SHADES OF HOLY

I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Leviticus 11: 45 (NIV)

Growing up, I have seen HOLINESS mean different things at different times and the evolution is not showing any sign of stopping. The definitions are somehow affected by level of exposure, class, geographical location and who you are relating with at the time.

I remember when it was a grievous sin for ladies to put on trousers on the streets and they dare not go close to a church dressed like that or …. It was a sign of holiness to ensure that your hair is always covered anytime you are in church or when any prayer is being said; that hair cover could well be a strip of cloth or a sheet of paper. Back in the days, even Jeans was a sign of ‘unholiness’ and if you were very rich, there must be something unholy about you. There was also a holy look, there were holy hairstyles and it was easy to spot ‘holy’ people out in a crowd.

It evolved from the way we look to the way we speak. Certain phrases came to be associated with holiness. I’m sure you can think of some of them.  And then the music had to sound in a certain way to be holy. You probably have your own experience on this.

In all these things, one thing is certain and not in dispute: Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He has had one definition of holiness and that definition will remain till the end of time. God really wants us to be holy because that is the only way we can relate with Him as He intends and eventually end up with Him. We can never attain to that level of holiness by our hard work or by trying hard enough. I believe holiness becomes natural to us as we get closer and closer to God. It is a fruit of intimacy with God at the place of prayer, worship and study of the Word. There are no set of rules that can help you get there. God just works it out in you as you spend more time with Him.

I recently heard something which I think summarises the pursuit of holiness:

The more you see God, the more you know Him. The more you know Him, the more you want to know Him. The more you know Him, the more you are changed by God. The more you are changed by God, the more you see Him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 lays more credence to this:

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

Devote more time, not just to church activities, but to developing your intimacy with God and you will become the definition of holiness. His grace is sufficient!