HOLINESS AND SANCTIFICATION
Hebrews 12:14-29 - with concentration on verse 14
Hebrews 12:14, "Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."
It has been a very busy week and yet, it is only Tuesday. Hmm, maybe it is just a normal week and my perception is out of kilter… I will need to give that some thought! Anyway, whichever it is my blog is due tomorrow, and I need to get after it.
I have looked at four commentaries and all of them agree that verses 14-16 are part of one sentence in the original Greek. I have decided to address only verse 14. I have for quite some time been concerned that we no longer preach or teach the importance of holiness in our Christian walk. So, when I read this verse that very plainly tells us to ‘pursue peace with all men, and holiness,’ I immediately thought, ‘Here we go.’ Now, I was reading it in the NIV, but because of a suggestion I checked it in various translations. Thus we could say that the Biblical picture is this: to be sanctified means being set apart. I looked it up in a few others and, guess what? There were translations that translated the Greek word as “sanctification,” not “holiness.” And, I thought, “There goes the whole purpose for writing on this passage.” But, often, first thoughts are not necessarily good thoughts!
So, here goes! “Being holy means reflecting the moral purity of God in righteous living" (Lev. 11:44-45, 19:2; I Pet. 1:13-16). Thus, we could say the Biblical picture is this; "to be sanctified means being set apart as holy in order that one might reflect the holiness of God Himself." Now, if you ask me about the difference between being holy reflecting the moral purity of God and being sanctified in order that one might reflect the holiness of God himself, I will set my pen down, fold my hands together, and tell you, “That’s a discussion for another time!”
Hebrews 12:14, "Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."
It has been a very busy week and yet, it is only Tuesday. Hmm, maybe it is just a normal week and my perception is out of kilter… I will need to give that some thought! Anyway, whichever it is my blog is due tomorrow, and I need to get after it.
I have looked at four commentaries and all of them agree that verses 14-16 are part of one sentence in the original Greek. I have decided to address only verse 14. I have for quite some time been concerned that we no longer preach or teach the importance of holiness in our Christian walk. So, when I read this verse that very plainly tells us to ‘pursue peace with all men, and holiness,’ I immediately thought, ‘Here we go.’ Now, I was reading it in the NIV, but because of a suggestion I checked it in various translations. Thus we could say that the Biblical picture is this: to be sanctified means being set apart. I looked it up in a few others and, guess what? There were translations that translated the Greek word as “sanctification,” not “holiness.” And, I thought, “There goes the whole purpose for writing on this passage.” But, often, first thoughts are not necessarily good thoughts!
So, here goes! “Being holy means reflecting the moral purity of God in righteous living" (Lev. 11:44-45, 19:2; I Pet. 1:13-16). Thus, we could say the Biblical picture is this; "to be sanctified means being set apart as holy in order that one might reflect the holiness of God Himself." Now, if you ask me about the difference between being holy reflecting the moral purity of God and being sanctified in order that one might reflect the holiness of God himself, I will set my pen down, fold my hands together, and tell you, “That’s a discussion for another time!”
by Paul Kightlinger, Elder Vice Chairman
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Recent
Archive
2024
January
A FRESH STARTPOSTURE OF FAITHHEAVENLY BODIESTHE BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUSI AM WILLINGGOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES MAN'S DYSFUNCTIONJESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATHLIVE OUT WELL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUSHOLD IT CLOSEOPEN MY EYESWHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GODWHAT IS YOUR IDOL?GOD'S CHOOSING
February
March
2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
April
OUR GOD IS HOLY AND JUSTA CAUSE FOR OBEDIENCETELL THE COMING GENERATIONTHE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOLSHINE YOUR FACE UPON USLISTEN UP!CHECK WITH GOD FIRST - HE KNOWS MORE THAN WE DOPSALM 86THAT IS ENOUGH SAIDDO YOU REMEMBER?TRANSITIONSSERVE ONE ANOTHERPROVERBS“Insignificant Does Not Equal Insignificant” (Judges 6)
May
JESUS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!FINISHING WELLARE YOU THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?FORGETTING GOD IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTHREPENTANCE BRINGS MERCYGOD'S SOVEREIGN TIMING IS ALWAYS RIGHTWHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?A GODLY FATHERJESUS CARES FOR US - HE'S OUR SHEPHERDWHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?CARELESS SPEECHCONTINUE TO SERVE GODUNDIGNIFIED, HUMILIATED, AND GLORIFYING GOD!
No Comments