"Holy Is Different"

When you hear the word "holy" or "holiness", what comes to your mind? Holiness speaks of "difference and separation not the sameness." God is revealed as a holy God because He is like no other. His power, glory, purity and majesty separate Him from all else that exists! We can hear God speak in Isaiah 46:5: "To whom would you liken Me, and make Me equal and compare Me, that we would be alike?"

Peter speaks of those who have been called into a relationship with the Lord that His holiness is who they are (I Pet. 1:15-16). We have been invested with "difference!" We have been called out of the common and ordinary use, service or status and have been separated to God and to His purposes. That is a divine calling that makes us holy!

When God claims a section, a piece of ground it becomes holy and it will be entered or walked upon under holy conditions! If it is a place in the desert with a burning bush, the worshiper must remove their shoes and approach. If it is on a mountain, it will be roped off and transgressors warned, even to the animals. If it is a table, candlestick or other utensils, they will be used ONLY for the service as instructed by God who makes them holy. If it is money or other gifts, it will be used solely to promote the glory and purposes of God.

God is holy and that is who He is by just being Himself! When we were called into union with Him through Jesus, we should no longer be the same. Our lives will be marked out and will be made visible in our worship and patterns of behavior. Having been made holy, we can longer be the same as the rest of the common man. Since we have embraced as Father the One who judges the lives of people in His righteousness and holiness, we are to live our lives in reverent fear.

The Hebrew writer reminds us that we are holy and share in that holy, heavenly calling. This holy God disciplines us so we may share in His holiness (Heb. 12:10) and calls us to pursue holiness if we wish to see Him (Heb. 12:14). Paul urged the Corinthian brethren to clean out the "leaven" from their assembly that they might become who they were called "unleaven". We are not only called from something but to Someone that is different and our lives should reflect that.