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!

We Are Part of Something Bigger

by Dick Buckingham
Administrator

The theme verse we are looking at for the school this year comes from I Peter 2:9:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  ESV

One of the things we are noting from this verse is that all of the phrases are referring to us not as individuals, but as a collective group.  The words race, priesthood, nation, people indicate something larger than just who we are in Christ as individuals.  It has caused me to ponder about the way God seems to deal with groups of people as a whole.

Adam was an individual, but God established a covenant with him such that what he did, reflected not just upon Adam as an individual, but upon all the people represented by the covenant.  Thus we are all sinners because Adam disobeyed God in the garden.  God dealt with the group we call humans globally in this case.

Abraham also had a relationship with God, but it wasn't just about him as an individual.  God’s arrangement with Abraham included all of his descendants.  They would all be recipients of God’s blessing of a pleasant land.  Much of scripture is the dealings of God with these people as a whole, not as individuals.

David was a man after God’s own heart, but God was looking at his descendants as the ones who would be royalty and would sit upon the throne of Israel and later Judah (and ultimately all mankind) forever.  In this line there were good kings and not so good kings, yet God dealt with them as a group.

Sometimes God deals harshly with a group of people because of the actions of one individual.  In the case of Ahab, wicked king of Israel (not a descendant of David), God sent Elijah to inform him that it would not rain until he said it would.  It did not rain for three years and the drought affected both the wicked in Israel and the 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal (I Kings 17, 19).

In the New Testament, we see God’s concern for and dealings with such groups as the elect, the church, the people of God.

Clearly the interest of God is more than in just the individual person.  Don’t get me wrong; God does deal with individuals.  He does love individuals such as you and I and He is concerned about our personal obedience.  But I think too often we tend to focus only on how God looks upon us as individuals and not as a group.  There is something to be said for broadening our vision.

First of all, it causes us to be more humble.  We tend to be a bit myopic at times and view the whole of scriptures as being put there for us.  It is about my personal walk and personal salvation and how I will spend all eternity with God in heaven.  We tend to think of ourselves as the reason why God created everything,  that He chose to send His Son into the world, in order to save us personally.  The truth is, it is not all about us as individuals.  It is ultimately about God and how He has chosen to relate to His creation.

Second, it reminds us that we are not separate; we are part of a group.  That group is important in God’s sight and we need it.  We too often view our participation in that group, the Church, the people of God as secondary or unimportant when compared to our own individual relationship to God.  It is something that is necessary and vital to be actively participating in a local church and God’s way of addressing groups in verses such as the one above reminds us of that.

Third, it makes it clear we are not alone.  Sometimes we get the feeling that we alone are dealing with the struggles of life and there is no one who understands and cares like we do.  Not so.  Elijah fell into that temptation when he implored God to take him home after his encounter with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.  He was certain everyone else had forsaken God.  He was told that there were 7000 that God had reserved for Himself.  (I Kings 19).  Likewise, we are not alone.

Finally, it makes it clearly apparent to us that we are part of something bigger.  We are part of nothing less than a “people for his own possession.”  We are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, a participant in His body.  Everyone likes to be part of a powerful movement.  There is nothing more powerful than the mighty work and people of God.  There is a confidence and encouragement that this gives as we live out our daily lives for Him.

I encourage you in this New Year to observe other places in the scriptures where God is addressing us not so much as individuals but as a whole.   May this grow in you a clearer view of who you are in the sight of God.

Who Am I?

by Dick Buckingham
Administrator

This is one of those life altering questions that everyone asks at one time or another. It is particularly prevalent among our youth today. Unfortunately, they look for answers to that question on Facebook, Twitter and other social media, by seeking to be accepted and “liked” by both friend and stranger. The image they have of themselves is the image that others see of them and, many times, this image is not even close to accurate. Fortunately, the Bible has much to say in answer to this question and that is what the spiritual theme at Faith Christian School is focused on this year.

Since much of what the Bible has to say about who we are is dependent upon our relationship with Christ, no Biblical discussion of who we are can be had without beginning with a frank discussion of the gospel.

Fashioned

The first and most important thing the Bible tells us is that we are fashioned by a Creator God. The scriptures are clear about this and there is no ambiguity. We were created (fashioned) in His image (Gen. 1:26). What all this means exactly is a matter of much theological debate, but there is consensus that it includes an eternal soul, a conscience of knowing good from evil, and the ability to have dominion over all the rest of creation. When God created Adam and Eve, he concluded that it was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Man was the capstone of all that God created and he was made carefully, with intentional purpose. The Psalmist has said that his Creator fashioned him “fearfully and wonderfully” (Ps 139:14). Thus we can affirm for every human being that God has created them exactly as He desired them to be. There are no mistakes from the Creator’s hands. The abilities each one has, the characteristics that make up each individual are just exactly what God, the Creator, wants them to be. This is a very comforting and encouraging thought. So many people struggle with who they are because they think they are insufficient, lacking in some skill or ability, and long to be someone else. God created you to be you. There is nothing wrong with you as you came from the Creator’s hand and He has declared you to be not just good, but very good.

Fallen

If only we could stop at the part where God has made us fearfully and wonderfully. But we cannot because in just two chapters from the creation of man, the Bible tells us something else very important about who we are. We are fallen. Adam and Eve, in all their created glory, were put in a place where their every need would be met. God gave them one stipulation, to not eat of a particular tree in the garden. This would be a critical test, not just for Adam, but for all mankind. You see, God had established a covenant with Adam and he was to be a representative for all who were to come after him. If he was faithful to the covenant, all would receive the blessings of the covenant. If he broke the covenant, all would receive the consequences and curses of the covenant. One of the most difficult things that we have to come to grips with as human beings is that what Adam did in the garden affects all of us. We are counted as sinners as a result of what Adam did and we come into the world with a nature affected by sin so that we continue his practice in our own lives. This fallen nature affects all of creation, including the fearful and wonderful creation of man mentioned in the previous paragraph. As a result, we are enemies of God and we are at war with Him. More importantly, God is at war with us and it is a war we cannot win. This leaves us in a situation of helplessness and hopelessness. Yet God has made a way.

But before we move on to that glorious message of good news, it is important to note that the first two things I have said about who we are apply to every human being. There is no one who is given a special dispensation. All are fashioned. All are fallen. All are made by God. All are war with God. All will lose that war to a God who is over all. What the Bible says further about who we are only applies to those who have embraced the solution for the problem of our sin and its nature. Not all will claim the truth of what I am about to say and they will remain in their fallen state. This is a very somber point to grasp. Some of you are currently in this state and will remain in it unless you embrace the truth that follows. The Bible has nothing more to say about you in a positive way.

Forgiven

God in His grace, has provided a way for sinful man to deal with not only sin and its nature, but its consequence. This is nothing short of the greatest news we can ever hear! Because of God’s righteousness, He cannot simply forgive or overlook the sin of man; the penalty must be paid. That penalty is death, physical and spiritual. No one can pay that penalty for someone else unless they themselves are without sin. If they have sinned, the best they can do is to pay their own penalty. Yet God sent His own Son, who was in every regard God, and thus perfect, to pay that penalty for all who would trust Him. It is really a simple plan, yet profound. Jesus, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, was put to death on the cross so that He could assume the penalty of sin for those who belong to Him. Those who belong to Him, who hear His voice, are those who trust that what He did is sufficient to deal with the sin problem in their lives. This simple matter of trust is all that is necessary to bring a person, who at one time was at war with God, destined for destruction, to a position of peace and blessing. Instead of being enemies, God now calls believers friends and children (Jn. 15:14, I Jn 3:1).

Forever

Not only are we forgiven, but it is an eternal relationship that has begun. In 2 Cor. 5:17 we are told that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” There is a transformation that takes place in the life of a believer. What they once were, they no longer are. God is re-forming them into what Adam and Eve were prior to the fall. That doesn’t mean that we immediately look and act differently. Unfortunately, the effect of sin and its nature on us persists even though we are being made new. But a process has begun in us that will culminate in our being re-created in the likeness of God.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness though our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-9

There is also a great sense of security in this relationship with God in that there is none who can snatch us out of His hand (Jn 10:29). The benefit of what Christ has done for the believer can never be lost or discarded.

So who are you? We know that you are fashion and fallen. That is true of every man and woman. But are you also forgiven forever? Only those who put their complete trust in the provision God has made for our sin problem can make this claim. Are you trusting Christ? Or are you trusting your good deeds and accomplishments? Or maybe your wealth and position? There is only one way to be forgiven forever. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

There is much more the scriptures have to say about those who are in Christ. But we will pick some of these up in a later blog.

If you would like to speak with someone further about the message of the gospel and how it applies to you, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My email is dbuckingham@faith-christian.org.