Dec 20

What is holiness? It is purity and cleanness -- and it is of God. It is the goodness of existence that is his. But it is also more than that.

One aspect of holiness that is often overlooked is that of separation. Scripture makes a distinction between that which is holy and that which is not. Holiness carries with it the notion of something being separate from all else.

In Hosea 11:9, God says that he is "God and not man -- the Holy One among you." Thus God makes a distinction between himself and man, based not, as we might think, because he is all-powerful, or all-wise, or eternal, while man is none of these things. No, he distinguishes between man and himself in the matter of holiness. He could have chosen any of the other examples listed above regarding his character and nature, for he is all of these things, while man is not, yet he chose the single matter of holiness as that which marks him as God and not man.

Holiness is the essence of God's nature. And in Jesus Christ, that holiness has come down from heaven and dwelt among us. He is "the Holy One among you."

If Jesus lives in us, then our own lives should show his holiness to a world stumbling around in the darkness of sin. But it must be the true holiness of God, not our own self-righteous holiness that turns the world away in indignation, but attracts it to that which is truly holy. For sinful man yearns for that which is holy.

I have read more than once how police officers have remarked that it is not unusual when arresting someone for a crime that the criminal will say that he always wanted to be a police officer. They respect and admire and want to be like the very ones arresting them.

The world notices goodness and holiness and deep down really wants that holiness of God. But too often, it gives in, instead, to satisfying its sinful lusts instead of rejecting them for the higher craving for God and his holiness. Many refuse to separate themselves from the world and its lusts in order to receive the holiness of God that calls for separation from the world.

Scripture for today: Hosea 11:9
Thought for today: God's holiness dwells in me in the person of Jesus Christ.
Prayer for today: May I never forget, Lord, that it is your holiness that makes me holy, nothing that comes from myself.

DEC 20