Article of Faith: No salvation without holiness (2), By Femi Aribisala

God occupies an exclusionary zone.

The word holy comes from the Hebrew word “qadowsh,” which means to cut. To be holy means to be cut off, or separate from everything else. To be in a class of its own. To be morally pure all the time and in every possible way.

Will of God

Many ask the question, “What is God’s will for my life?” Does God want me to be a doctor or an engineer? Does He want me to marry Sade or Ngozu? Does He want me to live in Jos or Kaduna?

Cast down imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Every question we have about life must be answered with the word of God.

1 Thess 4:3:

“This is the will of God, your sanctification.”

The will of God is our sanctification. The will of God is that we must be holy. To sanctify is to make holy. God says to Israel:

Lev 11:44-45:

“I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Covenant of Circumcision

Because God is holy, He instituted the covenant of circumcision in the family of Abraham.

Gen 17:9-14:

God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

The uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has roken My covenant.”

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin from the male sex organ. It represents the cutting away of the sinful nature.

This covenant of circumcision remains until now, but is now principally of spiritual application. In its spiritual application, it now includes women. God says in Jeremiah:

Jer 4:4:

“Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.”

Paul also highlights its modern application:

Rom 2:28-29:

“He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”

This heart circumcision is the work of God.

Deut 30:6:

“The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

But we must be co-labourers with Him.

Be Separate

2 Cor 6:17-18:

Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Rom 12:2:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

My sister, you cannot be holy if you conform to every trending fashion. My brother, you cannot be holy if you tattoo your body because everybody is now doing this.

Holiness makes us stand alone and separate ourselves. Because God is holy, everything that comes into contact with Him and everything associated with Him must become holy and separate. Wherever He is automatically becomes a holy ground. His things, vessels, garments, gifts, sacrifices, offerings, and covenants must be holy. His throne, habitation, dwelling-place, or sanctuary must be holy. His congregation, convocation, festivals, and sabbaths must be holy. His temple, courts, mountain, hill, and city must be holy. His angels, priests, seed, people, and apostles must be holy. His faith, anointing, and calling must be holy.

Lev 19:1-2:

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God, I am holy.”

That is why believers in the Bible are called saints. A saint means a holy one. One who has been separated unto God. Are you one of those, or are you still playing games?

Gal 6:7-8:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Class of Distinction

To be created in the image and likeness of God is to be holy. For God’s people to be holy is to be separate and distinct from the rest of mankind.

God says to Israel:

Ex 19:6:

“You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

The most consequential essence of God is His holiness. God’s holiness sets Him apart from everything and everybody. It puts Him in a class of His own. He is the God who is perfect in all His ways.

He is the Holy One of Israel. Jesus is the Holy One of God. The Spirit of God is the spirit of holiness or the Holy Spirit.

Moses and the children of Israel asked in a song of praise:

Ex 15:11:

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

Hannah answers that rhetorical question:

1 Sam 2:2:

“No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.

God occupies an exclusionary zone. He is holy, separate, and distinct from everything and everyone.

What about you? Are you different? Are you separate?”

Man is Unclean

The challenge we have is that man is morally depraved.

Isa 64:6:

“We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

Paul points out that:

Rom 3:10:

“There is none righteous, no, not one.”

Eliphaz, one of the friends of Job, asks:

Job 15:14-16:

“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous? If God puts no trust in His saints, and the heavens are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is abominable and filthy, who drinks iniquity like water!”

Bildad the Shuhite answers:

Job 25:4-6:

“How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is a maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?”

CONTINUED.

[email protected]; www.femiaribisala.com