You Shall Be Holy, For I Am Holy - A Biblical Theology on Holiness - By Joshua Emerick

YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY
A Biblical Theology on Holiness
THES534A

Author: Joshua Emerick, Master of Ministry Candidate
Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana
April 11, 2011


INTRODUCTION
The biblical narrative is a unique story.  In the story, one finds a people, a holy people, released from slavery and falling into a cycle of sin, exile, and redemption.  Since the introduction of sin to the biblical story after the account of creation, man has found himself in a habit of trusting the Creator and not trusting the Creator; worshipping the Creator and not worshipping the Creator; and obeying the Creator and not obeying the Creator.  However, over the course of time God, the Creator, exemplifies great patience for His people as He affords them multiple upon multiple opportunities to make things right with Him.  However, even with the proclamation of judges and prophets (both pre-exilic and post exilic), Israel cannot seem to afford to fully turn from its wicked ways and find redemption in the Lord.   However, even through this turmoil and calamity, God remains holy.  Holiness defined, is a "separation, purity, or clearness." Furthermore, holiness defined in the Old Testament is "to be holy", while defined in the New Testament is "to make holy".  This distinction is critical to the purpose and power of Christ’s redemptive work and will play a major role in the formulation of this writing.  In the New Testament passage of 1 Peter 1:14-16, the Body of Christ is urged by Peter: "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy."  My paper will begin with a look at the nature of God as holy, His character, and where His holiness dwells.  I will then take a closer look into the nature of Jesus Christ as holy, the nature of the Holy Spirit as holy, and the nature of the Church as holy.  I will conclude that while the holiness portrayed in the Old Testament is that based on adherance to His Law in faith, the holiness given to us by the redemptive work of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is based on grace alone.  It is my hope that this work develops a greater appreciation for the work of the cross and a deeper understanding of the role of holiness in our lives.


THE HOLINESS OF GOD
In Creation

We first see the holy nature of God in the account of the creation story.  Here, God spoke the universe into existence out of nothing.  The earth was without form and void.  However, through a process of seven days, God created a beautiful, clean, world that was His own where man could fellowship with Him and Him with man.  The world was clean, holy, and blameless in sight and God made the seventh day holy to celebrate what He created and He saw that it was good.  In fact, creation stories of the Ancient Near East often end with the building of a dwelling place for the victorious deity.  In celebration of creating a dwelling place for Himself and His creatures, God made the seventh day holy, creating the Sabbath Day that would play a major part in the history of Israel that would follow.   On the sixth day, God said:

"’Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’.  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."’ - Genesis 1:26-27When man and woman were created in the image of God, they were created as a reflection of God’s character.  If God is indeed holy, then man too is holy.  When God mixed water and dry earth to clay, He produced divine breath to form man to have dominion over His created world and created him a companion to help him.  However, the account that follows with the fall of man and woman disrupts the original intention of God.  When man and woman disobey the word of God by eating the good fruit from the tree of knowledge, their holy nature was immediately compromised and at once they felt nakedness, often implying weakness or neediness in the Old Testament literature.  Instead of walking with God as they were familiar with, they hid themselves and covered their nakedness with fig leaves.  When sin enters the picture, creation is polluted and the divine nature of being holy disappears.  Consequently, Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden of Eden, forced to work and multiply with pain, and headed east: symbolic of a withdrawal from the presence of God.  However, the story between God and His creation does not end with the fall.  Rather, God makes a covenant with His people promising them restoration with adherence to His Law in faith.


Where God Dwells
The holiness of God is present where He dwells.  According to Leder, "There are no holy places per se.  The presence of God determines the holiness of a place." At the beginning of the long road to redemption for Israel, Yahweh appears to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3:1 - 4:17).  As Moses approaches the flaming shrubbery, Yahweh declares, "Do not come any closer.  Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." (Exodus3:5)  This passage does not imply that Mount Horeb itself was a divine, holy place even though it appears in multiple accounts of the Old Testament.  Rather, it implies that the place was holy because God chose to make His dwelling there.  After the Exodus of the Israelites from the hands of pharaoh, God chose to dwell on Mount Sinai where He would look down upon His children and give them the Law.  In fact, the top of the mountain was on fire, surrounded with the presence of God.  After Moses ascends Mount Sinai to meet the Lord, Yahweh warns him of the resulting consequences if the people try to see Him and His presence.  In response, Moses replied, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'" (Exodus 19:23)  When God descended on Mount Sinai, the place became holy, not able to be touched or ascended (Exodus 19:13,23), besides those who were consecrated and allowed to ascend halfway. (Exodus 19:22; 24:9-14)  However, it was here that God descended, spoke to His people, preaching from the pulpit of Mount Sinai.

The presence of God would eventually move at the completion of the tabernacle in Exodus 40.  It was here that burnt offerings would be made before God and the aroma pleasing to Him.  It was hear that rituals such as hand washing, eating bloodless meat, etc. would be a requirement to experience the holiness of God. In Exodus 40:34-38, Yahweh descends from Mount Sinai and in a cloud of fire locates His presence in the tabernacle where Israel can experience His absoluteness and majesty:

"Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out – until the day it lifted.  So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels."The presence of God would leave the tabernacle and enter Solomon’s temple after its dedication. (1 Kings 8:2; 2 Chronicles 2-8)  However, the presence of God would eventually leave The Most Holy Place and the temple completely after it had been desecrated by social injustice and religious abominations.  The temple could no longer serve as the sanctuary to the Most Holy God. (Ezekiel 10:1-22)  However, the Lord would eventually find His new dwelling place in all people through the Holy Spirit.


The Call of God to Holiness
The construction and completion of the tabernacle was just the beginning of God's grace by establishing His full presence and holiness among His people.  In Exodus 19:6, God established Israel as His holy people and He desired for them to experience Him through His presence and through His law.  In fact, God makes it clear in Deuteronomy 28:9 that blessings will follow obedience to the law while curses will follow disobedience to the law.  The Israelites will be God’s holy people if they follow His commands.  The life of holiness according to the Lord is spelled out in Leviticus 19:1-37.  Here one finds a call to God’s people to live a life of holiness in imitation of God.  While holiness is declared as an inherent quality in God, it is also an objective for the people of God to strive for.  Holiness towards God includes respecting your father and mother, observing the Sabbath day, forsaking all idols, and observing community rituals in reverence to God.  Holiness towards God in the affairs of life are spelled out as well which include honest dealings in business, caring for the resident aliens and poor, the forbiddance of stealing, equal justice, direct confrontations with no grudges, the forbidding of prostitution and tattoos, respecting your elders, etc.  It is evident in this passage that holiness is not only a character of God but it is also the character for which His people should strive for.  With this thought in mind, a study into the character of God would prove beneficial for us on this journey.


The Holy Character of God
It is quite evident that God is the ideal manifestation and source of holiness.  "For I the Lord am holy" is used commonplace in the delivery of laws and commands and serves as a reminder that none is holier than He is.  He in fact is so holy that He turns jealous and destroys when His people forsake Him and ignore His warnings. (Joshua 24:19-20)  God is also described as a source of confidence and help when David cries, "To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.  I will not fear the tens of thousands…" (Psalm 3:4-6)  God is also Sovereign King attributing to the success of Israel (Psalm 47:8) and through that sovereignty judges righteously those who disobey Him. (Isaiah 5:16)  However, what is most interesting about God’s character is that He desires to fulfill His covenant and restore His people.  Psalm 68:8 declares God as Father to the fatherless, defender of widows, the compassionate and faithful God of the covenant.  God is also zealous for His people as He will restore them to preserve the sanctity of His divine name. (Ezekiel 39:25)  Finally, God is the source of wisdom and knowledge itself as fear of Yahweh is where wisdom begins and knowledge of God’s holiness is the beginning of understanding.  To understand God in a full and deep manner is to understand His holy nature and character.


THE HOLINESS OF CHRIST
Bridging the Gap (John 1:1-34)
The prophet Isaiah prophesied that God's instruction will also go out from this holy place for the sake of the nations: "the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it" (Isaiah 2:2, Sb-4).  God was preparing to send the promised Messiah, the son of David that would bring complete restoration and fellowship with God once again.  In his gospel, John the Apostle opens up with an account of Jesus: His nature, purpose, and divinity.  In verse 1, John states that: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  The overarching theme of scripture could trace the progressive revealing of God’s presence.  And while God’s presence became more prominent through the tabernacle, temple, and other passages as detailed previously, God’s presence, through the coming of the Word (only begotten Son) Jesus, becomes fully available and permanently dwelling among God’s people. 

Also, God’s special presence, while initiated and realized solely by God’s choice, relied on the O.T. in part by man’s actions (ex. building a tabernacle, temple, alter, etc.).  Now God’s presence is solely build and realized by the presence of Jesus.  Of course, verse12 could potentially point to man’s role in "accepting" God’s presence, but this is a topic and debate that would need broader passages and is second to the nature of God’s presence.

As we witnessed in the Old Testament accounts, one had to become "clean" and present "right offerings" to be near God’s presence.  Yet John 1:12-13 now indicates that God’s presence is now available (in a much more full and radical way) to us where we are, if we are willing to accept it (not based on actions or cleanliness, etc.):

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."The Messiah had finally come, and He would reveal to the world God’s purpose and promise: salvation for all nations, all people, to become adopted as children of God.  In fact, one could say that this right to become children of God is not through physical birth or a result of human passion or plans…rather it is a gift of God.

Moving beyond the Apostle John’s opening definition of God, we find John the Baptist baptizing in the Jordan River declaring and preparing the way of the Lord.  Having denied to the Pharisees that he was Elijah, Isaiah, or the Messiah, John declared the coming of "the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." (John 1:27)  Jesus had taken His place among His own people, the Jews and they themselves did not know it.  Jesus then makes His grand entrance onto the public stage as John declared that the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) had arrived, and baptized Him with water while at the same time was baptized with the Holy Spirit; something that Christ would do for His disciples.  In fact, Jesus’ entire ministry was evidence of the gift of eternal life received through the Holy Spirit.  Jesus would not only wash away the sins of the world, making holiness possible, but give eternal life as well.


Fully Human, Fully God, Fully Holy
As God and Jesus are one, then Jesus Himself is holy.  In fact, Jesus was God in human form: fully human, fully God.  Demons knew He was human, yet trembled at His name: "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" (Mark 1:24)  Jesus performed miracle and miracle and many believed.  Yet some did not.  Ultimately, God’s bigger plan took place and the Son of Man was beaten, tortured, and killed on a cross; and at the time of His death, the veil tore in the temple symbolizing the presence of God being fully accessible to all people since the atoning work of Christ, His death and resurrection, was the blood sacrifice of full fulfillment.  The fellowship of God with man that was once present in the Garden of Eden was within reach once again.


COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME! – THE HOLINESS OF BELIEVERS
The redeeming work of God that was present in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ did not end at the cross.  In fact, God is still in the work of redeeming His people as I write this.  The only difference between the work of redemption before the cross and the work of redemption after the cross is that the break that came in our relationship with God is changed dramatically at the cross.  There is no longer any need for the perfect sacrifice because the price for complete fellowship with God has been paid with the blood of Christ.  Without sacrifice then, how is one redeemed?  How is God continually redeeming His children?  It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that redemption continues.

In Acts 2, one-hundred and twenty believers, including the twelve apostles, were present in the upper room of a house praying as they had always done since Christ ascended to the Father. (Acts 1:14)

"Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." - Acts 2:2-4The sending of the Holy Spirit was an essential part of the early church’s ministry.  For in fact, it was the work of this Comforter, Helper, and Mighty Counselor that Jesus promised that empowered the believers to spread the gospel of Christ to the ends of the world.

However, the work of the Holy Spirit moves beyond just empowering for witness.  It also fulfills our identity in Christ.  Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, we do not belong to Christ (Roman 8:9); we are not united to Christ (1 Corinthians 6:17); we are not adopted children of God (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:6-7); and are not part of the body of Christ.  Therefore, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is vital to our walk with Christ.  The believers were first called Christians at Antioch because they were like Christ.  It is the work of the Spirit that compels us and enables us to live lives that reflect the character of Christ.  I have always believed that discipleship is not a six-month program but rather a lifelong process with the companionship of the Holy Spirit.


The Mighty Work of Sanctification
The problem with the doctrine of holiness is that it has been a cause of division and separation amongst the universal Church.  Many churches have given into rationalization and Western worldviews when it comes to the work of the Spirit in our lives.  The apostle Paul warned against such division and worldly coherence.  In the accurate view of John V.W. Smith, a pioneer in the Church of God-Anderson reformation movement, the work of the Spirit through perfect love, Christian perfection, and sanctification should exemplify unity, not dissension or division.  Furthermore, the Holy Spirit plays a role in the sanctification of our hearts which allows us to live lives of holiness:

"Sanctification is a second definite instantaneous work of grace, subsequent to justification, wrought by faith through the Holy Spirit, which frees human beings from their inherited or Adamic nature, cleansing them from all desire or love for sin and enabling them to live a life free from sin in this present world."One must experience salvation before experience the atoning work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification because one must be in Christ and forgiven of sins before receiving the Spirit.  The baptism in the Holy Spirit occurs when one believes with faith and accepts Jesus Christ as Lord over their life. (Romans 10:9; Acts 10,11,15)  This is the beauty of salvation and sanctification.  We are once again holy beings: holiness is Christ in us and through us.


CONCLUSION
Since the account of creation, God had intended for us to be a holy people.  However, that intention was compromised when sin entered into the picture and into our lives.  The perfect companionship and fellowship that man had with God was broken and so began our pilgrimage east.  In an act of mercy and desire to remain connected to His people, God established a covenant with Israel to live lives of holiness compared to God through obedience of the Deuteronomic Law and the offering of sacrifices at the tabernacle and temple.  To experience the presence of God was to offer pleasing sacrifices and adherence to His Law.  Ultimately, this was not enough and God withdrew His presence as Israel’s ultimate exile was underway.

However, fulfilling the covenant made in Jeremiah, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to earth to minister, die, and rise on behalf of our sin.  It is through this atoning work that we can experience complete fellowship with the Creator once again.  Furthermore, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to convict us, save us, purify us, teach us, gift us, and empower us to walk fruitfully and faithfully in our service to the Almighty God.

As I conclude this writing, one Church of God hymn seems to come to mind:


Shackled by a heavy burden,
‘Neath a load of guilt and shame
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same.

He touched me, O He touched me,
And O the joy that floods my soul;
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

Since I met this blessed Savior,
Since He cleansed and made me whole,
I will never cease to praise Him
I’ll shout it while eternity rolls.

He touched me, O He touched me,
And O the joy that floods my soul;
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.Amen and amen.



WORKS USED IN THIS PAPER:

The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology by C. Marvin Pate, et. al.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Holiness” Entry

The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Volume 3, “Holiness, Old Testament, Terminology” Entry,
pg. 237

The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Volume 3, “Holiness, New Testament, Terminology” Entry,
pg. 249

Harper’s Biblical Commentary, pg. 87

Harper’s Bible Commentary, Genesis 2:25-3:7, The Sin.

“Holy God, Holy People, Holy Worship”, Arie C. Leder, Calvinist Theological Journal 43 (2008), pg. 214

The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Volume 3, “Holiness, Old Testament, Divine Beings: God”
Entry, pg. 237

Life Application New Testament Commentary, Bruce Barton et. al., John 1, pg. 372-375, Acts 2,
pg. 477

The Quest for Holiness and Unity, John V.W. Smith, pg. 13

“He Touched Me” by William J. Gaither