Holy as He is Holy

Back in the sixties and seventies, a young boxer burst onto the scene. Cassias Clay, later, Muhammad Ali was known for many things. Most notably, he was recognized as an accomplished boxer and he did not mind telling the world how great he was. In fact, Ali often declared himself to be, “The Greatest.”

In 1715 King Louis XIV of France died after a reign of 72 years. He had called himself "the Great," and was the monarch who made the famous statement, "I am the state!" His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was equally spectacular. As his body lay in state in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lit with only a special candle set above his coffin, to dramatize his greatness. At the memorial, thousands waited in hushed silence. Then the presiding Bishop began to speak; slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, "Only God is great." (from Today in the Word, April 1989, p. 24.)

Through every period of history right up to this very day, there has never been a shortage of men who strove to be “great.” What is it that drives us toward greatness? Is it man’s applause, fame, fortune and all that goes with it? These temporal rewards are quite alluring. So many want to be great, but how many seek to be holy?

1 Peter 1:14-16 records several imperative statements concerning holiness. "14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" Have you ever pondered this passage…really considered our call to holiness? As an imperative, this instruction is not optional. This is a strong mandate. But, we are human. How can we possibly rise to the level of holiness? This article will delve into what it means to “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Our culture is not without a concept of holiness. The problem is that the holiness and spirituality of the world is based on a faulty view of holiness. For many, holiness is achievable through human effort. This is a fatal mistake. It is impossible to achieve holiness on our own, because any holiness in man comes from union with God. Legend has it that the early church leader Augustine was once accosted by a heathen who showed him his idol and said, "Here is my god; where is thine?" Augustine replied, "I cannot show you my God; not because there is no God to show, but because you have no eyes to see Him." If we desire to be “Holy, as He is holy,” we must see God – we must look to His holiness…for He defines holiness.

Let’s look at two places in Scripture where the veil is drawn back and we are given a glimpse of heavenly worship. Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 reveal to us that an everlasting hymn is being sung to the Lord. The hosts of heaven sing in Isaiah 6:3, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Similarly, Revelation 4:8 says, “…Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

What can we learn from this? The hosts of heaven recognized and praised God for His holiness – “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, Almighty.” God is at his essence – holiness. This holiness is expressed in the perfect love of the Trinity. God, as Father, eternally begets the Son, and their love is expressed as the Holy Spirit - perfect holiness in self-giving love. Theologian Columba Marmion calls this divine relationship the eternal “embrace of love.” We cannot understand holiness until we apprehend this foundational Trinitarian truth. Scholar and theologian Robert Webber says that God offers us His “Divine Embrace.” For the Father sends the Son so that failed and fallen humanity may be united to the Son through the Holy Spirit. This unity is no less than a sharing in God’s holiness through adoption. Because of this, Peter said that we may, “share in the divine nature – of God.” In Ephesians 1:4-6, Paul says, For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.” Thomas Aquinas put it this way, “We become sons in the Son.” This is an amazing reality, but, we must see that man’s holiness, our adoption into God’s family, and our sharing in the divine nature are not based on anything inherent in us, but are solely based on what Jesus has accomplished for us.

Jesus came to communicate the holiness of God to us so that we might become God’s children – joint heirs with Jesus. And He did so by offering Himself, the innocent for the guilty. “Greater love has no man than he lay down His life for his friends.” When Jesus stretched His hands out upon the cross, He offered us a share in God’s divine embrace. Jesus gives us this expression of holiness as our only hope for being united to God, and as our example for holy living. God chose us in Christ, “that we should be holy and without blemish.” But, how did God choose us? He did so IN CHRIST! To be found holy and without blemish, we must be in Christ. This is God’s foreordained plan. But how do we come into Christ? Romans 6:3-8 contains the answer. “3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6for we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “Anyone who wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

So, the beginning of holiness is found in dying to self, and being raised into the life of Christ. “We must decrease and He must increase.” As we conform more and more to the image of Jesus, we find God’s holiness present in our lives in greater and greater abundance. More and more we bear the likeness of our family. This is God’s will for us. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 states, “It is God’s will for you to be holy.”

In the back of Catholic churches are small fonts. These bowls are filled with water that has been set apart for baptism. As worshipers enter the building, they touch the water and make the sign of the cross. This practice is to remind the worshipers that they are baptized into Christ…that they need to die to themselves daily and live in Christ. What a powerful symbol! I wonder how many of us are living out our baptism – as Jesus instructed – to take up our cross daily? Only in dying to ourselves are we truly alive in Christ – and only in Christ are we new creations – holy and without blemish – only in Christ are we adopted sons. This is our calling – to be embraced by the holy love of God by His dear Son, in the Spirit. In this, we may be “holy as He is holy.”