"but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."" -1 Peter 1:15-16
God is holy. I know that. I sing songs about God's holiness. I preach about God's holiness. I even share with others about God's holiness. Yet my functional view of holiness isn't always biblical. I say that because I don't always live my life like I believe God is holy. Often my days are rank with my own unholiness. Mentally I affirm this sound, scriptural truth: God is holy. But practically, I am far from perfect.
Does this describe your life at all? If you are anything like me then you will sympathize with me on this. I want to take some time to remind you that the one who called you is holy. God above, Lord of all the earth, the living God, Jehovah of Hosts, is a holy God. He is holy in that He never sins. He is absolutely and totally morally pure. There is no evil in God. He is also holy in that He is totally separate from sinners. God's holiness sets Him apart from our sinful lives. Sin drives us from the presence of the Lord and sets up a barrier between us. There is no one like the Lord.
But...
"For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." -Hebrews 10:14
If you've trusted Christ as your Savior, God has positionally made you holy. If you are saved, when God looks at you, a sinner saved by His grace through faith in Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection, He sees the righteousness of Christ. In His eyes, you are holy. You may draw near to God and He will draw near to you because of this positional holiness. Isaiah 57:15 says, "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." What a privilege to be considered to be completely holy by a holy God.
Yet we still sin. Practically we are still unholy human beings. Our flesh desires to fulfill its lusts. Our pride desires to exalt itself high above the throne of heaven. That is why God is making us holy. He is working in us. He will complete the work until the day of Jesus Christ. He will finish the job. And He expects us to do our part. The Holy Spirit commands through the words of the apostle Peter, "be holy in all your conduct". That means we need to put an effort forth. Do your best. Be holy. Positionally you are holy. Now go and work towards making it practical as well. Let God's holiness permeate your entire life and practice until it is complete and grown to full maturity. You will always have room for progress. God desires that from you.
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse oursleves from al filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." -2 Corinthians 7:1
Showing posts with label Holiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiness. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Truths About The Living God - 2 Kings 19:4, 16
2 Kings 19:4, 16
"It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left....Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God."
This passage is very similar to the previous passage we looked at in 1 Samuel. The same word reproach is used in both passages. What does it mean?
First of all, let's look at the word as a verb, since that is the way it is used here. There are a few definitions:
1. To charge with a fault in a severe language.
2. To upbraid; to suggest blame for any thing.
3. To treat with scorn or contempt.
Reproach as a noun is defined as:
1. Censure mingled with contempt or derision; contumelious or opprobrious language towards any person; abusive reflections; as foul-mouthed reproach.
2. Shame; infamy; disgrace.
3. Object of contempt, scorn or derision.
4. That which is the cause of shame or disgrace.
If you read the context of these verses, you'll see the whole story. The king of Assyria and his minions were boasting against Israel and against God, mocking them, and reproaching the living God. The Assyrians did not realize who they were dealing with. This is the living God they're speaking so disrespectfully about. They classified Jehovah with all the false gods of the day. Little did they know, they were extremely wrong, and they would soon receive their just reward. Look at what happens to these wicked people:
"And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses--all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place." - 2 Kings 19:35-37
What do we learn about the living God?
As we have previously seen, the living God is to be taken seriously. He is the one and only living God. He is infinitely holy, set apart from all other things. It is a serious thing to mock Jehovah, and to treat Him with scorn, or to speak wrongfully about Him. It is a fearful thing to be contrary to the living God. Those who blaspheme Him will ultimately pay the price, as Sennacherib got what he deserved. But those of us who are saved by Jesus Christ must every day acknowledge God's holiness. He deserves all we can give Him. Some have tried to display God as our "buddy," but God is not our buddy. He is the living, almighty God. We must display reverence to Him. It is true, God loves us and desires a close relationship with Him, but He must be honored, as a child should honor his father.
When we have a correct view of God, which is a high one, we will have a correct view of ourselves, which will be a humble one. We also will see sin for what it is: an attack on God. So having a correct view of God will lead to a life of holiness, which is what we should all be striving for. As we strive to be holy, we must not do it on our own strength, because we will surely fail. We must always depend on the Holy Spirit to enable us to live a holy life. Do you have a correct view of God? If you do, you will not tolerate sin in your own life.
"It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left....Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God."
This passage is very similar to the previous passage we looked at in 1 Samuel. The same word reproach is used in both passages. What does it mean?
First of all, let's look at the word as a verb, since that is the way it is used here. There are a few definitions:
1. To charge with a fault in a severe language.
2. To upbraid; to suggest blame for any thing.
3. To treat with scorn or contempt.
Reproach as a noun is defined as:
1. Censure mingled with contempt or derision; contumelious or opprobrious language towards any person; abusive reflections; as foul-mouthed reproach.
2. Shame; infamy; disgrace.
3. Object of contempt, scorn or derision.
4. That which is the cause of shame or disgrace.
If you read the context of these verses, you'll see the whole story. The king of Assyria and his minions were boasting against Israel and against God, mocking them, and reproaching the living God. The Assyrians did not realize who they were dealing with. This is the living God they're speaking so disrespectfully about. They classified Jehovah with all the false gods of the day. Little did they know, they were extremely wrong, and they would soon receive their just reward. Look at what happens to these wicked people:
"And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses--all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place." - 2 Kings 19:35-37
What do we learn about the living God?
As we have previously seen, the living God is to be taken seriously. He is the one and only living God. He is infinitely holy, set apart from all other things. It is a serious thing to mock Jehovah, and to treat Him with scorn, or to speak wrongfully about Him. It is a fearful thing to be contrary to the living God. Those who blaspheme Him will ultimately pay the price, as Sennacherib got what he deserved. But those of us who are saved by Jesus Christ must every day acknowledge God's holiness. He deserves all we can give Him. Some have tried to display God as our "buddy," but God is not our buddy. He is the living, almighty God. We must display reverence to Him. It is true, God loves us and desires a close relationship with Him, but He must be honored, as a child should honor his father.
When we have a correct view of God, which is a high one, we will have a correct view of ourselves, which will be a humble one. We also will see sin for what it is: an attack on God. So having a correct view of God will lead to a life of holiness, which is what we should all be striving for. As we strive to be holy, we must not do it on our own strength, because we will surely fail. We must always depend on the Holy Spirit to enable us to live a holy life. Do you have a correct view of God? If you do, you will not tolerate sin in your own life.
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