The Word Is Holiness
I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior in my junior year of High
School in 1952. That decision introduced me to the Assemblies of God. Thinking
back to those early days there were some “strange rules” recognized and
accepted as Holiness.
For instance, the ladies were discouraged to cut their hair. Accept
for wedding rings, it seemed that jewelry that touched the skin like earrings
and necklaces were taboo. Slacks and jeans
were also considered unacceptable. Movies, cards, social drinking, mixed
swimming likewise were all no, no’s.
These and others were all promoted as signs of “holiness”. We must understand that Holiness is NOT a man
made list of do’s and don’ts. As time went by most of these outward standards
fell by the wayside.
The question that we must ask is, “What is Holiness?”
1. Holiness is related to Godliness, i.e. God-like-ness. Paul shares
some light in his letter to young Timothy. 1 Timothy
4:7-8 (NKJV) 7…exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise
profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of
the life that now is and of that which is to come. Exercise yourself toward godliness.
Godliness is profitable for all things.
2. Holiness is related to Righteousness, i.e. Right-living or Doing
what is right. Romans 8:4 (NKJV) …that the righteous
requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to
the flesh but according to the Spirit.
I believe that Holiness is the basic central nature of God. I base
this on the events we can see from the Scriptures. Listen to Isaiah 6:1-3 (NKJV) 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I
saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe
filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two
he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And
one cried to another and said: "Holy,
holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His
glory!" Revelation 4:8 (NKJV) The
four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and
within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is
to come!" These two events
one from the Old Testament and the second from New Testament imply that those heavenly
creatures closest to the throne and He who sat on the throne cried out day and
night Holy, holy, holy. Why? They could have said power; love; grace; wisdom;
omnipotent; eternal; all words that could have been spoken honoring the
Almighty one on the throne. But these creatures cried out day and night Holy,
holy, holy, because holiness is His central basic nature.
1 Peter 1:16 (NKJV) because it is written, "Be holy,
for I am holy."
Romans 6:22 (NKJV) But now having been set free from
sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the
end, everlasting life.
No comments:
Post a Comment