Being born in 1967, I’m probably of the last generation that grew up with two different sets of plates and utensils; one set for common everyday use and another set of china and silverware for (uncommon) special occasion and/or holiday use. If you are a bit older as I am, you also might have similar memories of common vs. uncommon plates and utensils in your home growing up as well. I was raised to treat such things as though they were “holy.”
Holy
Being holy is extremely important to God. Throughout the Bible, God’s people are labeled as and are expected to be holy:
Exodus 19:6 (NIV) – “‘…you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Leviticus 11:44-45 (NIV) – “I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.”
Leviticus 19:1-2 (NIV) – The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’”
Deuteronomy 23:14 (NIV) – For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.
Joel 3:16-17 (NIV) – The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.”
Ephesians 1:4 (NIV) – For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) – Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV) – Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Revelation 22:10-11 (NIV) – Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
But, what does being “holy” mean exactly?
An Encouraging Illustration For Timothy
There is an encouraging illustration that Paul gave to Timothy when he wrote to him about the difference between what is common and what is holy (uncommon), in order to help him to bring about a change in how the people he was leading, who now followed Jesus, and the leaders that he was called to appoint were all supposed to live. It inspired the illustration that I gave at the beginning with regard to the fancy dishes and utensils that my family used (and still do) for special occasions when I was a kid. In other words, Paul was offering Timothy an example of how sanctification (the process of being set apart or becoming holy) works, so that the believers in his care and the church leaders that he was called to put in place could learn how to become, “useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”
2 Timothy 2:20-26 (NIV) – In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
May we believers all become uncommon.
Godspeed, to the brethren!
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