In & Out!

    To be holy means to be set apart.  Holiness is not an outward appearance but an inward characteristic.  How does one reach holiness therefore?  We cannot copy, imitate or act out what we think holiness is for it is impossible for man to achieve.  God alone is holy and His holiness can only be attained through Him.  It is an inward transformation through the manifestation of His Glory.  As we encounter Him we are changed.

    The only work necessary in the process of holiness is seeking.  He never will enforce Himself on us, we must seek Him for Him to be found.  If we draw near to Him He draws near to us.  It is like when I play hide and go seek with my son, he hides in order to be found, the pleasure of the game for my son is my desire to find him.

     Sanctification is the process of God changing us from the inside out.  Holiness is a state of the heart.  How do we know where we are at in this process?  Through examining the heart.  The bible says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  In the midst of pressure, when we are squeezed, what comes out of the mouth will determine the state of the heart.

    So if evil comes forth then repentance must follow.  Once one repents, cleansing takes place, we then need to replace evil with good, the renewing of the mind.  Replacing worldly thoughts with the mind of Christ, the word of God.  Once we are continually brought through the fire of trials and tests.  The Word we have placed in our minds will transform the heart and holiness will be the result.

    The old covenant was the outward form of the inward transformation we now in the new covenant have in Christ. In Leviticus 15 it talks about bodily discharges, and the rituals that must follow to be ceremonially clean.  It was all part of the purification process.  We see the purpose of these laws and rituals were to lead the children of Israel to Christ.  They were bound to fail so that Christ could be received.  The laws and rituals are wise in the areas of good health, but true holiness can only be found through the process of sanctification by the Holy Spirit in relationship with Jesus Christ.

Holiness cannot be seen in the way we dress, or what we eat or drink, Holiness is all about character.  The fruit of the Spirit evident in our life.  Holiness and fruitfulness go hand in hand.

For further Reference and Study:  (Mark 7:1-19, Leviticus 20:26, 1 Peter 1:15, 1 Cor. 15:50-58, Matt. 15:8, James 4:8, Psalm 26:2, Psalm 17:3, 1 Tim. 3:10, Luke 6:45, Matthew 12:34, 2 Thess 2:17, Luke 3:3, Eph. 5:26, Romans 12:1-2, James 1:1-2, Gal. 2:16, Gal. 5:16-26