What is HOLINESS? HOLY OR HOLINESS The word “holy” or “holiness” is derived from the Hebrew root “qadash” and Greek word “hag”. The basic meaning of “qadash” is Separateness, Withdrawal. It is applied to God, and is early associated with ideas of purity and righteousness. The idea of holiness originates in the revealed character of God, and is communicated to things, places, times and persons engaged in His service. Holiness is interwoven with righteousness and purity. To seek holiness apart from the other qualities of a Christ-like life is to wander from the way of holiness itself. (Ref: Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 358) Therefore, Anything set apart for sacred uses is holy: the altars and other furniture of the tabernacle (Ex. 30:10, 29:37), animal sacrifices (Num. 27:30), tithes and the first fruits (Lev. 19:24, 23:20, 27:30), anything consecrated (Ex. 28:38), persons connected with holy places and holy services were holy priests (Lev. 21:1-6) . Israel - as a nation (Jer. 2:3) No false god ever pretended to holiness. It was no attribute of heathenism or of any religion ever professed in the world before or since the true revelation of the one true God. There is none beside thee. There can be but one Unoriginated, Infinite, and Eternal Being; that Being is Jehovah, neither any rock like our God. Rabbi Maimon has observed that the word “tsur” which we translate rock, signifies when applied to Jehovah “Fountain, Source, Spring”. There is no source whence continual help and salvation can arise but our God. (Ref: Adam’s Clark commentary, Page 295) God’s Holiness (SEPARATED FROM HIS CREATION) Because of God’s absolute moral purity and because of His Unoriginated Being and His nature as Love, separates him from his creation, (1 John 4:8). He alone has these qualities of holiness that distinguished him from his creation. There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none besides thee, neither is there any rock like our God (1 Sam.2:2, Isa. 46:5, Rev. 15:4). Israel’s Holiness (SEPARATED FROM OTHER NATIONS) Israel is Peculiar people to the God of the whole earth, (Deut. 7:6). For thou art holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the earth, (Deut. 7:6, Ex. 19:6) Moses calls it “a kingdom of Priest,” an holy nation, they were separated from all the people of the earth, that they might worship the One and only true God, and abstain from the abominations that were in the heathen world. They were also a peculiar people, a “purchased people “; a “private property,” belonging to God Almighty, Deut, vii. 6. They were to be “WITNESSES” of the one and only true God, (Isa 43:10-11, 44:6, 45:18, 21-22) Church Holiness (SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. And I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty, (2 Cor. 6:17-18; John 15:19, 17:14). The church is called to this state of salvation out of darkness from idolatry, superstition, and ungodliness, into his marvelous light in the gospel dispensation; the nature, will, and gracious promises toward mankind. The church had these privileges that they might shew forth the praises of him who had thus called us: “the virtues,” perfection of the wisdom, justice, truth and goodness of God, that shone most illustriously in the Christian dispensation. These we were to exhibit in a holy and useful life, being transformed into the image of God, and walking as Christ himself walked; A. Hagiasmos – “holiness” is always rendered “sanctification” in the revised version, it signifies. 1. Separation to God, (1 Cor. 1:30, 2 Thess. 2:13, 1 Pet. 1:20) 2. The resultant state, the conduct befitting those so separated, (1 Thess. 4:3, 4, 7). Sanctification is thus the state predetermined by God for believers, into which in grace, He calls them, and in which they begin their Christian course and so pursue it. The corresponding verb “hagiazo” denotes to set apart for God, a separation or a withdrawal. B. Hagiosume: manifestation of the quality of holiness in personal conduct; it is the absolute holiness of Christ in the days of His flesh which distinguished Him from all merely human beings; indicated in the phrase “the Spirit of holiness and His resurrection from the dead, (Rom. 1:4). C. Believers are to be “Perfecting Holiness in the fear of God, bringing Holiness to its predestined end, whereby they may be found “unblameable in holiness” in the coming of Christ, (1 Thess. 3:13) “In each place character is in view perfect in the case of the Lord Jesus, growing toward perfection in the case of the Christian” (2 Pet. 3:18, Eph. 4:13) Hagios – to venerate fundamentality signifies separated in scriptures in its moral and spiritual significance, separated from sin and therefore consecrated to God, (Sacred). It is predicated of God (as the absolute Holy one, in His purity, majesty and glory, (Luke 1:49, 1 Pet. 1:15:16). It is used of men and things in so far as they are devoted to God. Indeed the quality, as attributed to God, is often presented in a way which involved Divine demands upon the conduct of believers. Those called hagaioi “saints” i.e. “sanctified” are “holy ones”. This sainthood is not an attainment, it is a state into which God in grace calls men; yet believers are called to sanctify themselves from all defilement, forsaking sin, living a holy manner of life, 1 Pet. 1:25, 2 Pet. 3:11 and experiencing fellowship with God in His Holiness. The saints are thus figuratively spoken of as “a holy temple” 1 Cor. 3:17 (a local Church) Eph. 2:21 (the whole Church) 5:27. “a holy priesthood” 1 Pet. 2:5, “a holy nation” 2:9. Hosios – Signifies religiously right, holy, as opposed to what is unrighteous. It is commonly associated with righteousness. It is of character of Christian, (1 Tim. 2:8 and Titus 1:8). All these definition points towards the whole essence of God’s purpose of separation (Holiness). (Ref: Vine’s expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Page 225-226) Qadash in Hebrew, means: Holy or Holiness. It is God’s Act of Separation or Withdrawal of nations, people and things consecrated for sacred use. Holiness is the state unto which God, in His grace, calls a sinful man to be separated and in which they begin their course as Christians, (Col. 3:12, Heb. 3:1,4). This is God’s prerogative which involves divine demands of a total submission to His will. (1 Pet. 1:15-16) Therefore, any and all forms of works or ritualism doesn’t make anyone holy, however, all forms of works in a wholehearted obedience to God in a separated or sanctified life within the State of Holiness becomes holy unto the Lord. “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;” (Titus 2:3…). By: Rev. Bishop Donnie C. Ompad, D.D
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 10:12:52 +0000
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