Holiness

Keith (see link on sidebar) was thinking about holiness in his last post. And he was talking about how Christians often get perfection and holiness conflated into the same idea. I think he is correct. Where our paths go in a different direction is when we discuss how this works.

The word for holiness in Scripture means set apart, it does not mean perfect. Throughout the Scripture God tells his people to"Be Holy as I am Holy". And, througout Scripture, when we violate this command, it is often because we have surrendered to a pattern of sin as a community or an individual. And, often, at this point, in the biblical witness, God's people are told to repent.

As I begin to reflect on what the call to holiness means, I don't think it is exclusive of being morally pure, or as Keith says "a person of truth". But as I think about this, especially after leading a study of Leviticus in our young adult group recently, I see it differently. I think holiness is about living as the unique God-called and God-created self and community of people that God has made you to be. Some of those uniquenesses have to do with structuring our moral lives in a way that keeps us best connected to God and to one another. That is part of claiming your specialness in God. But holiness is also about living out the purposes and passion that God has specifically called you and your community into, and is particular to your specific situation.

Holiness, as Keith intimates, is about being a reflection of God. About being image bearers of God as he is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Each of us is called to reflect God's light. Some ways of doing that, the Bible claims, are universal to everyone. And some, Scripture also teaches, are about your specific uniqueness and call.

Dare to be special. Dare to be set apart. Dare to claim your uniqueness and live as God made you to live.

God Bless!