E. To be holy one must be obedient to God’s Word.
In addition to the positional, personal, and purity components of holiness, there is an ethical component. Holiness requires obedience to God’s Word.
Leviticus 19:2-3 says, “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy. Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.”
Again, Leviticus 20:7-8 says, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.” Notice the inseparable connection between “being holy,” and obeying God’s Word.
A reading of the context of Leviticus 19:2-3 and 20:7-8 reveals that holiness is exceedingly practical. For example, it is demonstrated by respectful treatment of parents, sexual purity, avoidance of anything associated with the occult, compassion on the poor, honesty, kindness, justice, refusal to be a talebearer, and not avenging oneself or bearing a grudge (Lev. 20:9-27; 19:4-18).
Conclusion
We began our message with the statement, “Holiness is not optional for a Christian.” We conclude our message with the same assertion: holiness is not optional for a Christian. We also learned that there are five essential components of holiness.
To be holy one must:
be connected to God—the source of holiness,
be separated to God as His possession,
be separated from the common (ordinary),
be separated from all that God says is unclean or morally defiles, and
be obedient to God’s Word.
1 See Job 6:10; Isa. 40:25; 43:15; Ezek. 39:7; Hos. 11:9; Hab. 1:12; 3:3.
2 See 2 Kings 19:22; Isa. 1:4; 43:3; Jer. 50:29; 51:5.
.jpeg)
No comments:
Post a Comment