(January 27, 2014)
It is rather obvious that some think that holiness has to do with wearing priestly garments and going about with a condescending attitude.
It is true that when the Levitical priesthood was first established appropriate attire was required and certain rituals were set into place. This was done in an attempt to turn a concrete nation from pagan futility to obeying and trusting a Majestic Almighty God.
That Levitical priesthood has been overridden by Jesus the Founder and Head of that original priesthood. He walked the earth for a short while and established a new priesthood and showed us, through His example, His teachings and His accomplishments, the Way of God and faith in the Father.
Holiness is growing in the spirit, developing the mind and heart in righteousness and speaking truth. In this composition I want to concentrate on speaking truth, an outward display or work of the holy spirit.
* Be holy by speaking truth.
John 4:24 (NASB)
God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Speaking truth is a bit like showing the value of PI. A very rough answer is that PI equals 3 or 3. something or 3.141 or even more accurately 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510. But as far as human knowledge goes the determination of PI is infinite. It has been said that by substituting letters for numbers in PI all known facts can be found there. I dare say that you can find more in the pages of your Bible than in PI. I do not, however, speak with authority. God only knows.
PI is just one of many constants found in God’s creation. Constants are very special numbers. They are very specific numbers and very precise numbers. The sequence of the digits that make up these numbers are of utmost importance in order to make them correct and useful. If a single digit is out of place or wrong then the number is false, unreliable, inaccurate and invalid. The consequences of using a false number may lead to futile calculations and useless results.
I like to think along these terms when I put together an article whether it be a sermonette or any other composition. The sequence of words, thoughts, ideas, sentences and paragraphs help to empower a message and make it more effective. Anyone who has done some serious writing has worked on finding that perfect wording and perfect sequence or combination.
Much more challenging questions than the value of PI for me are things like; Why did you do that? Sometimes there is a simple answer and sometimes not or How are you going to solve that problem? Or What is the best solution? Or What made you think of that? Some answers are infinite, How are you going to make out in your old age? Is it possible to give a correct or even satisfying answer to these questions? There is no question as to what is the value of PI only how accurately you want the answer. Most of life is not that simple.
Now let us look at some scriptures that enlighten us in what it takes to become holy or how to be holy. Thank God that He gave us the Bible and did not leave us to find the answers in PI.
Philippians 2:12 (NASB)
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
To quite an extent we are left to our own personal relationship, which very often involves speaking, with our Father Creator to work out our salvation. At times this is a very difficult and challenging situation because no one has seen God the Father except Jesus. When you pray and talk to our Father you do not see Him. If you think you see Him, what you are seeing is an imposter. We are not able to see Him yet as we would not survive the experience. We are left with the words of the Bible and our own thoughts to a great extent. Nevertheless, to work out your salvation through fear and trembling is the Way to holiness.
But in Hebrews 4:16, we also read;
Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)
Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
Part of being holy is to boldly approach God the Father. So we must approach God with fear and trembling at times and also, at times, with boldness. In my mind, one cannot do both at the same time. It is like an on off switch. They are opposing states of mind, two sides of the same coin perhaps. In either state though I think humbleness in speech should prevail.
And in Ephesians 4:26 it says;
Ephesians 4:26 (NASB)
Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger
Controlling anger is also a part of being holy. Very often anger comes out in words. We may speak with anger but not with sin or foulness or lies. This is true whether you are speaking with a fellow man or with God.
In the preceding verse,
Ephesians 4:25 (NASB), it states,
Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH, EACH ONE of you, WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
For many of us, the single most effective way that we have to exercise our faith is through speech. It is holiness in action. This is in all our everyday activities not just in our Sabbath observances or in our personal relationship with God.
1 Peter 1:13 to 16 (The King James Version)
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
There are two things that I want to bring out here, gird up the loins of your mind and be ye holy in all manner of conversation. You gird up the mind by acquiring knowledge and discipline then you speak from that source.
Now to Proverbs 15:14.
Proverbs 15:14 (NASB)
The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
It might be better for those taking notes to just write down the passages and look them up later. I will read quite a few.
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
In other words, you often cannot trust your own thoughts. So when you gird up your mind be very selective as to what you keep there and how you prioritize things.
Proverbs 15:28 (NASB)
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
The expression, the heart of the righteous ponders, implies, in common terms, the attitude, state, disposition or temperament of a righteous person lends to thought before action. We are often tempted to speak without thinking. Many want reactions and answers and sometimes to very personal questions. One must discipline oneself to ponder or think before answering.
James 3:2 (KJV)
If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
This is a very good example of holiness.
James 3:4 (NASB)
Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.
Here James is comparing the tongue with the bridle on a horse and the rudder of a ship.
James continues in 3:8 and 9 (NASB)
But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
Matthew 15:18 and 19 (NASB)
But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts,
Jesus spoke these words. James was likely thinking of this very saying when he spoke of cursing men. Neither one is pretending that it is easy to tame or control the tongue. It is difficult and near impossible but not forever. We must learn to trust in God and let Him control our tongue, properly discerning the spirits.
Jesus also said in John 4:24,
John 4:24 (NASB)
God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
The idea that to be holy is to believe truth and to speak truth is again brought out here. This is getting right to the point, to the heart of the matter.
1 Timothy 2:7 (NASB)
And for this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Paul also set an example of teaching and preaching truth, an outward display of holiness.
The following is what some said of Jesus.
Luke 20:21 (NASB)
Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth.
Jesus often let others speak of Him and this is what they deduced, that He spoke the truth. In this Way did Jesus show us holiness, by His example.
Speaking truth is a bit like showing the value of PI. Sometimes there is a specific sequence that best depicts the way that one should think on a matter. The prayer outline Jesus gave, Our Father, is an example. There is a sequence that gives the best explanation, understanding and effectiveness. Disorganized responses sometimes confuse rather than enlighten. Sometimes a short note suffices and other times precision and detail are required. Most often, if not always, an appropriate response is required in order to maintain holiness. But, don’t waste your time casting your pearls before swine.
But finally, let us read Ephesians 4:15 in closing,
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ.
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