Devotional Messages

Being Holy Because HE Is Holy

Today's readings from Leviticus and the Psalms concentrated on the issues of holiness and righteousness. In Leviticus, rules are given concerning specific situations that God's people may encounter, seeking to help them to know right from wrong - holiness from depravity. In today's Psalm, we are instructed to "Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones." (vv.27-28).

Yet the crux of the issue of holiness is found in the second verse of our reading from Leviticus: "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy" (cf. 20:26). This is indeed the life of a Christian, to try to be like God. In fact the very word "Christian" means "Christ-like": as Christians we are to be like Christ, who is not only the image of God (Col. 1:15), but who is God (John 1:1-2).

It is often said within Christian circles that "Salvation is not by works - but we must live our lives in holiness as a way of thanking God for His grace". This seems reasonable at first: in the statement there is a true knowledge that we are sinners and uncapable of righteousness within ourselves coupled with a desire to express our praise and thankfulness of God for His grace and His righteousness; but feeling that you thank God by living a holy life is slightly misguided.

As God's creation we are expected to be holy. As a fallen race, we are not holy, but the expectation is still there. As Christians, we have dedicated our lives to God and so seek to be holy: to accept God's salvation is to entrust your life to Him, to make Jesus your Saviour and your Lord. The implications of the "Lord" part are often neglected, but to make someone your Lord is to genuinely seek to do their will, and Christ wills that we be holy. Often within the Christian life, the believer will find encouragement from knowledge of the salvation of God that may spur them onto a more heated persuit of holiness, but we cannot escape the fact that, as God's creation we are expected to be holy because He is holy.

There is no doubt that salvation is by grace, through faith, and we see that faith is expressed in the believer's attempt to live a godly life. As James wrote, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:18).

It must not be forgotton by believers that at the centre of the Christian faith is the need to seek holiness. Our trust in God dictates that we seek to be like Him: "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'" (1 Pet. 1:15-16).

Praise God for His salvation and pray that you may continue to live His way, expressing your faith in all that you do.