Holiness In the New Covenant

What is holiness? I know many of the pulpit preachers equate holiness to a life of not "committing" sins - and they usually have a list of sins to prove their point. But really, is holiness (being set-apart is one meaning) anything to do with the things we... ahem "do"? Or is it that by doing "good works" one can become "holy"? Is holiness equal to sinless-ness?

No wonder people - and especially young people, are left in confusion as to what constitutes holiness, when the scripture clearly say that there is "none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 2:10); and again "all our righteousness are like filthy rags" (Is. 64:6). Who is holy then? There is also an impression given out by a certain section of people in church gatherings who sing "Holy holy holy" in charismatic circles that they (and only they) are holy. This is nothing but a religious fervour bordering on the Pharisaic attitude of "Holier than Thou" (Is. 65 5).

But the problem remains in seeing oneself "holier" than the rest and generally looking down on the so-called laity with disdain while preaching that THEY have to DO something more to become "holy". The voice thunders with emotion: Thus says the LORD God "Be holy, for I am holy."

It does not take a great revelation to see that God is Holy. And anything that is to do with holiness must start from God Himself. In fact, not even the seraphim - the four living creatures who cry out day and night, without ceasing, saying "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty..." are counted as holy (though they are doubtless sinless!).

Now, let me show you what is given to us - those who believe in Jesus Christ, in the New Covenant. A gift most precious than gold, and a status the angels can only dream about. Hebrews Chapter-1 is a comparison of the Son with the angels of heaven, and the conclusion - the Son is GREATER.

1. WHEN the Caller is Holy...
1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV
but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, [16] because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

If the conduct is not founded on the Caller and His calling, all your "good works" amounts to nothing. But if it is, then our conduct is holy too.

2. The Calling is holy
2 Timothy 1:9 NKJV
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

Clearly not of "our works" - but His purpose and grace-given to us in Christ Jesus.

3. The Called are holy
1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

4. The Cost is holy (and so, the purchase)
Hebrews 10:9-10 NIV
Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. [10] And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

5. The Cause is holy (and so, the effect)
Romans 11:16 NKJV
For if the first-fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Jesus has become the first-fruit. And we know He is holy. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. We know Jesus is holy. Therefore, we the branches are holy.

6. The commune of Holy brethren
Hebrews 2:16, 3:1 NKJV
For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

That still leaves us with a question: How can we fulfil the mandate of God's calling of "Be holy, for I am holy" that is part of point No.1 that we discussed. The answer is given by Peter himself, just a few verses earlier:

1 Peter 1:13 NKJV
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

The more you depend on His grace (actually fully depending upon grace), the more we can have a revelation of who Jesus is and who we are in Him - holy, precious and beloved.

This is finally what we can call as the last straw in our mind-blocks in HOLINESS. If God started it, and God is in the process of completing it, who are we to judge the believers in the congregation? Haven't they all passed from condemnation to new life? (Heb. 8:1) Why is the church preaching continues to be "Repent, Repent and Repent" when we should be preaching to believers saying "You have been made holy, holy, holy by the work of Jesus Christ"?

THAT requires a real revelation - to see our brother sitting next to us in the church pews (or chairs) and saying to ourselves "Ah! That is my dear HOLY brother" or "Holy sister!"

Peter had this revelation right in the beginning of his ministry, as he was about to be called by Cornelius' servants, and Peter being a jew was unsure of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles considered as unclean and "common". We read about it in Acts 10.

Acts 10:15 NKJV
And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."

And that is a warning to us, who are quick to judge others - and judge even the believers! What God has cleansed we must not call common.

Peter held on to this revelation and is bold to declare in 1 Peter 2:9 - But you ARE a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a HOLY nation, a peculiar people to show forth the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

How wonderful! How marvellous! And my song shall ever be...

Salut! Holy brother. Hello, Holy sister. Praise Jesus.

1 John 3:1 NKJV
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed (lavished) on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him

Ruth and the Closer Relative

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." - Rom. 3: 19, 20

As we study the Old Testament and divide it into two main portions - Law and the Prophets, we find the three books - Judges - Joshua - Ruth sandwiched between these two main portions. Now we know that Joshua in Hebrew means "God is Salvation" - the same as JESUS in the Greek. And so we see Jesus in the centre of even the Old testament! Just as He is the centre of all creation, and centre of time - dividing B.C from A.D (Anna Domini - Years of Grace Chapter over, close the Book .. :) we will come to that later).

On the side of the Law is also Judges, if you take Joshua to be the central book of the Old Testament - showing us that if we try to come to Jesus through the Law, we will enter into Judgement. And by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight... (Rom. 3:20 and Gal 2:16).

But thank God, you can approach the heavenly Joshua from the other side, what the Prophets foretold... and from the Book of Ruth.

Now Ruth is a Moabite - a foreigner - a Gentile! Disqualified in every way according to the law of Moses. But coming back to the place of bread (Bethlehem literally means "house of bread") along with Naomi, Ruth finds the kinsman Redeemer, who is willing to redeem and marry her!

But hark! There is a problem-there is a still closer relative! He should be consulted first! (Ruth 3: 12). To see if he could perform the dutiful redemption. Will he be able to perform the duty of a close relative? Redeem her... take her?

Now who does this unnamed close relative typify?

My friends, it is the law. The Law that demands perfection, calls for excellence in performance, no failures tolerated and would be quick to judge the error. The Law that says do this, don't do that! And when it comes to redemption, do you want to know what this close relative would say?

"I cannot redeem!" (I cannot SAVE!) Ruth 4: 6

Law that takes off the sandals, saying I cannot walk that path to redemption for you. Law that boasts of not missing even the dots and crosses of the letter; and still unable to justify even one person who does it. Law that shows how wrong you are, with all the right reasons, and still unable to make the wrong right! Law that subjects every one UNDER IT to a life of bondage - bringing up the Ishmael generation and the old covenant on Mt Sinai; persecutes the children of promise - the Isaac generation and those having the promises in the new and everlasting covenant on Mount Zion (Gal. 4: 24 - 28)

Thank God for GRACE. Grace that is greater than all my sin. Grace that would pardon and cleanse within. Grace that would pour till waters in deserts flow, and scorching heat of summer turns to spring time glow. There is a Redeemer kinsman. Jesus, God's own Son. Precious Lamb of God Messiah... O for sinners slain.

Yes, Boaz would redeem Ruth, marry her. And she who had been barren and a widow brought forth a son; Ruth also became the great grandmother to the sweet psalmist of Israel and a great king - king David!

How do we find grace? Or does Grace find us? This is a question like the "Which was first? The egg or the chicken?" question. Yes, Grace found me. Yes, I found grace. So then, brethren, we are NOT children of the bondwoman but of the free. (Gal. 4: 31)

Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a friend!

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother - JESUS MESSIAH.