HOLINESS(a lifestyle) continuation.

C. To be holy one must be separated from the common (ordinary).

The third element of holiness involves separation from the common or ordinary (some translations use the word “profane”).

Here we learn the important concept that God often requires his people to separate from things not necessarily sinful, just things that if purged from the life will strengthen the Christian’s walk with God. To emphasize this element of holiness, God divided everything into two basic categories: holy and common.

He then subdivided the category of common (or ordinary) into two division:

clean and

unclean.

That which is clean can be devoted to God and become holy. That which is unclean, after the proper cleansing procedure, can become clean and could be devoted to God and become holy. That which is permanently unclean can never become holy.

The terms “clean” and “unclean” have nothing to do with cleanliness. They are religious categories designed to emphasize that God has a standard of moral and ethical right and wrong that is as clearly distinguishable as are the categories of clean and unclean.

That God gave the food laws to teach His people how to discern between the unclean, the common, and the holy, and not to teach health principles, is made clear in Deuteronomy 14 which is a summation of the food laws given in Leviticus 11. If health were the primary issue, God can be charged with not caring about the health of Gentile peoples.

To the Israelites He said, “Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you are a people holy to the LORD your God” (Deut. 14:21, NIV). He did not tell the Israelites to sell the “unclean” meat to foreigners in order to damage their health.

Clearly, God cares about the health of all nations! Further, when Jesus was asked about the proper observance of the food laws, he replied that the primary purpose of these laws was to teach a person how to discern right from wrong. He said that what a person eats cannot defile him. What defiles a person is improper thoughts, attitudes, and actions that spring from the heart.

Then he declared all foods clean (Mark 7:18-23) That God expects His people to be able to distinguish clearly between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean, is emphasized in Leviticus 10:10.

One of the major charges God made against the priesthood, as Israel began to backslide was, “her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane [common], neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them” (Ezek. 22:26; 44:23).

The same problem exists today. Carefulness to separate from common things which are not inherently sinful, just because God has called for this personal separation, is becoming rare. If we don’t joyfully follow God’s gentle promptings to separate from the non-sinful “common” because we and others’ declare, “There is nothing wrong with it!” we forfeit the delight of His presence and are soon in confusion.

We then end up like the people during the period of the Judges when everyone simply does what is right in his own eyes (see Jud. 17:6; 21:25; and especially Num. 15:39). The cure for this lack of sensitivity to God’s call to be holy and the ability to respond to His gentle promptings to separate from things that are not inherently sinful, according to the writer of Hebrews, is found when Christians press on to entire sanctification.

Without entire sanctification, Christians are destined to remain “unskillful in the word of righteousness” and unable to develop the degree of discernment and sensitivity to God’s will that He desires. Entire sanctification enables the Christian to discern more clearly what is good and what is evil in God’s eyes (Heb. 5:12-6:1)

 HOLINESS(A lifestyle) continuation

     COMPONENT OF HOLINESS

A. To be holy one must be connected  God—the source of holiness.

The first explicit statement of God’s holiness is Exodus 15:11: “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Everything God is, and everything He does, is holy. He is regularly described as “the Holy One” or “the Holy One of Israel.”

God alone is holy. He is infinitely, unchangeably, and eternally holy. His holiness is underived and independent. Therefore, nothing is holy unless it comes in contact with the Source of holiness, the holy God. This explains why the ground surrounding the burning bush was called “holy ground.” God’s presence turned common, ordinary ground into holy ground.

B. To be holy one must be separated to God as His possession.

When we speak of people, places, or things as holy, we must keep several facts in mind. First, such holiness is derived and dependent upon a continuing relationship with God. For example, God claimed Israel as His personal possession by right of redemption from the bondage of Egypt (Exo. 19:5).

Being claimed by the holy God made the Israelites separate from other people and holy. “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth” (Deut. 7:6).

In the case of Moses, the ground surrounding the burning bush was now separated to God as His personal possession and was no longer to be treated as common or ordinary ground. Places and things have positional holiness. But God will not allow His people to be only positionally holy. He requires them to be personally and ethically holy.

They must cleanse themselves from all sinful associations and behavior, and live in obedience to His commands. This is the truth Paul is teaching when he says to the Corinthians believers, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor. 6:19,20).


At the moment of the new birth, you are made holy. You enter into a personal relationship with God and become His possession. You are no longer your own. You are to glorify Him in all you do by following His instructions. Holiness is to characterize the believer’s life each moment of each day.

               HOLINESS (A lifesyle)

Text: Ephisians 4: 21-32.

When we look at the word HOLY,  Means something pure,  without blemish. For instance a white apparel without stain.

It can also mean,  exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.

Can also be define as a state of been set apart from defilement.

When we consider the word HOLINESS,  it refers to the state or quality of being Holy..I.e how clean something is,  how pure some thing is. Holiness also mean been sanctified.

In this dispensation,  majority outside there has stopped listening to Christian preachings,  and their focus are on our life, what we talk about, what we wear,  what kind of gathering we keep and so on. We are not save to continue to live in sin or any uncleanness,  but was called unto His marvelous light.

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/1th.4.7.KJV

Jesus christ encourage us to live with everyone with peace,  and in so doing holiness should be our life style... We have forgotten that,  there is little to our reward in the body of Christ,  if holiness is out of our life.

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Hebrews 12:14 KJV"
https://bible.com/bible/1/heb.12.14.KJV

As a child of God,  we are expect to live a holy life.One of the fruit you should bear as a child of God is holiness.

" But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Romans 6:22 KJV"
https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.6.22.KJV



To be continued............

One Sure Principle For Running a Successful Marriage 

Going by hard core experience, I may not have been best suited in writing anything about marriage because I'm still a first class bachelor. But going by divine inspiration, I believe I have found grace in His sight to share these truths with you.

In my years of learning about marriage, both theories from books and practical discoveries from married folks, I have come to the conclusion that one thing is surely needed by couples to make their marriage successful.

You don't need so many teachings or counsel to make your marriage work, you only need one thing. Just one thing!

David didn't use many stones to keep Goliath, he only picked the right one. Jesus didn't tell Martha to do many things, He only pointed her to Mary who did one thing that was needful.

It is not how much of the religious activities you do that shows you love God, the conclusion of Jesus' summary of the Ten Commandments is encapsulated in one sentence - the proof that you love God is determined by how much of His word you know and obey.

Do I also need to tell you that you don't need many ideas to become great in life or know many great men, you just need one right idea or a great man that will catapult you to the peak of greatness.

One basic formula for running a successful marriage is UNDERSTANDING, and for a successful Christian marriage to thrive, understand the marriage relationship between Christ and the Church - His bride. That's all!

Permit me to break it down.

It is understanding that would make you patient when your spouse is infuriated.

It is understanding that will make you tolerate the excesses and shortcomings of your partner.

It is understanding that will make you choose the right partner, be the right person and apply the right principles for a successful marriage.

It's understanding that will make you walk out of a heated argument that could push you to abuse your partner verbally and violently.

How much of understanding you have is a reflection of your expression of love that is unconditional, sacrificial and selfless.

Do you know that it's understanding that will make you study your partner to know them? I don't mean studying to love them, but to dwell with him or her according to the knowledge that you have discovered.

It's understanding that will make you deal wisely with your mean in-laws and spouse.

No wonder Solomon in his wisdom said that in all your getting, get understanding.

Do you know that he further said that understanding is a wellspring of life to him that has it? More to be gotten than silver is to get understanding?

Oh, how I wish you knew how many times David prayed for understanding in Psalms 119 and what Jesus did to His disciples who lacked it!

You may have everything that qualifies you to be married, but if you don't have understanding, please don't go into marriage.

It is understanding that will make you know how men behaves in specific situations of their lives, and likewise women; but lack of understanding will make you misbehave.

In running a successful Christian marriage, you need divine understanding. When you understood how Jesus related with His bride and how His bride related with Him, you will understand the ethos of a successful Christian marriage.

It is good to read relationship or marriage books, attend seminars or marriage conferences, but if you lack understanding, you will mess up your marital life.

Several issues in life will test your understanding of marriage, you must be grounded in understanding.

Understanding is beyond an abstract concept, it's a virtue that's embedded in a man or woman's personality.

What do you understand about a man or woman? What do you understand about your own man or woman?

In all your getting, get understanding!

© Adeniyi Tim Oluwamayowa 2020