stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; the Work of God on Behalf of Man
Weekly Devotional 11-23-20 The Holiness of God
Have you ever considered the holiness of God and what that means to you and me, to all persons from Adam forward? It is impossible of course for the finite mind to fully grasp the holiness of God. The unregenerate person considers the holiness of God from his logic and rational, a view that is distorted by sin. This view permits man to approach holy God on his or her own terms, by their own merit. The regenerate person views the holiness of God as being far above themselves. This view permits the regenerate person to approach holy God because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The unregenerate man believes that he may win favor with holy God by some deed or deeds (good works). The regenerate man knows that He has gained favor with God only because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on his behalf. The unregenerate man holds that God is a loving God and will, at death, accept him into His presence not knowing that the holiness of God will not permit it. The regenerate man knows that God is a loving God, but also a just God, a God’s whose justice demands that man be holy and that he has been declared holy not because of his own merit but because of the work of Christ in his life.
In the present, unregenerate man believes that he can live life in a moderate way and be acceptable of Holy God. He believes that God will wink at his “peccadilloes” (slight offenses) and still commune with and have fellowship with him. He does not understand that that the holiness of God will not permit it. For instance, Jesus said to His disciples, “2If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). At this point in His earthly ministry (His ministry of first advent) Jesus had begun telling His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and be killed. Peter rebuked Him for this and in response Jesus spoke the above words. His point was (and is), for one to be a true follower he must forsake self-rule and come under Jesus’ authority. The holiness of God demands it, Why? Because in self-rule man is subject to, and will fulfill, the desires of the flesh which is at enmity (war) with God.
In the present the regenerate man is to, “1seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:1-17). Why? Because the holiness of God demands it.
Steve
Stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Oscar Leske
www.UnderstandingtheSignsofOurTimes
Lian Muan Kim
Koinonia Baptist Seminary – Yangon, Myanmar