First, we need to know what the word “holy” means. Then we need to know who and what the word “holy” is ascribed to and what it means to be holy.
These days, some people use it to express astonishment, surprise or as a swear word, which is not an appropriate or correct use of holy or holiness. Dictionaries describe HOLY as: Sacred. Dedicated/consecrated to God for a divine or religious purpose. Possessing a state of spiritual and moral purity. Completely distinct from the ordinary world.
The Greek word is “HAGIOS”: Pure, Morally blameless. The Hebrew word is “KODESH”: Consecrated, Dedicated or Sacred to a righteous or sanctified purpose.
Separated from everyday common use to fulfil a specific divine purpose. At its core, the word HOLY means: Completely pure. Morally blameless. Exclusively and specifically designed. Fully set apart for divine/religious purposes and activities only. Not for everyday common use.
HOLY inherently refers to God ALONE. As He is: Utterly Unique. Distinct and set apart. Only one of His kind/nature worthy of worship & adoration.
Signifies His absolute perfection and majesty. He is the opposite of human imperfection.
Dictionary Definition: A state or quality of being holy. A life totally devoted to God. It is used for anything associated/linked to God, highlighting that only God is inherently perfectly holy.
Holy: 606-690 times in the bible. Old Testament, 430 times. New Testament, 229 times.
Holiness: 1080 times in the bible. Old Testament, over 850 times. New Testament, over 230 times.
The “Three Holies: “holy, holy, holy” appears twice in all of Scripture, Isaiah 6:3 / Revelation 4:8. This shows the importance of “HOLY” and “HOLINESS”.
Who and what is “holy” ascribed to, and what does it mean to be holy? Being holy is inherent to God alone. Let us look at the Names of God as these reflect His Being, Character and Purpose, making Him holy.
YHWH (LORD): I AM THAT I AM. Self-Existing. He is Life. He doesn’t need anyone to exist, Exodus 3:13-15.
EL ELYON / EL SHADDAI: Most High. Almighty. Universally Supreme authority. To be worshipped, Exodus3:5 / 4:29-31 / Genesis 35:11 / Job 5:17.
EL OLAM: Everlasting. Eternal. Has no beginning and no end, Psalm 90:2 / Isaiah 40:28.
ADONAI: Lord, Master, John 13:13-14 / Luke 6:46.
ELOHIM: Triune God. Creator. Everything is made for His glory and will, Genesis 1 / Genesis 2 / Exodus 3:4-6 / Exodus 4:11 / Isaiah 43:7 / Romans 11:36 / Colossians 1:16 / Revelation 4:11.
YHWH SABAOTH: LORD of Hosts (armies). He has Sovereign control. All earthly and celestial beings do His will. e.g., locusts, Joel 2:25; Babylonians, Jeremiah 25:9; spirit beings, 2 Kings 6:16-17.
OMNIPOTENT: All-powerful. Indestructible. Limitless in ability to act, Exodus 3-15.
OMNISCIENT: He knows all the past, present, and future, innermost thoughts and motives of all beings. All-wise, 1 John 3:20 / Psalm 139:1-4 / Psalm 147:5.
OMNIPRESENT: He is everywhere at the same time. Spans all of space and time. Sees everything, Psalm 139:7-12.
IMMUTABLE: Unchanging and Cannot be changed. Faithful and trustworthy. Therefore, He is Truth and cannot lie, Hebrews 6:18 / Titus 1:2.
IMMANENT: Intimately Relational. Involved in all His creation, Acts 17:28 / Genesis 3:8 / Isaiah 7:14 / Psalm 34:18.
COVENANTAL: Binds Himself through promises and agreements, Genesis 9:11-16 / Genesis 12:1-3.
MISSIO DEI: Missional God with plans and purposes (e.g., the saving of mankind, John 3:16.
AGAPE: Selfless, sacrificial, unconditional, highest love. Basis of His Being, Romans 5:8 / 1 Corinthians 13 / 1 John 4:8 / 1 John 4:16.
These Names encompass all His attributes: e.g. His love, holiness, power, and justice. It’s visible for all to see. People expressed this when they have had an experience with Him:
ABBA: Father. Deeply personal, parental, respectful, loving, and approachable aspect of God.
EL ROI: The God who sees. Hagar in the wilderness, Genesis 16. Cry of Israel in Egypt, Exodus 3:7-9. Jesus, Gethsemane, Luke 22:39-43.
YHWH NISSI: The LORD is My Banner, Exodus 17:15.
YHWH SHAMMAH: The LORD Is There, Ezekiel 48:35.
YHWH SHALOM: The LORD Is Peace, John 14:27 / Philippians 4:7.
YHWH RAAH: The LORD My Shepherd, Psalm 23:1.
YHWH JIREH: The LORD Will Provide or See To It, Genesis 22:14 / Philippians 4:19.
YHWH QANNA: The Jealous or Zealous LORD, Exodus 34:14.
YHWH RAPHA: The LORD Who Heals, Exodus 15:26.
YHWH TSIDKENU: The LORD Our Righteousness, Jeremiah 23:6 / Jeremiah 33:16.
YHWH MEKODDISHKEM: The LORD Who Sanctifies You, Leviticus 22:31.
YHWH MAGEN: The LORD My Protector / Shield, Genesis 15:1 / Psalm 18:22.
God alone is Holy and Sovereign. He states directly that He is holy: Primarily in Leviticus, Leviticus 11:44-45, Leviticus 19:1-2, and Exodus, Exodus 3:14 / Exodus 15:11 / Exodus 20:3, and referenced in the New Testament, Revelation 15:4 / 1 Timothy 6:15-16.
He considers His Name holy, and it should be known among His people and all nations. It must not be profaned or disrespected, as this would end in death, Leviticus 24:10-23 / Ezekiel 39:7-8.
Utterly unique: No one in all creation is like Him. Not Satan or even mankind, who is made in his image and likeness. This makes Him set apart in every way and worthy of love, worship, adoration and obedience.
The Holy Spirit is the power through which the triune God accomplishes His will. He is the power given to mankind to develop godly character. When allowed to lead, His fruit is seen: agape love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23 / Psalm 51:11.
Seeing God, See His Glory, His Goodness/Name/Character. Some describe it as: Bright. Pure light. Shekinah. An Awesome Sight. So bright because no darkness/evil is in Him, 1 John 1:5.
In fact, God is so holy that no human can look at His true form and live, Exodus 33:20. When Moses spent a long time in God’s presence, his face shone so brightly that people could not look at him. He had to wear a veil until the brightness faded.
Moses seeing God’s back: Exodus 33:12-23 / Exodus 34:1-8. God was pleased and gracious to Moses. Moses desired to remain in God’s grace and for God to teach him His ways so He could live right and teach others. That is being holy.
Moses asked God to show him His glory. He wanted to fully see God. The LORD said He would proclaim His Name while all His goodness passed in front of Moses, but Moses could not see His face, for no one may see God and live.
Moses stood on a rock on Sinai, and as God’s glory passed by, God put him in its cleft and covered Moses with His hand (no peeking!) until He passed by. Then God removed His hand so Moses could see only His back. As God passed in front of Moses, He proclaimed His Name and who He is:
In other words, God is Almighty, Creator, Agape, Gracious, Patient and a Righteous Judge. Moses automatically bowed to the ground and worshipped.
Ezekiel in Babylonian exile sees the glory of God: Ezekiel 1. He describes it as an immense cloud with flashing lightning surrounded by brilliant light.
The centre of the fire looked like glowing metal, with four fiery-looking, human-like creatures with four faces, wings, human hands, straight legs and calf-like feet gleaming like burnished bronze and wings. Bright fire moved back and forth among them, and lightning flashed out of it.
They sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. Beside each was a humongous sparkling wheel intersecting wheel full of eyes. Their wings sounded like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army.
Above their heads was what looked like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. Above this was a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. From his waist up, it looked like glowing metal full of fire, and from his waist down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.
Ezekiel thought it looked like the shekinah glory of the LORD he read about. When he saw it, he fell face down. I would have been in awe and shock, with my mouth open wide!!
Jesus transfigured: Matthew 17:1-8. Peter, James and John, while on a mountain, saw Jesus transfigured, showing some of His true nature. He shone so brightly that the gospel writers described that His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. The worship and wanted to stay there forever.
John, in Revelation 1:12-17, sees Jesus and describes his hair as pure white like snow, his eyes like blazing fire. His feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of rushing waters, coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword and His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. An awesome sight to behold! He bows down and worships.
Elijah hearing God: 1 Kings 19:1-13. Elijah, after his confrontation with the idolatrous prophets of Baal, flees from Queen Jezebel. God uses ravens to feed him meat and instructs him to go to Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai).
A series of powerful natural phenomena occurs: a strong wind, an earthquake, and fire, but the Lord is not present in any of these. Finally, Elijah hears a “still small voice”, the gentle voice of God. And he goes out to talk to God. God, in His gentleness, wisdom and love, comforts, encourages and helps Elijah. An amazing part of God that we sometimes forget.
The “Three Holies”: “holy, holy, holy” appears twice in Scripture. It means completely and perfectly holy and is ascribed only to the triune God (Father, Son and Spirit).
Recorded once in the Old Testament, Isaiah 6:1-7: Isaiah wrote: Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne and the train of his robe filled the temple. The foundations shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. Seraphim with six wings were flying around calling out: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!
Isaiah was terrified. He recognised God’s holiness and awe, his sins, guilt and unworthiness; with death being the judgement of seeing God, the LORD of hosts!” But he was cleansed when one of the seraphim touched his mouth with a burning coal from the altar, removing his guilt and sin.
And once in the New Testament, in Revelation 4: John, on the island of Patmos, in the spirit, was taken into heaven and saw God seated on the throne. God had the appearance of precious stones jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.
Flashes of lightning and thunder came from the throne, and before the throne were seven torches of fire, representing the seven spirits of God, and before the throne was a sea of glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, four flying living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind, looking like a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle, were constantly saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” They gave glory, honour and thanks to God, who lives forever and ever”.
Then twenty-four enthroned elders fell down, casting their crowns before the throne, worshipping God, saying: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
God’s holiness distinguishes Him from all creation, in heaven and on earth, emphasising His moral purity and transcendence (superiority, supremacy, predominance and pre-eminence). God’s holiness calls for worship, fear, awe, reverence and obedience. There’s a danger we may be too casual in our approach to God today in our daily lives.
The bible, the Holy Scriptures, is inspired by God (God-breathed). It is His written down words, His letters to us: Romans 7:12 / 2 Timothy 3:15-16. It is holy and good because it is God’s instructions and commands to guide us through life and to teach us to be thoroughly equipped for every good work so we can be righteous, holy, pleasing and acceptable to Him.
The basis of it and the winding thread through it all is the greatest command to agape-love God with all our being (heart, soul, mind and strength) and agape-love others as ourselves.
God’s presence makes places holy, e.g. Moses at the burning bush; Joshua before crossing the Jordan. Basically, take off your dirty shoes before you come any further. It was also a sign of respect and submission, Exodus 3:5 / Exodus 5:15.
Israel’s camp in the wilderness and the tabernacle were to be clean and holy. They were to go to the toilet outside the camp. God should not see anything indecent or unclean when He walked among them, Deuteronomy 23:12-14. The tabernacle, the temple and heaven, places where God dwells, are considered holy, Psalm 11:4.
Canaan was God’s holy land. He punished and drove out the Canaanites because their evil practices defiled them and the land. This resulted in the land vomiting them out of the place.
God declares ownership of the land of Canaan to Israel, telling them the land was His and they were foreigners and His tenants. They too will be driven out if they defiled it, Leviticus 25:23 / Leviticus 18:24-29.
God gave many specific instructions on foods and items (e.g. utensils, clothing, health, etc.) that were clean and unclean for Israel, so they could be holy in His sight. Even the anointing oil was sacred.
Those who misused it or tried to duplicate it were punished by the Lord. Disobedience could result in death, e.g. Nadab and Abihu, Exodus 26:34 / Exodus 29:33 / Exodus 30:31-38 / Leviticus 2:3 / Leviticus 10:1-11 / Leviticus 11 / Ezekiel 40:1 / Exodus 42:13.
God gave Israel many special days and feasts, e.g. Sabbath day of rest, Passover, Feast of Trumpets, etc, to remind them of what God has done for them, Genesis 2:3 / Exodus 16:23 / Leviticus 23 / Leviticus 25:12 / Hebrews 4:1-11.
Remember, at its core, the word HOLY means: Completely Pure. Morally blameless. Exclusively and specifically designed. Fully set apart for divine or religious purposes and activities only. Not for everyday common use.
Only God, YHWH, is inherently utterly unique and holy. He makes things and people holy. The Basis of being holy is AGAPE-love for God and others. Holiness is a state of being holy or the quality of being holy. It is a life totally devoted to God. Holy people love and obey God.
Seven times in the Bible, God commands humanity to consecrate themselves and be holy because He is holy. Three times in Leviticus, Leviticus 11:44 / Leviticus 11:45 / Leviticus 19:2, and is repeated four times in the New Testament.
Mankind was uniquely created in God’s very own image and likeness to display God’s glory and be in a joyful, loving, faithful, obedient, close parent-child relationship with Him.
Unfortunately, Adam and Eve disobeyed God, let sin into our world and fell from holiness. The light of life in them was now replaced with the darkness of sin and its resultant spiritual death (an immediate separation from a close spiritual relationship with God); and physical death (slow ageing of our physical bodies with the subsequent separation of the soul and spirit from the physical body), Genesis 1:26 / Genesis 3:21-24.
All through the scriptures we find the following.
Enoch (five generations from Adam). Noah (Enoch’s great-grandson and Methuselah’s grandson). Abraham and his wife Sarah. Moses. Elizabeth and Mary. Jesus.
(Five generations from Adam). Walked with God, and is faithful, even prophesying about God’s judgement against sin in an evil world. Guess no one listened to him. One day, no one could find him. He did not die. He just walked with God all the way to heaven. How wonderful, Jude 14-15.
Enoch’s great-grandson and Methuselah’s grandson. A holy God so emotionally distraught and grieved by man’s corruption and violent acts of disobedience decides to destroy the whole earth to remove sin and evil from His sight, though it grieves Him. But Noah’s faith and righteous life set him apart from the rest of the world. He finds agape, grace and favour with God.
God sets Noah apart and calls him at five hundred years old. God commands him to build an ark with exact specifications. Though it took him one hundred years, Noah did it all faithfully, exactly as God commanded, while preaching to others. Only Noah and his family, eight in all, with the animals and birds, enter the ark and are saved.
They are cleansed in the flood, which represents their baptism, as the ark is completely covered by the deluge of water from above, below and all sides. Their faith in God sustains them as God protects them in the ark.
Once out of the ark, Noah offers God a sacrifice of thanksgiving which pleases God. God blesses Noah and has a covenant between Himself and all creation, Genesis 6-9 / Genesis 6:5-6 / Psalm 78:40 / Mark 3:5 / 1 Peter 3:19-20 / 2 Peter3:5-6.
God calls him and sets him apart for himself. He tells him to go from his idolatrous country and father’s household to a land He will show him and give him as an inheritance. God promises to bless him, make him great, protect him, make his descendants into a great nation, and through him everyone on the earth will be blessed.
Abraham and Sarah believe, trust and obey God. They take all they have, expecting never to return and cross the great Euphrates River (which serves as a form of rebirth and cleansing). They live in the land of Canaan and its surrounding areas as nomads, apart from the people.
Abraham worshipped and offered animal sacrifices to God as prescribed by God. God credited Abraham as righteous (holy) and called him His prophet and friend, because he continued to love, believe, trust and obey God in all things, including waiting twenty-five years before Isaac was born and being willing to sacrifice Isaac when commanded, though God provided the animal in the end.
He had a close relationship with God. God who spoke to him a few times and even visited him. God was faithful in keeping all His promises to Abraham, Genesis 12-24 / Genesis 20:7 / James 2:23.
God chooses Moses and sets him apart from birth to save Israel from horrendous bondage and slavery in Egypt. He saves and protects him from being killed as a baby.
After murdering an Egyptian and fleeing to the desert, God prepares him to be a Shepherd, carer and helper. At the burning bush, God sends Moses (with Aaron’s help) back to Egypt to confront Pharaoh, the hard-hearted, wicked king of Egypt.
God shows His glory, goodness and holiness through ten plagues of judgement on all the gods and people of Egypt. Before the last plague of death of the firstborn, God protects Israel by giving specific instructions on how to kill and eat the Passover lamb and put its blood on their doorposts to protect and cover the people from His righteous judgement. God saves and frees Israel and ensures the Egyptians give them many gifts, Exodus 12 / Exodus 13:1-16.
God leads Israel to the Red Sea and baptises them into Moses as they walk through it, with a wall of seawater on either side and the cloud or Shekinah of God above them.
At Mount Sinai, God informs Israel that they are now His holy people. He tells them if they obey His voice and keep His covenant, of all the peoples on the earth, they alone shall be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to Him.
Through Moses, God leads them and gives them the Shema (the greatest command, to love Him with all their heart, soul and strength); the Ten Commandments and many laws, statutes and extremely detailed instructions on how to live and have a relationship with Him and each other, and remain holy.
They had elaborate and extremely detailed instructions on cleansing, dedication, vow making, clothing, sacrifices, foods, drink and daily living, so they could remain holy and be in God’s presence. They needed to be different in their heart and conduct, compared to the other idolatrous nations around them.
Moses led them, taught them to obey God and constantly prayed and interceded for them, and God answered Him, Exodus 15-32 / Leviticus 21:1-6 / Numbers 6:8 / Numbers 6:11 / Numbers 6:13-14 / 1 Corinthians 10:1-2.
God chooses two faithful women. Elizabeth, who is barren and Mary, a betrothed virgin. Both women of great faith and trust, who had devoted themselves to doing God’s will.
What joy both women had when they met each other and praised God. Elizabeth, past the age of childbearing, has a child, John the baptiser, who goes ahead to get the people ready.
Mary bears a child miraculously, who is God, the WORD made flesh, the Lamb of God born to take away the sin problem of the whole world. God’s great plan and mission all along before time began, Malachi 4:5 / Luke 1 / John 1:6-8 / John 1:15 / John 1:23 / Psalm 40 / Romans 5:6-8 / Hebrews 10:5.
Holiness is seen in Jesus. He is set apart by God to do His will. The Hebrew writer writes in Hebrews 10:4-7 / Hebrews 10:10. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me, with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God. By that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
He completely humbles himself and is baptised in the river Jordan in obedience to God, his Father. He is filled with the Holy Spirit, whom he allows to lead him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is seen in Him throughout His life.
He immediately starts the work the Father planned for him to do and completes it. He teaches, heals, prays, encourages, feeds, rebukes, and fully gives himself to God’s work with a humble, gentle, loving and compassionate heart, trusting God through it all, Philippians 2:5-8 / John 1:1-5 / John 1:14.
He fully obeys God and only says and does what God the Father tells Him to do in every way, with agape being the bedrock of it all. Godly behaviour is fully seen in Him.
Though he is tempted and tested many times by Satan and people, he doesn’t give up, turn aside, disobey, or sin, but commits himself totally to God’s will even to the point of a gruesome death.
The ultimate of faithful obedience is seen at his capture, inhumane torture and crucifixion, with the Father being pleased with him and never leaving him at any time.
The Hebrew writer states in Hebrews 5:7-10, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”
Sacrificing himself appeased and pacified God’s righteous anger against us and so turned God’s wrath away from us. In his obedience to God the Father, he took the responsibility and action to amend, compensate and redeem mankind from all our wrongdoing and injury against God.
Repair the damaged relationship with God. Effectively restore our harmony and relationship with God. Remove all the guilt and shame of our sins. Made perfect forever all who are being made holy in Him.
Jesus becomes the example, standard, Saviour and Good Shepherd for all mankind to follow on how to be holy and live a sacrificial life to the end while conquering sin. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection by God’s power according to God’s plan to save mankind is very good news for us all.
It is now the way in which all mankind, everywhere, can be made holy, set apart in Christ, for God’s use, and no longer be enslaved to sin and separated from God, Romans 6 / Ephesians 1:3-14 / 1 Peter 1:1-5.
Jesus is the best High Priest, Saviour and advocate anyone can have. His faith and obedience to the Father resulted in his resurrection, ascension and glorification to sit enthroned in heaven forever, Matthew 22:34-39 / John 5:19-20 / John 8:29 / Luke 4:16 / John 12:44-50 / Romans 3:10-20 / Hebrews 4:15 / Hebrews 10 / 1Peter 1:14.
Hebrews 4:14-16 states: “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need”.
A holy, patient, loving and missional God is now calling everyone: To know Him and put their faith and hope completely in Christ Jesus to obtain God’s mercy and forgiveness to save their dead souls in the coming judgement at the end of time, Romans 1:16-17 / 2 Peter 3:1-12.
To be sanctified (set apart) by the Holy Spirit, for God’s use and purpose, so we can obey Jesus and be covered and sprinkled by His blood (rather than the blood of bulls and goats, Romans 6 / Hebrews 10:4-14 / 1 Peter 1.
To let the Holy Spirit convict us of our sin, bring us to repentance and confession of our sin, and then drive us to the cross so we can obtain God’s mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
To walk closely with Him, while the Holy Spirit works to sanctify (set us apart) and transform our hearts and minds to make us more like Jesus. He also helps and encourages us to live a sacrificial life that is pleasing to God. God does it all, not us. All we do is walk by faith in His holiness until death, Romans 1:16-17.
1. Our faith draws us to believe in God and respond to His call.
2. At baptism, God kills the old us. Jesus circumcises our heart and removes our sinful nature, Colossians 2:11-13.
3. God washes us in the blood of Jesus, completely forgives us our sins and remembers them no more. He removes all our guilt and shame, gives us new life and raises us into a relationship with Him that was lost in Eden, Hebrews 8:12.
4. God clothes each one in Christ’s righteousness and His full armour, not ours (we have none), Isaiah 61:10 / Galatians 3:27 / Colossians / Ephesians 6:10-18.
5. God translates us from the dominion of sin and darkness into His Kingdom of light, the home of holiness and righteousness. And gives us an inheritance undefiled, imperishable, and unfading in heaven, Colossians1:13.
6. God anoints/seals/marks us with His Spirit, who lives in us to show we are owned by Him, Ephesians 1:13-14.
7. God protects and guards our hearts and minds until the end, Philippians 4:7 / 2 Thessalonians 3:3 / 1 Peter 1:5.
8. God puts each person as a living stone in the brickwork of His spiritual house in which His Spirit dwells, Ephesians 2:21-22 / 1 Peter 2:5.
9. God makes each one his precious child, part of His royal priesthood, His holy nation and His treasured possession, 1 Peter 2:9.
10. God calls each person ”Hagios”, “Saint” (the Greek word for holy), to keep His commandments and have faith in Jesus, Philemon 1:5 / Hebrews 6:10 / Revelation 14:12.
11. Jesus constantly advocates for us and His blood continually cleanses us in our repentant state1 John 1:7-9 / 1 John 2:1.
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. They have been set free from sin and death by God through Jesus, Romans 8:1-2.
As we walk and fellowship with God and other saints in the light, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us in our repentant state. We don’t have to keep offering various animal sacrifices or grain offerings, 1 John 1:5-10. God has done and is doing everything to save us and make us holy in Him. All we do is to have faith in Him.
All we have to do to remain holy is continually do the following.
1. Put our faith and hope in Him through Jesus, 1 Peter 1:3 / 1 Peter 1:21 / Romans 15:13.
2. Trust God while we faithfully and lovingly obey Him as we do the work He planned for us to do, Ephesians 2.
3. Glue our eyes on Jesus and emulate Him in all things, especially through our trials. Our faith will be tested and tried to prove it is genuine and to help us grow, Hebrews 12 / 1 Peter 2:5-7.
4. Crave pure spiritual milk and grow up in our salvation to spiritual adults who can discern deep spiritual truth, stand firm and are not tossed by erroneous teachings, Romans 12 / 1 Peter 2:1 / 2 Peter 1:3-8 / Ephesians 4:11-14.
5. Proclaim His excellence and glory; be thankful in all situations and praise Him with inexpressible joy because of what He has done, is doing and will do for us, in mercifully saving us forever, Psalm 99:5 / Luke 11:2 / 1 Peter 2:9-10.
6. Approach God confidently without fear of being destroyed and offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him.
First ourselves (heart, soul, mind and strength) ready to do His will, then the works He planned for us to do, 1 Peter 2:9 / Romans 12 / Philippians 4:4-9.
7. Let the fruit of the Holy Spirit show in all areas of our lives: agape love, truth, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, honouring everyone and obeying Jesus’s teachings and commands, Galatians 5:22-23.
8. Encourage, teach and admonish each other, Ephesians 5:19 / Colossians 3:16.
9. Communicate with God. Offer prayers without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17. We are all prayer warriors, holy priests in God’s presence 24/7.
We are in a close relationship with Him (His Spirit in us, us in Jesus, God in Jesus). James reminds us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful, and God answers, James 5:13-20 / 1 John 1:5-6.
10. Utterly hate sin and its desires. Do not conform to the ways and desires of the world, and remember Jesus’ sacrifice.
We leave God. We grieve the Father, have contempt for Jesus’ sacrifice and grieve the Holy Spirit, so God leaves us. We then have no atoning sacrifice for our sins, Ephesians 4:30.
A day of judgement/accounting is coming. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
We need to be ready for when Jesus returns, as we have to give an account of all we have done. Remember the parables of the wise & foolish virgins and the talents, Matthew 25:1-30 / Romans 14:10 / 2 Corinthians 5:10.
We must make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him, while He is patient with us. We should not be wise in our own eyes, but fear the LORD and shun evil, Proverbs 3:5-7 / 2 Peter 3-10-15.
First, recognise that ONLY God is inherently holy. He is the one who makes us holy in Him. All we need to do is to be FAITHFUL UNTIL THE END.
We Need To Be the following.
1. Completely pure and morally blameless in Christ
2. Exclusively and specifically designed, and fully set apart in Christ, for God’s use only.
3. God’s children, His treasured possession in His kingdom of light, and bring Him joy.
4. Clothed in God’s righteousness and armour.
5. His holy priest in Christ Jesus, daily offering ourselves as a pleasing sacrifice in worship to God.
6. Walking faithfully & humbly with God and His saints in a close, agape-loving relationship.
7. Displaying and proclaiming God’s goodness and glory in our lives by our words and deeds.
8. Thanking God all the time for all He has done and is doing for us in Christ Jesus.
9. Craving to know God more and more, while growing into being spiritually strong and mature.
10. Allowing His Spirit to lead us and transform our hearts and minds, while God protects us.
11. Agape-love and honour God and others (no exclusions).
12. Using our talents to faithfully and joyfully do all the good works God commands.
13. Acting justly and honestly, showing steadfast love and mercy and encouraging others to seek Him.
14. Gluing our eyes on Jesus and emulating Him in all things, especially through our trials.
15. Boldly approach God and constantly talk with Him and seek his help in all situations, for ourselves and others.
16. Stop living like sinful, unsaved people and hate, detest, abhor and steer clear of sin and sinful situations.
REMEMBER…..