Holiness

I've been reading through the Old Testament (Leviticus, in particular, these past few weeks) - reading about all the details of the law, the sacrifices, the priestly duties.  It's not that hard to see how easily the people could get bogged down in analyzing the law, trying to understand every bit, so there would be no missteps.  From that perspective, it's not a big step to find oneself caught up in legalism.  Remember the harsh words Jesus had for the Pharisees who were so enmeshed in the letter of the law that they had completely ignored the spirit of the law leading them to miss the law-giver standing there in their midst.


It must be that legalism begins when mankind tries to fulfill the letter of the law in their own power - not trusting in God to guide them.  The law was a framework in which the image of holiness was framed.  Jesus Christ came that we might see, not the image of holiness, but holiness itself: in the flesh, in its purest form, in the face of God.  Holiness cannot be achieved by man, by his striving to keep the law, to be holy by his "acts" of holiness.  Holiness is a grace bestowed by God - it is a transformational process that begins with Jesus, continues in Jesus and is completed by Jesus.  We must not fall into the trap of thinking that our good deeds, our acts of holiness, will make us righteous in God's eyes.  Remember the word from Isaiah 64:5 (NIV) all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.  Instead, look to Jesus Christ, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). Look to the Holy Spirit who comes alongside to guide, teach, empower us and transform us into the image of our holy Lord and Savior. Look to God our Father who has created us in his image - his holy image - and who calls us his children, giving us all the rights and privileges of sonship in the family of God.   


The mystery, the beauty and the reality of salvation is that because of Jesus' obedience, love and sacrifice, we have become - and are becoming - a royal priesthood, a holy nation, (1 Peter 2:9), sons and daughters of the King of kings, the beautiful, pure bride of Christ; and this is not accomplished by our good works, our close attention to doing the right and good things we should do.  


It is a beautiful work of God.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! (Psalm 115:1)

 Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. (Ephesians 1:3-4)