Consequences of Not Being Holy
V. The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
VI. You Are a Temple: The Call to Live as a Holy Person
VII. Do Not Wear Clothes of Wool and Linen Woven Together

YOU ARE A TEMPLE: THE CALL TO LIVE AS A HOLY PERSON

Now comes the most difficult part of the chapter. How do believers demonstrate holiness, especially those who have taken a position that the commandments no longer apply? To paraphrase Peter, “What sort of people are believers and how are believers demonstrating holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Pet 3:11).  In simple terms, what actions make the Christian unique and different from the rest of the world that will prevent believers from melting into the mass of humanity?

Since believers are often compared to the temple (1 Cor 6:19), let us take a few minutes to look at the temple and the articles in the temple. Every object that was dedicated for use in the temple became “HOLY TO THE LORD.” These words were engraved on the golden plate worn on Aaron’s forehead, (Ex 28:36). The phrase both reminded Aaron of the gravity of his responsibility to represent the people before God and the nature of the clothing he was wearing. The phrase “HOLY TO THE LORD” may also have been inscribed on other articles used in the temple to remind the user of their sacredness. Once an article of clothing or a vessel in the temple had been set apart for the LORD, it had to be handled in a manner that reflected the sanctification of the article. Remember, to be made “HOLY” is to set a person or object apart for the service of the LORD, (Lev 20:26).

When God commanded Moses to make implements for the temple, He gave specific instructions that those implements could not be carried beyond the boundary of the temple because they had been made holy. The articles in the temple became sanctified, as Jesus spoke, “What is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?” (Matt 23:17). Once an article is made holy, it can not be used for a common purpose. Elizabeth never said to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, “Could you pick up a few extra dishes from the temple while you are serving next week? We are having company the week after you return.” We know what happen to one man who took the vessels and utensils from the temple and employed them for common use; he was “weighed on the scales and found wanting,” (Dan 5:27).

As part of their inheritance, the priests received a portion from the altar of certain grain and animal offerings. Because these offerings had become holy by contacting the altar, the priests were commanded to take the offerings and “eat it in a holy place” (Lev 10:13), “for it is most holy,” (Lev 10:12). In other words, animals that were offered up on the altar, had to be eaten in the temple complex, with the exception of the Passover Lamb. Earthenware that had been used in the temple, but subsequently became contaminated was broken rather than relegated to a service outside of the temple, (Lev 11:32). While vessels of gold, silver and bronze could be washed (baptized) to restore their sanctification, washing was insufficient to restore common pottery because it was porous and could absorb contaminates.

Everything in the temple was Holy, was to remain Holy, and could not be taken beyond the boundary of the temple into an area that was not Holy. The phrase “be holy, because I am holy” predominately occurs in the book of Leviticus to remind the priests that their actions must reflect the nature of their calling and the environment of their service. The zeal of Jesus to overturn the money-changer tables reflects His desire to maintain the sanctity of the temple.

The scriptures tell us that Jesus “would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple,” (Mark 11:16). Apparently people traveled through the temple as a short cut to get from one side of Jerusalem to the other. In doing this, people diminished the sanctity of the temple by constantly mingling the common objects of life with the holy temple, ignoring the word of God to establish a “divide between the holy and the profane,” (Ezek 42:20). The imagery is unmistakable for believers. Believers are called “priests” (Rev 1:6), made holy by the blood of Jesus. The life of each believer should reflect this sanctified state. A life that constantly mixes the holy and the common profanes the name of the LORD, (Ezek 36:20-23).

When John tells us that “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life,” (Rev 21:27), he is painting a picture of how the New Jerusalem will operate in a sanctified state like the temple. God Himself will dwell in the New Jerusalem and all the people who live there along with all the articles contained in the city will be “HOLY TO THE LORD.” The words of John are supported by Zechariah who wrote,

"In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO THE LORD.” And the cooking pots in the LORD'S house will be like the bowls before the altar. 21 And every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day." (Zech 14:20-21)

The phrase “HOLY TO THE LORD” is the same phrase inscribed on the head-piece worn by the High Priest and written on articles used in the temple. To inscribe this phrase, “on the bells of the horses," (Zech 14:2), requires horses to be located in a Holy place. Horses were generally not allowed in the temple complex. Inscribing “HOLY TO THE LORD” on the bells worn by horses implies that Holiness will extend beyond the temple complex to encompass all of Jerusalem. This understanding is supported by the words of Zechariah who told us that “every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of host.”

Just as in the vision of John, Zechariah is telling the reader of a future time when not only the temple, but all of Jerusalem will be 'HOLY TO THE LORD.'  Isaiah also foresaw this future time and wrote, “Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem,” (Isa 4:3).

The first century Jew went to great lengths to maintain the cleanliness laws, which are analogous to a condition of holiness. Devout Jews avoided people who were unclean and pressured their acquaintances to do the same. This position resulted in the criticism against Jesus for “eating with sinners and tax collectors” (Mark 2:16)(Matt 9:10)(Luke 5:30). Such people were generally unclean because they continually contacted unclean articles, people, and they did not worship in the prescribed manners.

This practice continues even today in the Orthodox Jewish community and runs contrary to our perception of social norms. Many people are offended by the apparent “standoffish” nature of Jewish people, not appreciating that they are trying to maintain a level of holiness because Jews, and Gentile believers, are both commanded to,

“Be Holy, for I Am Holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16)(Lev 19:20-21)

Maybe believers need to be a little more “standoffish” and practice some of the standards of holiness established by scripture and practiced by our forefathers. In a song of David, after the LORD had defeated his enemies, David said, “The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands,” (2 Sam 12:21). David understood that the blessings of the LORD were related to the holiness of David. Paul called believers to maintain a sanctified condition before God saying,.

"Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Rom 12:1)

"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him." (Eph 1:4)(Col 1:22)(Heb 3:1)

“Therefore, ‘Come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the LORD. ‘And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the LORD Almighty,” (2 Cor 6:17-18).

If not greater obedience to the commandments, how will a believer achieve holiness.

(to be continued - Scott)

YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 5 of 7)

I. What is Holiness?
II. Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
III. Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
IV. The Consequences of Not Being Holy
V. The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
VI. Living as a Holy Person
VII Do Not Wear Clothes of Wool and Linen Woven Together

THE CHALLENGE FOR THE 21st CENTURY CHURCH

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him,” (Eph 1:4)

If holiness involves being separate from the world, it becomes difficult to find holiness in many believers within the greater body of the church. Most believers are too assimilated into the world with few discernable differences from the world. If I asked the typical believer, “what makes you different from the world,” how would they respond?

Some believers might speak of their good deeds. While mitzvoth earn merit with the Father, there are many non-believers that perform good deeds for their fellow man. Even corporations perform their “civic duties” and movie actors and royalty are often depicted helping others in need. Theses acts alone do not make a person holy, especially if the balance of an individual’s life is worldly. Some people might say that they go to church or read scripture, but unless those actions are accompanied by a change in “behavior” (1 Pet 1:15), to quote Peter, even good deeds do not make a person holy.

The constant challenge among believers in the Church is to have an impact on the world, without the world having the greater impact on the Church. If the Church fails to maintain separation from the world, then the Church itself will ultimately assimilate into the world and cease to be a separate and unique entity. Therein lies the great danger. The present day Church is too much like the world. Believers too often go to the same places, laugh at the same jokes, watch the same worldly movies, maintain the same level of tolerance to drinking, accept immodest dress codes, and attend questionable social events.  Remember the warning of the apostle John, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world,” (1 John 2:15). What makes any believer different ?

Fifty years ago, the more conservative elements of the Church of Christ generally prohibited drinking, forms of dancing, immodest clothing, inappropriate social gatherings, and the like. The modern Church mocks that type of behavior as outmoded relics from an uptight generation. Laugh as we may at those “hedges,” as the Pharisees would call them, these restrictions kept the greater body of believers from quickly dissolving into the greater mass of humanity, assimilating believers into the body of non-believers. What can we point to today that we can call a hedge?

My brothers and sisters, the church is in great danger of disappearing by assimilating into the world. This process may reflect the beginning of the great apostasy spoken from the mouth of Paul, a time when the “man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship,” (2 Thess 2:3-4). The “man of lawlessness” is a descriptive name indicating that this man will not follow the law or the commandments, nor will he permit anyone to follow the commandments. The commandments separated the people of God from the rest of the world keeping the nation of Israel and the Church holy and unique, a distinct people for the LORD God. This man’s desire is to do away with the things that separate making all people the same. In this condition, NO ONE WILL BE HOLY.

Remember that “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good,” (Rom 7:12). In other words, the Law has the power to make us holy, in that, the obedience to the Law separates us from the people who are not obedient to the law, i.e., the lawless. For this reason, Paul warns that in the latter days many believers “will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires and will turn away their ears from the turn and will turn aside to myths,” (2 Tim 4:3).

A recent article from MarketWatch.com entitled, "10 Things Generation Y Won’t Tell You," lists the general beliefs of children born to baby boomers. Many of these beliefs are not conducive to holiness. For examples, Millennials are said to value “equality and diversity,” which means that all lifestyles and attitudes are acceptable. This blending of all lifestyles runs counter to a position calling for separation, or holiness, and accepts gay marriage, abortion, and other social positions that run counter to scripture. Millennials also tend to be a generation of people that dress and act any they want because, “This is me, and I will go out and represent me true to who I really am.” In other words, Millenials do not feel compelled to any higher standard than the one they personally establish. Many Millenials find the standards and teaching of the church at large, weak as it often is, as too restrictive and intolerant. The expectation of the apostles was for believers to maintain a lifestyle separate from the world. This is reflected in the words of Peter asking the rhetorical question,

“What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,” (2 Pet 3:11).

So what sort of people are we called to be?  People whose lives reflect “holy conduct and godliness.”

(to be continued - Scott)

YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 4 of 7)

I. What is Holiness?
II. Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
III. Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
IV. The Consequences of Not Being Holy
V. The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
VI. Living as a Holy Person
VII Do Not Wear Clothes of Wool and Linen Woven Together

THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BEING HOLY

Why does the LORD God desire His people to be holy? Said another way, what are the consequences for people who are not concerned with maintaining a state of holiness? The Book of Nehemiah ends with the condition of a people who are quickly losing their holiness:

“In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading the wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem.” (Neh 13:15-16)

Nehemiah witnessed a large disregard for the Sabbath. As Gentiles, we might think this is no great sin, yet it is a violation of one of the Ten Commandments given to maintain a separation between the Jewish people and the rest of the world. In other words, the Jewish people were not maintaining their holiness by maintaining the Sabbath, but were becoming common with the world. What do you think would be the consequences of their behavior?

“In those days I saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people…Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priest hood and the Levites.” (Neh 13:23 & 28-29)

The cause and consequence seem straight forward. The Jewish people stopped performing the commandments that were given to keep them holy, a separate and distinct people. As a result, they begin socializing with the nations of the world to the point where even a son of the high priest was marrying the daughter from a foreign nation. If the people of Israel did not return to the commandments, if they did not become holy, the nation would melt into the mixing pot of the world, cease to be a separate and distinct people, Jesus would not have come, and Gentile believers would lack a redeemer.

The man who restored holiness to the people was the prophet Ezra. It is said of Ezra by the later Rabbis, he “was worthy that the Torah should be given to Israel by his hand, were it not that Moses had forestalled him…(since) when the Torah had been forgotten by Israel, Ezra came up from Babylon and restored it.” This high praise of Ezra has some merit in that Moses gave the Torah and Ezra restored the Torah.

The Bible records how on the first day of the seventh month, “Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding,” (Neh 8:2). Ezra stood on a wooden podium (Neh 8:4), then,

“Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up, Then Exra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen!’ while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground…they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading,” (Neh 8:5-8).

Ezra understood that it was necessary for national survival that the people commit themselves to the study and application of the words of Moses. Ezra is credited with establishing the weekly Torah portion (parasha) readings that lead the nation through a complete reading of the five books of Moses each year. When believers read the Bible on a regular basis, they follow a pattern established centuries ago, a pattern that would have been followed in the first century synagogues that Jesus attended. The readings of Moses were later expanded to include portions of the prophets, referred to as the Haftarah. Four hundred years after Ezra, in the synagogue in Galilee, Jesus was called upon to read the weekly portion that had been determined centuries earlier.

Tradition relates that, before his death, Ezra was instrumental in the formation of the “Keneser ha-Gedolah.” This name is translated as “The Great Synagogue” or “The Great Assembly”, or even "The Men of The Great Assembly" since it consisted of officials to act for the whole assembly of Israel, (Ezra 10:14). The Great Assembly existed from the middle of the fifth century until about 200 BC, although some believe it may have ended as early as 300 BC.

By tradition, the Great Assembly consisted of 120 scribes, sages, and prophets, “men who were family heads, one from each family division, all of them designated by name,” (Ezra 10:16). These included the men listed in Nehemiah 10:2-29, along with Ezra, Mordecai, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malichi. The Great Assembly is credited with the inclusion of Ezekiel, Daniel, Esther, and the Twelve Minor Prophets in the biblical canon; the establishment of Purim as a Jewish feast; and the development the Jewish liturgy of prayers and blessings. The Great Assembly left the nation with three overriding principles to govern the continued development of faithfulness among the children of Israel: 

Be deliberate in judging, 
Raise up many disciples, and 
Make a hedge around the Torah.

Believe it or not, the policies of Ezra designed to establish holiness within the Jewish people received much criticism through the centuries and even today. To quote Abraham Cohen,

“Ezra’s policy has been criticized and condemned by Christian theologians – also by Jews occasionally – as responsible for the narrowness which, they allege, characterizes Judaism as a religion. But in retrospect it is evident that the policy was dictated by the circumstances of his age. Professor G.G. Moore has justly remarked, ‘The separateness of the Jew was one of the prime causes of the animosity towards them, especially in the miscellaneous fusion of peoples and syncretism of religions in the Hellenistic kingdoms and the Roman world; but it accomplished its end in the survival of Judaism, and therein history has vindicated it.’”

The efforts of Ezra and his contemporaries was to combat the normal forces of history where minorities melt into the existing majorities. Of all the ancient civilizations of history, only the Jewish people survive to the present as a separate and distinct people. The Jewish people survival was only possible through their adherence to the commandments, which separated them from the other civilizations of the world.

Throughout the Hebrew text, God establishes laws and judgments to keep the people of Israel separated from the other nations. Circumcision, cleanliness, kashrut, and the keeping of Sabbath are all intended to maintain a level of separation between the people of Israel and the surrounding nations. To the degree this separation was maintained, the people of Israel remained a unique people. However, from time to time when these walls of separation were torn down, the people would begin to assimilate with the nations around them. Over time, many Jews ceased to be a separate and distinct people dedicated to the LORD God. In history when complete assimilation was close, the LORD God brought persecution on the Jewish people from the days of Egypt to Spain to Germany in the 20th century.

(to be continued - Scott)

YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 3 of 7)

I. What is Holiness?
II. Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
III. Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
IV. The Consequences of Not Being Holy
V. The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
VI. Living as a Holy Person
VII. Do Not Wear Cloths of Wool and Linen Woven Together

TEACHING HOLINESS THROUGH THE LAWS OF CLEANLINESS

“Distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.” (Lev 10:10-11)(Ezek 44:23)

To help teach the principle of holiness to the people of Israel, the LORD God set forth the commandments related to “clean” and “unclean.” The laws of cleanliness were given to teach the believer to “distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and clean.” In other places the distinction is referred to as “the holy and the profane,” (Ezek 22:26). Paul draws on this understanding encouraging believers to,

“Cleanse ourselves…perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” (2 Cor 7:1).

The term “unclean” is not synonymous with “sinfulness” because people can become unclean through the normal activities of life and not due to any fault of their own. “Clean” and “unclean” teach us that God makes distinctions even in areas where the average person would not make a distinction. Historically, believers gloss over distinctions in the Bible because we are “All one in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:28).

However, oneness does not mean sameness. God is a God of distinctions. One of His names is “Hamavdil,” The One Who separates. He formed the earth separating light from dark, the waters above from the water below, separating sea from dry ground, male from female…between the holy and profane…between the seventh day and the six days of work. Clean and unclean are important distinctions which God has chosen to make in scripture because they teach us to distinguish between the holy and the common.

Becoming clean and maintaining a state of cleanliness is seen by the Jew as an important step on the path toward developing holiness that allows a person to receive the Spirit of God.

“Zeal leads to cleanliness, cleanliness to ritual purity, ritual purity to self-control, self-control to holiness, holiness to humility, humility to fear of sin, fear of sin to saintliness, and saintliness to the Holy Spirit.” (Sot. IX:15) (Everyman’s Talmud, “Revelation,” page 121)

The original commandments were given to prepare each Israelite to come into the presence of the LORD, Who dwelt above the mercy seat in the temple, as it is written, “Do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you,” (2 Cor 6:17). In the wilderness, the people did not approach the holy mountain of the LORD until they first became clean. Preparing to approach the LORD in a clean condition remains an unchanging principle in scripture. The writer of Hebrews draws on this understanding instructing each believer to draw near to God “with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts, sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water,” (Heb 10:22).

The cleanliness laws have received much criticism from the modern believer as to “legalistic” and “outdated” for a salvation gospel that focuses primarily on the LORD’S mercy and man’s inadequacy. While the laws of cleanliness should not be seen as a complete means to an end, meaning they should not take precedent over loving my neighbor or worshipping God, they should be seen as profitable in developing a level of discipline that is very much lacking in the present day believers life. Am I saying that we are commanded to maintain the laws of cleanliness above all else? Certainly not!!!

What I am saying is that the laws of cleanliness, along with the laws of Kashrut, and observance of the Sabbath, all develop discipline in our life to the degree we purpose in our heart to keep them. “Godliness” is closely associated with “holy conduct” (2 Pet 3:11), which is achieved through a lifestyle of discipline, as Paul wrote to Timothy,

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Tim 4:8)

(to be continued - Scott)

YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 2 of 7)

I. What is Holiness?
II. Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
III. Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
IV. The Consequences of Not Being Holy
V. The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
VI. Living as a Holy Person
VII. Do Not Wear Cloths of Wool and Linen Woven Together

HOLINESS IS A BEHAVIOR NOT A COVERING

The phrase “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” occurs throughout scripture, but the most frequent occurrences are in the Book of Leviticus.  The phrase is the solution to the conclusion of Exodus, when the glory of the LORD filled the temple and no person, not even Moses, could enter, (Ex 40:35).  To enter a holy place and stand in the presence of a Holy God, the priests themselves would have to become holy.   

Peter’s statement “Be holy yourselves also in all you behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be Holy, for I Am Holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16), expresses the understanding that this responsibility is not limited to the priests alone, but remains in effect on the individual believer even in the Greek text.  "Be holy" speaks to individual responsibility, which the rabbis understood:

“If you make yourselves holy, I ascribe it to you as though you had sanctified Me; but if you do not make yourselves holy, I ascribe it to you as though you have not sanctified Me.” (Everyman's Talmud, page 24)

So how is the holiness of the priest achieved in the Book of Leviticus?   The call to “Be Holy, for I Am Holy,” is subsequently connected to an action that results in holiness, such as, 

“Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Every one of you shall reverence his mother and his father, and you shall keep My Sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.” (Lev 19:20-21)

It is obedience to the commandments, referred to as “holy and righteous and good” (Rom 7:12), that make the people of God holy, as it is written,

“Remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God,” (Num 15:40)

Even the apostle Paul saw the attainment of holiness as a process achieved through the actions, not the faith, of believers.

“Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor 7:1) AND

“Put on the new self, which is the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Eph 2:24)

In both of the statements, Paul saw holiness as an act manifested by the believer following the pattern of the Creator. Believers are called to serve the LORD God in a manner of holiness, as Zacharias prophesized at the birth of John the Baptist, we are called to “Serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days,” (Luke 1:72).

Holiness is not defined by a single action or group of actions, but, in the words of Peter, a "behavior" expressed in the words of Paul.

“Blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among who you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the world of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain.” (Phil 2:15-16)

(to be continued - Scott)

YOU SHALL BE HOLY (Part 1 of 7)

   I.  What is Holiness?
  II.  Holiness is a Behavior Not a Covering
 III.  Teaching Holiness Through the Laws of Cleanliness
 IV.  The Consequences of Not Being Holy
  V.  The Challenge for the 21st Century Church
 VI.  Living as a Holy Person
VII.  Do Not Wear Cloths of Wool and Linen Woven Together

WHAT IS HOLINESS?

“Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be Holy, for I Am Holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

The words of Peter call all believers to mirror the attributes of “the Holy One” and to “be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” In my limited observation, typical believers have two difficulties with Peter’s statement.

First, believers can not easily define “holiness” nor provide a list of attributes that demonstrate “holiness.” Second, while believers appreciate that holiness is a characteristic of God who is referred to as “holy, holy, holy” (Isa 6:3), most hold to a position that the LORD bestows this holiness on believers through faith independent of any obligation on their part. This is simply not the scriptural understanding since individual holiness is not a covering, but as Peter describes it, a “behavior,” (1 Peter 1:15).

The Hebrew word for “holy” is “qodesh” meaning sacred or apartness. The act of separating or setting apart, a person, place, or article for use by God, makes it holy. In reference to the nation of Israel, the LORD said, “Thus you are to be holy to Me for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the people to be Mine,” (Lev 20:26). The first reference to “holy” in scripture was in regards to the place where Moses stood in the presence of the LORD,

“Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground,” (Ex 3:5).

The area of the burning bush was “holy ground” because it was set apart with the LORD from the rest of creation. The apostles were referred to in scripture as “holy” (Eph 3:5), in part, because they were set apart for the preaching of the gospel, “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them,’” (Acts 13:2).

The Greek word for holy is “hagios,” which is understood to be the absence of any fault or impurity. In reference to the Creator, both the Hebrew and Greek definitions are applicable. The LORD God stands apart from everything that defiles in a state of absolute perfection. Holiness begins with the LORD God; “Holy, Holy, Holy the LORD God, the Almighty, Who was and Who is And Who is to come,” (Rev 4:8). The LORD God is “Holy, Holy, Holy,” because the Creator is separate and perfect. This perfection is beyond the attainment of any human being. From Everyman's Talmud,

“In the text, ‘For He is a holy God’ (Josh 24:19), the adjective has a plural form, which is explained to mean, ‘He is holy with all kinds of holiness,’ i.e. He is the perfection of holiness.” (Ber 13a)

The problem with only applying the Greek definition, independent from the original Hebrew, is that the obligation for holiness is placed completely upon the Creator since man is not capable of perfection. The Greek understanding alone would make it impossible to fulfill the commandment, “Be Holy, for I Am Holy,” because that level of perfection is unobtainable by mankind. However, Peter defines holiness in terms of what a person can do, “be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” Since we can control many aspects of our behavior, we can take steps to become holy.

The word “sanctification” (Greek – hagiazo) is closely connected in scripture to “holiness” (Greek - hagios). Believers often call the place of meeting the “Sanctuary” because we have separated this place from the rest of the world. To sanctify is to separate for the purpose of using in God’s service, which is to make holy. Believers are called to be separated (sanctified) from the common for “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified,” (1 Thes 4:3). How important is sanctification? The Hebrew writer warns believers that

“without (sanctification, i.e, holiness)…no one will see the LORD,” (Heb 12:14).

That theological understanding goes against the grain of most believers who feel that their access to the LORD is independent of their own behavior.  In the typical mindset, believers see no need to strive toward holiness, but without holiness, "no one will see the LORD."

In scripture, holiness is ascribed to those created beings, places, or articles that the LORD God has called to be separated from the world for His purpose. The following are a few examples referred to in scripture as holy:

Angels (Rev 14:10),
Apostles and prophets (Eph 3:5),
John the Baptist (Mark 6:20),
Faith is called Holy (Jude 20),
The nation of Israel (Lev 20:26)
The church is referred to as holy and blameless (Eph 5:27),
The covenant with Abraham (Luke 1:72),
Women in former times who hoped in God (1 Pet 3:5),
The law (Rom 7:12), and the commandments (2 Pet 2:21),
The scriptures (Rom 1:2),
The city of Jerusalem from above (Rev 21:2),
The Temple (Heb 13:11, Eph 2:21),
The priesthood, (1 Pet 2:5),
God’s servant Jesus (Mark Acts 4:27),
The Father (John 17:11), and of course the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 2:21).

(Howdy from Austin.  Pray all is going well.  Scott)