Re: Holiness

There is no holy thing. There are no holy people. There is no holy action. There is no holy word. There is no holy faith. There is no holy hope. There is no holy tradition. There is no holy model. There is no holy order. There is no holy calling. There is no holy statement. There is no holy music. There is no holy love. There is no holy movement. There is no holy history. There is no holy future.

Right?

Holiness is not a self supporting concept. It does not sustain itself and cannot originate itself within something, it is granted and imparted. There is only a holy God, and all things may participate in HIS holiness by His invitation only. Holiness by definition must rely on a relationship to the nature of holiness, to a holy One, a standard which nothing is more holy, but is itself the bestower of holiness. If there is a holy word, it is holy only in its relation to the holy God. If there are holy people, they are so only as they are found in the holy God. If there are holy actions, they are so only by being taken through Him. There is no holiness outside of Him, and there is nothing unholy within Him.

We have been given that invitation to take part in His holiness. If this is true, no longer should we regard ourselves, as those found in Him, as things unholy in identity- if we are in Him, we are therefore holy by His holiness. Rather, we ought strive to act and speak through Him and thereby act and speak in holiness, not as if our nature or intention brought about the holiness of that action or word, but as it is simply in being acted or spoken from and by Him. Faith is holy only as it is put in Him who is holy, there is no hope that is holy for the sake of simply being committed or well intended, but there is a hope that is holy because it is hoping in the One who is holy. There can be nothing holy outside of Him who is holiness. There is no self originated holiness and no holiness that can be attained through works or straining in goodness, but only holiness as far as it is related to the holy One. In this, there is no holy people, no holy action, no holy word, no holy tradition, no holy calling, no holy love, no holy anything without a relationship to the very identity of holiness, that is our Lord. If we are to chase holiness, it can only be in the sense that we pursue Christ and hope to be found in Him. To chase holiness without accepting Christ is self consumed and impossible at best while at worst simply devilish. If we are a holy people, it is only because we serve a holy God and by His grace He has covered us in His holiness. Let us NEVER forget that.

I get the sense more and more lately that some things are protected without due as "holy" things. Our concept and tradition of church, for example... a personal "calling," to ministry for another example. This or that style or form of music and worship, or perhaps the teaching from one student of the Word instead of another. In reality these things are not holy unless they are directly related to the author and identity of holiness! If GOD has not established it as so, can we dare demand He declare what our hands have formed, "holy?" If we are doing things in His name, yet without His blessing, I think we're kidding ourselves in expecting that. Just because we put His name on it does not mean He has. Holiness is of the Lord, consecration is to the Lord, sanctification is by the Lord, and none of it is of us. We submit, we follow, we comply, we move, we act, we speak, we hope, we believe- but all these things only as long as they are in Him. Perhaps we out to look at what we defend in the name of holiness and ask how related they are to the author of holiness? Perhaps we ought look at what we're really protecting, is it our preferences... our dreams... our words... our convenience... our stability... our good... or is it His Word and His kingdom? If it is the former, beware the nature of your opposition, you may find yourself fighting against He who seeks purity and holiness for all as they are consumed by His love and found in Him. If it is the latter, why spend your time defending what is His? His nature and holiness declare He will indeed protect what is His, it is not our obligation nor calling to defend Him. It is our obligation and calling to obey and pursue the holy One and declare the glory of His life in us.