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| Be Holy as I am Holy |
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Leviticus 11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. What does it mean to be holy? Is it even possible? Just look at the people in any particular church group; do they fit the model of a holy people separated for the Lord? I will attempt to answer these questions with discretion as many individuals already have preconceived notions of what it means to be holy based upon their own assumptions.
Easton's bible dictionary translates it this way:
Holiness In the highest sense belongs to God (Isa_6:3; Rev_15:4), and to Christians as consecrated to God's service, and in so far as they are conformed in all things to the will of God (Rom_6:19, Rom_6:22; Eph_1:4; Tit_1:8; 1Pe_1:15). Personal holiness is a work of gradual development. It is carried on under many hindrances, hence the frequent admonitions to watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance (1Co_1:30; 2Co_7:1; Eph_4:23, Eph_4:24). (See SANCTIFICATION.)
Leviticus 20:8; And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
Sanctification Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom_6:13; 2Co_4:6; Col_3:10; 1Jo_4:7; 1Co_6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1Co_6:11; 2Th_2:13). Faith is instrumental in securing sanctification, inasmuch as it (1.) secures union to Christ (Gal_2:20), and (2.) brings the believer into living contact with the truth, whereby he is led to yield obedience "to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come." Perfect sanctification is not attainable in this life (1Ki_8:46; Pro_20:9; Ecc_7:20; Jam_3:2; 1Jo_1:8). See Paul's account of himself in Rom_7:14-25; Phi_3:12-14; and 1Ti_1:15; also the confessions of David (Psa_19:12, Psa_19:13; 51), of Moses (Psa_90:8), of Job (Job_42:5, Job_42:6), and of Daniel (Dan. 9:3-20). "The more holy a man is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome. Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they pray. They are always subject to the constant chastisement of their Father's loving hand, which can only be designed to correct their imperfections and to confirm their graces. And it has been notoriously the fact that the best Christians have been those who have been the least prone to claim the attainment of perfection for themselves.", Hodge's Outlines.
Holiness is individual and it is personal. Holiness is not a byproduct of a profession of faith and is not obtained through regular church attendance. If going to church can make you holy then walking into a stable should make you a horse. Holiness can be obtained as a result of obedience to God through prayer, the reading and studying of his word, along with attending church while actively involved in the duties assigned to you, doing all things as unto the Lord. These things sow to the Spirit which will reap abundant life as you strive to keep yourself unspotted from the flesh, and the world with its manifold influences. Our giving also sows to the Spirit when we do it with a proper attitude in thanksgiving to God.
Holiness and sanctification go hand in hand although holiness is not a constant meaning that there is a lot of maintenance invloved and sanctification is a continual process.
Ephesians 5:25-27; Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Sanctification was typified in the Old Testament by the ceremonial washing executed by the priests before they put on their holy garments. John 15:3; Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. We are clean through the washing of water through the word of God. It is the word of God that cleanses us and sanctifies us. We can be made clean through the word by reading it, studying it and by doing the word of God. We can be holy. God would not ask us to do something that was not within our capability. If he asks us to be holy it is because we can be holy. That is 24/7, 365 days a year. Matthew 5:48; Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Perfection is an attribute of God, but if the Spirit of the living God abides in us we can be perfected. This is simply the removal of everything that is imperfect. A sculptist was once given a slab of marble with which to sculpt an image of a monarch's favorite equine (horse). When his work was completed the monarch asked him how he was able to accurately depict the character of his horse. The sculptist simply answered, all I did was remove everything that did not look like your horse. In the same way the Spirit is working in us and through us and with us to remove anything that does not look like Christ. This is all in preparation for when Christ returns which is when we will be made perfect. We cannnot possibly be perfect as long as we are living in this shell of flesh, but flesh and blood will not inherit eternal life. We must be transformed which is what will happen when we are caught up to meet our savior in the air along with those that had been asleep. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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| To add a comment to "Be Holy as I am Holy" |
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| May 08, 2009 |
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Sure nuff my friend...Sure nuff .....Great Blog ;o) |
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| May 08, 2009 |
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Powerful thought and subject Prophet Jay!
This is the kind of the meat of the Word that I like to eat...
Thanks for the Word of God and good straight shooting...
Blessings In Him... :o)
Herman |
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| May 08, 2009 |
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| May 09, 2009 |
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| May 09, 2009 |
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| May 12, 2009 |
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We cannnot possibly be perfect as long as we are living in this shell of flesh, but flesh and blood will not inherit eternal life. We must be transformed which is what will happen when we are caught up to meet our savior in the air along with those that had been asleep.
ProphetJay, I cannot agree with the above statement, because my bible tells me differently according to the following scriptures:-
The POWERFUL force of the one living in the believer makes the individual Holy, Santified and Perfect. The command to be ye Holy AS I AM Holy and Perfect is happening in the believer's life while that one is alive and on this planet. That is the purpose of Jesus coming to earth, so that He can die and go back to heaven and then send His Holy Spirit to help the believer live righteously.
The first order of kingdom living is One must be born-again to enter into the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven must come on earth as it is in heaven. (the Lord's prayer, Matthew chapter 6). This is the will of God. When Jesus came His first message was to repent for the kingdm of heaven is NOW or AT HAND. 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 3:5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 3:6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 3:7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 3:8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 3:9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 3:10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 2:26 These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 2:27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 2:28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 2:29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 5:12He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 5:14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 5:18We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Purification (The believer is continously pruned through the Written Word) according to John chapter 15 and John chapter 17).
Holiness (The believer is set apart through the infilling of God's Holy Spirit according to John chapter 17)
Sanctification (the believer is santified through the use of and application of the Written Word on earth through the empowerment of God's Holy Spirit, because they are made one in the Father and Son according to John chapter 17).
All of this happens while the believer is still alive on this planet so that they can make concious decisions to follow Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, I pray that You watch over Your Word and may it accomplish what is was set out to do, in the name if Jesus Christ, Amen.
Shalom to you my friend
Sister Marcia |
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| May 12, 2009 |
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Well Marcia there is a verse that will sum it up: 1 John 3:2; Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:50; Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. |
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| May 12, 2009 |
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ProphetJay
I say Amen to your statement below, which I copied from your original blog above and agrees with my understanding of the scriptures I posted:-
Perfection is an attribute of God, but if the Spirit of the living God abides in us we can be perfected. This is simply the removal of everything that is imperfect..
Human beings cannot achieve perfection and holiness after they die and they most certainly cannot achieve it without the powerful help of the Holy Spirit..
Shalom to you my friend
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| May 15, 2009 |
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Good word, meat for the soul. Amen.
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| Amen Sis Cece, God bless you. |
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