The End of Holiness

Yes, there is an “end” for the holiness of God! His Holiness has as its goal an outward expression through His people. Peter understood this practical implication and wrote: “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who calls you is holy, you also BE holy in ALL YOUR CONDUCT.” The end/goal of God’s holiness is the manifestation seen through our visible conduct before the eyes of the world.

Ezekiel also received this same revelation of God’s purpose for His Holiness: “Therefore say to the house of Israel, This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of My Holy Name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I WILL SHOW the holiness of My Great Name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I AM the LORD, when I SHOW MYSELF HOLY THROUGH YOU BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

God’s goal for His holiness is not a philosophical admiration contrasted against the common depravity of fallen man. God is not made holy before men simply by our describing Isaiah’s vision. The goal of His Holiness is the daily manifestation of His own divine nature through the Holy CONDUCT of His people. His people profane His great name by their conduct and so it will be through the Holy CONDUCT of His people that His Holiness is SEEN by all nations.

Let us not deceive ourselves or sell His Great Name short by thinking that poetic and emotional admiration of His Holiness is satisfying to our God; no, He will never be satisfied until His Holiness is seen by DEMONSTRATION though our HOLY CONDUCT before the eyes of all nations.

Holy CONDUCT rather than flattering words is what truly magnifies His Holiness. Leonard Ravenhill was correct in saying that the greatest miracle men can witness is “A Holy God taking an unholy man and making him holy; then putting him back into an unholy world and keeping him holy.” Neither the world, nor in reality ourselves, understand God's Holiness any more than our actions prove! God's Holiness is not something to only BELIEVE in - it is what we are called to BE - even as HE IS!

makrothumia

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Alan and Dina Martin

I totally agree makrothumia.

Be well today,
Doug

I suppose what you mean by the word "end" here is: "An outcome worked toward",or "the ultimate state", "purpose", or "the object by virtue of or for the sake of which an event takes place" as in "Jesus is the end of the law" NOT "the point where something ceases to exist".

Thank you for sharing.
Much needed truth.
God bless.

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Fifi

Yes indeed!

makrothumia

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Alan and Dina Martin

"Let us not deceive ourselves or sell His Great Name short by thinking that poetic and emotional admiration of His Holiness is satisfying to our God; no, He will never be satisfied until His Holiness is seen by DEMONSTRATION though our HOLY CONDUCT before the eyes of all nations."

Isn't sad that some men think that these things, emotional and poetic, are mutually exclusive to Holy conduct. The same men seem to think that " freedom," as the Scriptures and Paul talk about are licences to sin, they think that freedom and walking in holiness are mutually exclusive. Its the great delusion of the religious man.......brother Frank

appolus - you wrote:

"Isn't sad that some men think that these things, emotional and poetic, are mutually exclusive to Holy conduct. The same men seem to think that " freedom," as the Scriptures and Paul talk about are licences to sin, they think that freedom and walking in holiness are mutually exclusive. Its the great delusion of the religious man.......brother Frank"



We may perhaps take makrothumia at his or her word. If makrothumia simply meant that excercising the gifts in expansive praise alone, without holiness lived out, is wrong, or that teaching alone without holiness lived out, is wrong, then what was said makes sense to me.

Doug

Praise with holiness is fitting, praise without holiness is noise.

Prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective, while the man who ignores obedience shall cry out and not be heard.

True praise like true love delights in both declaring and doing.

Makrothumia

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Alan and Dina Martin

True holiness bears fruit to the
glory of GOD and the praise of Christ!!
True holiness lives as Jesus lived,
walks as Jesus walked!!

Makrouthmia writes........

'God is not made holy before men simply by our describing Isaiah’s vision.'

Who would ever make such an assertion? Holiness comes in an encounter with the living God, the manifest presence of God in our lives. Out of that flows obedience, not to the letter of the law, but to the God who has ruined us for this life by His very presence. In Isaiah's vision, and it was a vision not head knowledge, he discovers the glory and the majesty of the Living God. He instantly understands his true state, but glory to God he sees the majesty and the glory of God. And then he hears.....

Isa 6:7 And he laid it on my mouth and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.

Glory to God, glory to God we now have our sins purged not by a coal of fire but by the blood of Jesus. Jesus Himself says that those who are forgiven much love much. The woman, in the midst of the Pharisees falls at the feet of Jesus and pours out everything that she has including her many tears. The religious men in the room poured scorn upon her. This lady had an encounter with Jesus, not thelogically speaking. Genuine encounters with Jesus will always effect change, whether its Isaiah or the woman at the feet of Jesus. The scorn of men will achieve nothing..........brother Frank

These two sentences were meant to be understood together:

God’s goal for His holiness is not a philosophical admiration contrasted against the common depravity of fallen man. God is not made holy before men simply by our describing Isaiah’s vision.

Please consider my own thoughts behind these sentences.
There are many who believe that the "contrast" between their own fallibility and God's infallibility is "worthy praise". Entire books are devoted to this contrast. Isaiah's vision is one example of this "contrast". While a vision of this type will produce a lowliness and reverance on a personal level, it is also a private experience the world can not witness. Thus it is not the way God is made Holy before the eyes of men.

When the Father of Holiness wanted to show the world His Holiness, He did it by sending His Son - full of grace and truth. The greatest picture of the Holiness of God the world has ever seen was in the daily life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holiness of the Father is fully seen in the Humble Obedience of the Son. That's why Jesus could say in complete perfect humility - "When you have seen ME - you have seen the Father."

It is when we are conformed to this same image, walk in this same manner, and become as He is in this world - then the world will have the same witness of the Holiness of God. This is the end of God's Holiness - to be fully conformed into His own likeness and image - the image of Jesus Christ.

makrothumia

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Alan and Dina Martin