To Be Wholly Holy

by Dick Buckingham
Administrator

The theme verse we are studying at the school this year has some really amazing things to say about who we are in Christ. In I Peter 2:9, it says “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation….” Whoa. That last one should cause us to pause and marvel. Often when we think of holiness, we think of doing that which is right. It has something to do with our behavior and therefore our standing before God. This is not even close.

The root of the Hebrew word for “holy” has the idea of cutting for the purpose of separation. It carries with it the idea that there ends up being two directions, one of separation from and one of separation towards. Another word that comes to mind when thinking about the actual meaning of holiness is consecration. When something is consecrated it is set apart from the ordinary for an extraordinary purpose.

Thus God calling something “holy” is a really big deal. A quick (and incomplete) review of things that were called “holy” in scripture will help us make that point.

Seventh Day of Creation - “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it He rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Genesis 2:3) God separated the final day of Creation from the other six by ceasing from His creative activity. Thus he consecrated this day as a day to be treated differently than the other six. This becomes the foundation for the fourth Commandment in Exodus 20 where He requires His people to consecrate the seventh day by making it holy. I is because we follow His example that this day becomes something unique and set apart.

Burning Bush – When Moses approached the bush that burned but was not consumed, God told him to take off the shoes on his feet, for the ground upon which he walked was holy. (Exodus 3:5) Clearly here, it was because of the presence of God in the bush that consecrated the ground around it. It was ordinary ground before and as soon as the presence of God was no longer there, it would become ordinary ground again. Therefore it was set apart, and should be treated differently by Moses who was commanded to walk upon it barefooted.

Covenant people of Israel – On many occasions, the people of Israel were referred to as holy. This was not the case because of their level of goodness but because they were inseparably connected to the God who was holy. His presence among them consecrated them and made them holy.

The Tabernacle – In the instructions for the Tabernacle, it furnishings, and all the trappings that were used in its service, God repeatedly called these things holy. They were made of ordinary things that were found around them, cloth of various colors, gold and silver and other metals. We understand that the purpose of the Tabernacle in the midst of the people of Israel in the wilderness was to be a visible representation of the presence of God among them. There is no building that can contain God and the Tabernacle was never meant to do that. But it was consecrated to represent the relationship they had with God in His covenant and thus was called holy.

God’s Name – “Do not profane my holy name.” (Leviticus 22:32) The reason we are commanded to honor the name of the Lord and not profane it is because it is holy, set apart, consecrated as the name of God. It is because of its connection to God that it is considered holy.

Heaven – Heaven is also referred to as holy. (2 Chronicles 30:27) Once again, it is the presence of a holy God that makes the dwelling place of God to be separate, consecrated.

Jesus – “…because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let you Holy One see decay.” (Psalm 16:10) One of the ways the Old Testament refers to the coming Messiah is as the Holy One. The Messiah was holy just as God is holy because the Messiah was none other than God in the flesh. Thus Jesus was also called holy because He is God.

In our text in I Peter, we see that those who have been redeemed by Jesus, those who belong to Him, those who are called by His name are also called a holy nation. It is pretty easy to see it is not on the basis of their behavior or relative goodness, but rather because of their connection to the One who is holy. Because they are called by His name, Christians, they are holy. Because He indwells them by His Spirit, they are holy. Because whenever two or three are gathered in His name and He is present with them, they are called holy.

This is an incredible thing and something that should cause us to stop and consider that God, who is holy, has called us, believers, holy. We are like the ordinary ground that was no different than any other dirt around it until God came near. We are to be separate from everything else around us, consecrated to the special and wonderful purpose He has called us to. We are holy because He is holy.

If you are a believer, what an awesome thing to consider today!