BOBBY DOCKERY
Monday, January 14, 2002
Type: Bulletin

Be Ye Holy…

The Bible gives many different attributes of God: God is love… God is light… God is spirit… God is gracious… God is good… (1 John 4.8; 1.5; John 4.24; 2 Chronicles 30.9; Psalm 100.5.)

Of all the attributes of God mentioned in the Bible there is one which is so strongly emphasized that it is repeated three times in succession.  In the Book of Isaiah and again in Revelation it says that God is, “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6.3; Revelation 4.8.)

One of the fundamental deficiencies of American Christianity is the failure to  appreciate that God is holy, holy, holy!  There is a flippancy and a shallowness in most modern religion which is deeply disturbing.  People have simply failed to come to grips with the holiness of God. 

Because He is holy, God demands holiness of us: “Be ye holy… for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1.16.)  In other words, He commands us to be just as holy as He is!  Yet we are so conscious of our own imperfection!  “There is none righteous, no not one…” (Romans 3.10.)  How can we possibly be as holy as God???  There are three possible responses to God’s demand for holiness…

1)   We can just give up and quit trying.  Many people simply call off the quest for holiness.  “It’s impossible,” they say.  “We are only human.”  “I’ll never make it.”  “I’m too weak and sinful.”  “What’s the use?”  That is the voice of despair!

2)   We can try harder to achieve holiness on our own.  What pain, what suffering, what agonizing of spirit are endured by zealous people trying to manufacture holiness in their lives! (Cf. Romans 10.2-3.)  This attitude leads to legalism, asceticism, Pharisaism, monasticism.  All represent futile human attempts at holiness.  “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” in the sight of God. (Isaiah 64.6.)

3)   We can become partakers of the holiness of God.  God “disciplines us for our good that we may share His holiness.” (Hebrews 12.10.)  We need to get in touch with the holiness of God.  The Apostle Paul assures us that God  can “establish” our hearts in “unblamable holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 3.13.)  How???  Look at the example of Abraham!  The Scriptures say that He believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. (Romans 4.3.)  God counted/considered/judged Abraham to be holy because of his obedient faith.  When we submit to God in obedient faith today, we become partakers of His own perfect holiness. (Cf. James 2.22-23.)  Holiness comes not from achievement but from a relationship built on obedient faith!

B. F. Westcott has said that holiness is “the preparation for the presence of God.”  The Bible says that without holiness we shall never see God! (Hebrews 12.14.)   God says, “Be ye holy… for I am holy!”

–BOBBY DOCKERY

Fayetteville, Ark.