day 2 - God & His Holiness

By: Alyssa Alexandru

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?...Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud     voice, yielded up the Ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city and appeared unto many.”

The Veil, intricately woven, every strand perfectly designed and created just as God instructed. A symbol of the Holy Place, the Holy of Holies in the temple where the presence of God dwelt. A sacred place where only the priest could enter once a year to atone for his sins and the sins of the Israelites. The veil separated the Holy Place from the rest of the temple. It wasn’t to be viewed as mundane, but to be revered, feared, respected, undefiled by humanity.

But, in this single act of sacrifice, the veil was torn. No more was His presence contained in a temple, no more did the veil separate us from Him. When the veil was torn in two, it unleashed something greater.

We all know it, if you are a part of Truth Church then you have experienced it or heard of it. If you haven’t then I encourage you to read Acts chapter 2. The Holy Ghost was poured out: God’s spirit dwelling in us.

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Unworthy as we may be, God chose us to be his dwelling place when we were filled with the Holy Ghost. We have a duty to keep that place pure, undefiled, consecrated, holy…and we are to abound and increase more and more in holiness. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8) 

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;  and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit…yet we urge you brothers and sisters, to do so more and more.”

Holiness should not be viewed as a set of rules nor should they be despised. It should be viewed as a way to achieve closeness with God. Closeness because it makes us more like Him, and closeness because God rewards our obedience. (1 Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth…”)

Just as the veil tore in a perfect line, holiness is an unwavering line after which we should fashion our lives. In a world that is ever changing, I want to be like the One who never changes. Holiness sets us apart – when we live in accordance to God’s Word, it helps identify us as belonging to Him as we strive to be physically pure, morally blameless, and consecrated.

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior), Because as it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.” 

Jesus…Merciful, compassionate, loving, just, bold, wise, gracious, our Savior. Holy.

Wherever you’re at in your walk with God, whether you are wondering what God is calling you to, what you next steps are in your walk with him, how to get closer to him, or if you have fallen, got up and don’t know where to go from here…Jesus gave us the answer and it’s simply, “Be ye holy.”