2 Aspects of Holiness No One Thinks About
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When I was growing up in church, holiness was a main theme that was spoken about often. If it wasn’t coming from the pulpit, there were plenty of church mothers and leaders around to remind you about the importance of living holy. I guess I am revealing how long I have been in church if I am talking about church mothers. To my dismay there doesn’t seem to be a lot of teaching or preaching about holiness anymore and to be honest I don’t know why. It’s like the pendulum has swung in a different direction, and to talk about living holy almost feels like taboo. Yet the Bible is clear about its stance on holiness and that has not changed. In case you were wondering, here are some verses to remind you.
I want you to pay attention to what God is asking for. A living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing. When you do this, you are actually offering true and proper worship. We often think of worship as something that comes out of our mouth. What you see here is that true worship that comes from your mouth must be connected to worship that comes from your life. If the life you live does not match the worship that comes from your mouth, then it is not true and proper worship. Look at what God says about this in Isaiah.
What was missing from their worship was the connection to the heart. The reason why this matters is because the heart is the center for what you say and do. True worship therefore begins in the heart. It then proceeds out of the mouth and finally is lived out in your everyday life. This is why your holiness matters, because it allows for true and proper worship. You cannot worship God with your mouth unless you worship him with your life. The two are connected and cannot be separated.
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There are two words that are closely associated with holiness in the Bible. Those two words are consecration and sanctification. Consecration is when you set apart a person, thing, or place as sacred and for God to use. I think you would agree that this sounds like the definition for holiness. The other word is sanctification. The Greek word for sanctification is hagiasmos which means holiness. To sanctify therefore means to make holy.
A more generic definition for sanctification is to set something apart so it can return to the function that it was intended for by its designer. In other words, your holiness positions you so that you can be what God created you to be. If you reject holiness, then you will never fully become what God has created you to become. You will also never fully do what God has designed you to do. As my old pastor used to say, “you will live beneath your privilege.”
When you live a holy life, that allows you – or at least sets you up – to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Without holiness you may be able to function, but your will not live up to or complete what God has for you in your life. If you want to be all that God desires you to be, and if you want to do all that God has planned for you to do, then holiness is not simply a requirement. It is a must.
I want you to go back to God’s original intention. Be holy because I am holy. I also want you to focus on how this will happen in your life. Holiness will come when you set yourself apart and give more room for the Holy Spirit to operate in your life.
When you come into agreement with the Holy Spirit and the word of God, you are on the path to living a holy life. As you make this commitment, it will allow more of his character to shine through. When that happens, you will make better choices and most importantly he will empower you to live the life that God desires you to live. Remember holiness still matters to God and it should matter to you as well.
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