Holy, Holier, Holiest

How would a school get the reputation of being "America's Holiest University"? I'm reading a book written by a journalist who attended there, and that's what he called it. There were rules: no drinking or smoking, no cursing, no dancing, no R-rated movies, and so on. While many young people thrived under that careful discipline, does observing rules really create holiness in a university—or, for that matter, in a Christian?

In the eighteenth century, John Wesley and his brother Charles were leaders of a group of young men at Oxford University, derisively called "The Holy Club" by other students. They met frequently for prayer, study and discussion, and to question one another about their Christian duties and their motives for performing them. Yet even the methodical practice of "holy living" did not produce the genuine state in John; it was not until almost ten years later, on May 24, 1738, that John experienced conversion while listening to a reading of Martin Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans.

In the Old Testament, people and things were declared holy because of their relationship to a holy God. They were devoted to Him or dedicated to Him, and God desired them to demonstrate that relationship in practical ways. The New Testament understanding of holiness differs only in the fact that Jesus came to show how it is done perfectly. Without flaw or failure, He exemplified a holy, rightly-related-to-God character. All His conduct was that of a person separated from sin and consecrated to God. The Apostle Paul makes our own responsibility clear: We are to avoid relationships that are forged in darkness rather than light; we must refuse to be driven by values that are incompatible with our commitment to God. Then, "'I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty. Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (II Corinthians 6:17-7:1)

What was perfect in Jesus is for us a lifelong exercise in love. "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones." (I Thessalonians 3:12, 13)

So it turns out "doing holy," even with the best intentions, is not the same at all as being holy.

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.