Tag: holy god

The Idea of Spiritual Separation (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

Therefore,

“Come out from them
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”

And,

“I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (New International Version)

There are entire Protestant denominations built upon verses such as today’s. They take the admonition to be separate as a cornerstone value. Ever since the Reformation, various Christian groups have struggled to maintain their witness in the world through, essentially, having nothing to do with the world whatsoever.

The dogma of separation inevitably leads to defining precisely what is “worldly” and what isn’t. This is where the idea of creating lists of what’s not acceptable come from. Each group or denomination has it’s own teaching about how to identify oneself as a Christian, and what sorts of behaviors communicate one isn’t a Christian. And the lists often vary quite a bit.

The Puritans had detailed lists and laws of what must be done and not done in order to remain in the community and be pure without spiritually contaminating oneself. For example, here are just a few of the many puritanical laws in Massachusetts in the 1600’s:

Sunday was a holy day. Trade and business were not allowed. No other public meetings could be held (except church services). No travel, except for walking to and from church and for emergencies. No entertainment. Church attendance was required. If a person missed church, they had to go to court (on Monday) and pay a fine.

All the other days were holy, too. Immodest and ostentatious clothes was illegal. Long hair for men was illegal. Smoking was illegal in the street. Courting a girl without her parents’ consent was illegal. Kissing in public was illegal. The following behaviors were illegal: using bad words, drinking too much alcohol, laziness, gluttony, fighting, poorly made products, having a bad attitude, and gossip.

Any violation, in Puritan thought, put the entire community at risk of raising the ire of God – who may punish them with various natural disasters. With all of these laws and lists, there was no opportunity for anyone to ever marry an unbeliever or be in business with a non-Christian, simply because it was illegal to be anything but a Christian!

None of this is meant to pick on the Puritans. It’s commendable that a group of people would want to be holy in all that they do and say. Yet, attempting to legislate every facet of another’s life isn’t so admirable – especially against their own Christian convictions.

Because, the reality of it all is that, in such systems, the few (usually old white guys) make the laws and decisions for everyone else – whether everyone likes it, or not. And worse, the old guys would couch their laws in the pious language of maintaining the common good of all persons (that is, themselves).

That sort of practice is still done today, in every system and every institution; the few call the shots for everyone else. And yes, even in a stated democracy like the United States of America.

So, if that isn’t what the Apostle Paul was getting at with the Corinthian Church, what then did he mean when he talked of separating from unbelievers, not being contaminated, and maintaining purity amongst the community?

Paul was speaking about the reality that the Corinthians – who had been ardent pagan worshipers before their conversion to Christianity – were still making significant accommodations to their surrounding pagan environment. Like a pair of ox yoked together, it just did not work. The two were greatly mismatched; they would not be able to go anywhere or get anything done.

In a series of rhetorical questions, Paul sought to illustrate the incompatibility of being a spiritual square peg trying to fit into a round hole. To be holy means to be set apart for the specific purpose of and devotion to God.

Rather than making holiness be the avoidance of dancing, drinking, playing cards, and dressing up, holiness and purity is to be characterized by righteous humility and gentleness; warm and compelling light; peace and peacemaking, like Christ did; love for fellow believers; and commitment to Christian community.

Put another way, avoiding spiritual contamination means to work on separating from sinful pride; giving into the shadows and the darkness of one’s heart; fostering arguments and division; and being unmerciful.

If the Apostle were to write to us today, on this topic of separation, what would he say to us? Maybe his rhetorical questions would be something like this:

What are you doing, failing to make a distinction between good and bad, right and wrong? How can you partner up with people who have ethics which are opposed to Christ? Can the light of justice ever be best friends with unjust darkness? Do Jesus and Satan ever have a midnight stroll holding hands with each other? Would anyone ever set up a worship altar to the wealthy or powerful in a church building?

Paul may argue, even today, that we contaminate ourselves in rather creative ways by employing illegitimate means to try and accomplish a legitimate need.

The truth is that anything that hinders us from doing God’s will; anyone who draws us away from a good relationship with Jesus; and whatever causes us to put the Christian life on the back burner of life, needs to be jettisoned. It will make us impure, ineffective, and eventually bite us in the backside.

We can always look at other groups of people whom we believe didn’t get things quite right. Yet, we really must deal with ourselves in this moment and for this time. Comparative holiness will get us nowhere (except maybe hell). Instead, let us contend with God and God’s people in ways that are redemptive, life-giving, and helpful for us and for our salvation.

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may love you completely,
and rightly magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Set Apart for a Purpose (Exodus 30:22-38)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Aaron is anointed by Moses, by Jack Baumgartner

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Collect choice spices—12 1⁄2 pounds of pure myrrh, 6 1⁄4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1⁄4 pounds of fragrant calamus, and 12 1⁄2 pounds of cassia—as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil.

Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil. Use this sacred oil to anoint the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and all its accessories, the incense altar, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the washbasin with its stand. Consecrate them to make them absolutely holy. After this, whatever touches them will also become holy.

“Anoint Aaron and his sons also, consecrating them to serve me as priests. And say to the people of Israel, ‘This holy anointing oil is reserved for me from generation to generation. It must never be used to anoint anyone else, and you must never make any blend like it for yourselves. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy. Anyone who makes a blend like it or anoints someone other than a priest will be cut off from the community.’”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather fragrant spices—resin droplets, mollusk shell, and galbanum—and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense, weighed out in equal amounts. Using the usual techniques of the incense maker, blend the spices together and sprinkle them with salt to produce a pure and holy incense. Grind some of the mixture into a very fine powder and put it in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I will meet with you in the Tabernacle.

You must treat this incense as most holy. Never use this formula to make this incense for yourselves. It is reserved for the Lord, and you must treat it as holy. Anyone who makes incense like this for personal use will be cut off from the community.” (New Living Translation)

It’s not everyday that you get a scripture text like this one to reflect upon. Yet, since all of Holy Scripture is given to us and for us, it’s good to occasionally have to work through the place and purpose of seemingly mundane passages within the Bible.

The ancient world of the Israelites had a relationship with their God in which everything and every part of their lives were to be holy – both worship and daily life were infused with reminders that they were set apart entirely to God and for God.

Therefore, what the people wore, what they ate, and how they went about daily tasks of living and worshiping was dictated to them from the Lord. The purpose of all the detailed instructions was to reinforce the importance of being a holy people, a kingdom of priests, who could show the world how a community of persons devoted to Yahweh lived, talked, and acted.

Concerning the people’s worship of God, chapters 25-31 of Exodus provide detailed plans for the sacred space and symbols which were to be used in that worship. Elaborate specifications were given for their construction and placement.

Today’s Old Testament lesson deals with the special formula for anointing oil. In keeping with the holiness which is to be pervasive throughout all of Israelite life, this particular oil has a specific use, and is never to be used outside of that ordained purpose.

The sanctity of the oil is communicated in the strongest of terms; profane use of it is strictly forbidden. And all of the work is to be done during six days of the week, because the Sabbath is a day set apart as different, with an abundant rest from labor.

The anointing oil is used for symbolic marking in the service of God. The priests (the Levites Aaron and his sons) were to use the oil, since they were the only ones set apart to do the priestly work. The articles used for worship were also marked with the anointing oil. (Exodus 29:4-7)

None of this liturgical action was in any sort of way magical; it communicated the important theological concept that God is holy, and therefore, holiness is to be woven into every facet of Israelite life. The anointing oil was a sign of God’s acknowledgement and approval that the objects and the people being anointed were to be exclusively used for worship.

Holiness and being set apart aren’t only ancient ideas and practices; it’s also an important part of the New Testament and the way we are to live today. That’s because holiness isn’t merely something God does; it is inherent to God’s very nature. Therefore, as people created in God’s image and likeness, we too, are to live sanctified lives, set apart to live as humans are designed to live.

“You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2, NLT)

“You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.” (Leviticus 20:26, NLT)

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:15-16, NLT

Followers of Christ are set apart for a purpose – to be holy and sanctified in all they say and do. And, much like the ancient followers of God, Christians are to worship the Lord alone, living differently than the rest of the world.

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified. (1 Thessalonians 4:3a, NIV)

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10, NIV)

We have an opportunity, as people anointed and set apart for God’s good purposes, to bring mercy as we have received mercy, love as we ourselves have received love; and to maintain the integrity of holiness everywhere we go.

In today’s mass produced factory products, consumers only see the end results; they are ignorant of the person and process that made the product. Most things we buy and use come to us without any history of how they were made and who made them.

Yet, the people and the processes used in making anything is significant because holiness cannot be factory-made. There is always a connection between the person, the process, and what is being produced for the end product.

In God’s economy, it isn’t enough just to have anointing oil composed of the right ingredients; the individual and the craft employed are what make it truly an oil for anointing the holy.

People, in truth, are neither interchangeable on a factory floor assembly line, nor with the worship of God. The individual person offering their process will always have a particular outcome unique to that mix of person, process, and product. The belief that singing, praying, serving, and whatever else happens in worship is to be done with consistency – no matter who does it – is both impossible and not expected by God.

Though the ingredients of a particular spiritual experience always remain the same, Holy Scripture suggests that the subtle differences each individual brings to the craft of worship is good and necessary; without that uniqueness, there cannot be holiness.

Sanctify your church by the truth, O Lord; your word is truth.

Sanctify us by the truth, O Lord; your word is truth.

Sanctify me by the truth, O Lord; your word is truth. Amen.

A Vision of the End (Revelation 14:1-11)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
The Great Day of His Wrath, by John Martin, 1852

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” (New International Version)

Throughout the book of Revelation (The Apocalypse of John) the Apostle John communicates visions of the end, of God’s wrath and human suffering. Yet John also pauses throughout his vision to offer encouragement for the faithful followers of Jesus in the present time who are undergoing suffering, even persecution.

The assurance believers have is that God sees their struggle, their devotion; the Lord will protect them – not from suffering and death – but from the effects of divine judgment and punishment on the earth. The Lord will not abandon the believers. Instead, they will share in God’s new realm.

The Lamb and the Redeemed

The ultimate destiny of Christ’s faithful followers is not in judgment but in triumph – even though many of them had to face extreme circumstances and died the martyr’s death. Christ, the Lamb of God, stands in the center of God’s kingdom with the 144,000, who sing a new song to God.

It could be that these 144,000 persons are representative and symbolic of all redeemed humanity. Or, they may likely be Christian martyrs, the ones who were the victims of evil (Revelation 13). Whoever they actually are, their description is figurative in order to convey that these faithful persons are morally and spiritually pure; they did not defile themselves with the wickedness of the world’s systemic and structural evil.

These redeemed persons are the first fruits, believers who have sacrificed their lives for God and maintained their witness to King Jesus, and not to Ceasar as Lord. In the Old Testament, every firstborn (both human and animal) belonged to the Lord. The first fruits (the initial yield of crops) were set aside specifically as a sacrificial offering to God.

In the New Testament, the concept and practice of first fruits is used as a metaphor for something given to God in advance. So, in the book of Revelation, this refers to the harvest at the end of the age; the first fruits are the 144,000, the ones who are the anticipation of Christian resurrection. In other words, there are many more converts to come – people redeemed by the Lamb and set aside for resurrection and new creation. A great harvest of souls comes; because of Christ’s resurrection, his followers shall also experience resurrection.

The Message of the Three Angels

The Apostle John spoke of three angels, each of whom proclaim a coming judgment of God. The first angel has a call to repentance and a warning of imminent judgment. The second angel announces the fall of Babylon (Rome). And the third angel pronounces judgment upon those who gave themselves to the powers of this fallen world, who participated in organizational wickedness through oppression, abuse, neglect, disrespect, and dishonor of others.

It is with the third angel that the “mark of the beast” upon a person’s forehead is the mark of judgment on them. Although the language and picture of this, and what happens to them, was (and still is for some) used to scare the hell out of people so that they would embrace heaven, we must very much distance ourselves from such disgraceful rhetoric.

Again, the vision is full of symbolism and is not to be taken literally; it is John’s attempt to convey an otherworldly experience he had, in terms which his readers could grasp. The big idea is that those who have become devoted members to the machinations of evil in its various forms on this earth will experience the judgment of God.

As they sought glory in this world by any means possible – including using people to keep and hold power – so, they will face an inglorious end when God holds them accountable for their wrongdoing and for letting their own hearts become shriveled and dry.

This is neither the time to participate in evil, nor to procrastinate in making things right – while you still have time to do so.

For those holding on to bitterness, it is time to forgive.

For the ones giving in to their anger through hating others, it is now time to humble yourself, repent, and turn to right and healthy ways of dealing with that anger.

For the persons allowing themselves to be used by others for perpetuating evil in their workplace, neighborhood, or church, it is high time to find your voice, renounce the damaging practices, and speak truth to power.

We all must suffer. What it is we suffer for, is up to us.

Almighty and everlasting God, the rightful Judge of all things and all people, help us, your people, to be rightly prepared for Christ’s coming, through a right confession and right practices in this life. Enable us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling so that we might cast the bright beams which radiate from the approaching day of glory into those dark days and nights of suffering.

Sovereign God, draw us, we pray, near to Christ and in union with him. May we taste and see the goodness of the Lord; be strengthened in faith for the trials and tribulations which lie before us; bask in the love of Jesus; and hold fast to divine promises, and our confession, especially since the end of all things is at hand. Amen.

Encountering God (Exodus 19:9-25)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Israel at Mount Sinai, by Jan Luijken (1649–1712)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you.”

Moses told the Lord what the people had said. Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death. No hand may touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.’ However, when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, then the people may go up on the mountain.”

So Moses went down to the people. He consecrated them for worship, and they washed their clothes. He told them, “Get ready for the third day, and until then abstain from having sexual intercourse.”

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.

Then the Lord told Moses, “Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord, or they will die. Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them.”

“But Lord,” Moses protested, “the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. You already warned us. You told me, ‘Mark off a boundary all around the mountain to set it apart as holy.’”

But the Lord said, “Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. In the meantime, do not let the priests or the people break through to approach the Lord, or he will break out and destroy them.”

So Moses went down to the people and told them what the Lord had said. (New Living Translation)

Moses receives the Ten Commandments, by Caspar Luijken (1672-1708)

There’s a lot of drama surrounding today’s Old Testament story. That’s because it’s a big deal when an announcement comes that God is about to show up, speak to the people, and be with them. This is definitely not the stuff of daily mundane life.

The Mount Sinai event is one of the most remembered and talked about events in the Old Testament. This encounter establishes that the presence of the Lord is with Moses, thereby giving him authority over the people. It authenticates the leadership of Moses up to this point – in leading the people out of Egyptian slavery and to the Promised Land.

The presence of God with the people, demonstrated in Moses the leader, assures the Israelites of protection against dangers from other nations and peoples. The divine presence of the Lord will be seen preeminently in the giving of the Law. God’s very Word is encapsulated in the commands and instructions given to Moses on the mountain.

Although the scene on Mount Sinai appears dark, serious, and even scary, it nonetheless is a gift of God’s self-revelation to the people. The Law is a wonderful and gracious provision for Israel. The Lord is providing necessary guidance for living, direction in shaping successful spiritual lives, and the opportunity for obedience to a life-giving system of laws.

If the Israelites hear and obey the Lord, they will be God’s special and treasured people – a nation of priests, a people set apart to be a light for the world.

So, preparations were made for God to enter. The Lord is truly awesome and holy, and so, certain boundaries needed to be established so that the people would be safe and not overcome by such immense light and power. The mountain shakes in anticipation of the divine arrival; the shofar (ram’s horn) is heard, signaling the imminent entrance of God.

The people are assembled by Moses. God descends in the fire, which accompanies the Lord’s presence. Yahweh has come to Israel. The way is now prepared for God’s revelation to be given to Moses in Israel’s hearing. It is an awesome sight and experience.

Perhaps your own days on this earth seem very ho-hum compared to the mountain encounter of Moses and God. You may even feel as if your prayers are puny and don’t get beyond the ceiling of your house. Yet, there is always and continually an opportunity to meet with this very same God, without all the pomp and scariness.

Every single day we have the gracious and wonderful opportunity of opening the book containing a good and merciful God’s self-revelation, and reading gracious words of life to live by. We have guidance for our earthly journey; there is direction for our needy souls.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105, NLT)

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT)

Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, so that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.