Where Is the 'Holy'?

What has happened to the 'holy'? Is there anything still regarded as 'holy'? Once in a while the Bible may be called "the holy Bible", but in most instances the word 'holy' has no special meaning. The Bible may still be regarded as inerrant and authoritative, but in general use it is just another book. The word 'holy' has lost its meaning. We still speak of the 'Holy Spirit' , but the word 'holy' is just a designative identifying adjective.

It is frightening that the average evangelical Christian has little, or no concept, of what the word "holy" means. Nothing is regarded as "holy." The church is no longer thought of as "God's house." It is where one goes to "worship" but worship in most of our evangelical churches knows nothing of 'reverence.' In many of them the more noise created the better. Much of the music used today has little to do with a 'holy God' but the emphasis usually is on 'me' - my feelings, my joy, my blessings - what God has done for me. He may be praised, but it is not for who He is, but for what He has done for us. His 'holiness' is ignored, while His generosity is emphasized.

It is tragic that we know so little about God - His holiness, His majesty, His justice. Perhaps the little we do know prompts us to be cautious in how we handle the things of God. The trouble is that the things of God are not what we would like for them to be. For whatever God touches is 'holy' to Him - it is designated as His, and His only, for His personal desire - or it is consigned to destruction. Anything God uses is not only 'holy' in the sense of belonging to Him, but it also must be satisfactory to Him. And He is satisfied with nothing less than perfection. Jesus said, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"(Matt. 5:48). Paul expressed what ought to be the attitude of all God's children, "...beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Cor. 7: 1)

It is evident all through the Bible that anything one brings to God is acceptable only if it is the best one has. He tells us plainly that only our best is good enough to be given to Him. His instructions to Moses were, "... if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the Lord." (Lev. 3: 1; Cf, 1 :3). "Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you" (Lev.22:20).

The syndrome which dominates today's culture is "Don't be different - don't stand out trom the crowd." The result is that the standard drops to the lowest common denominator. Anything goes. Move over to the church and the attitude is "God doesn't care how I dress, or how I look. He doesn't care what we sing so long as we enjoy it. He doesn't care what we do so long as we think it's OK."

Where is the 'holy'? If anything and everything is holy to God, then nothing is holy. Has God changed in His demands? In the Old Testament times only the very best was acceptable. Not only that, but there were places which God said were holy ground. When Moses saw the burning bush, God said to Moses, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals trom your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." (Ex. 3:5). When Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, offered strange fire before the Lord, and died, God spoke to Moses, saying, "By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored." (Lev. 10:3).

No one questions that we are to worship God. But who determines the nature, the structure and the spirit of true worship? We are permitted to worship our God; it is by His grace and mercy. And He sets the standard for that worship. He is holy, and if God's Word has any meaning, it says He requires those who seek to worship Him to be holy, even as He is. It is obvious that we come to God through Jesus Christ. But does that mean we can determine what constitutes worship? Our religious feelings - as individuals, or as a corporate body - do not determine how we worship. God has spelled it out for us in His Word. If we are faithful, the worship shapes us. Real worship is not the uninformed, enthusiastic outpouring of human activity. Its purpose is not to meet the religious needs and desires of human beings. Its divinely given objective is to give glory to God in our beings and our actions. Any activity purporting to be worship which is not a response to God's self-revelation is idolatrous, for it is something man himself creates out of his own ambitions and desires. [Emphasis added.]

All of us need to earnestly, humbly seek to be holy unto God, in order that we may more fully understand the divine meaning of holiness.

[Reprinted from The Watchman, December 2006, M. O. Owens, Jr., Editor. For a free subscription contact: Owens Ministries, Inc.; P.O. Box 2066; Gastonia, NC 28053; 704-864-6627.]