ARE WE ACTUALLY HOLY IF NOBODY NOTICES?
The short definition of being holy is to be set apart for God’s purpose. That means, we are no longer included in an old group and are now a part of something dedicated to God. Are we really set apart from the world if we look and act like everyone in the world?
Jesus prayed for his apostles, and by extension each of us, to be in the world but not part of it. “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16.) He wants us to be noticeably holy, noticeably set apart for his glory.
Peter expected those around us to see that we are different. He expected them to react with hostility sometimes and to react by giving glory to God at other times. “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11,12). Those around us will see that we do not engage is some things that they love because those things war against our souls, and they will not be happy with us. On the other hand, they will see that we different because we live our lives to do good things for others, and they will glory God for that. Either way, they will see that we are set apart for God’s purpose.
Sometimes this is hard for us to do. There is such a thing as “herd instinct.” We naturally feel safer and more comfortable if we do not stand out from the crowd. No one wants to be accused of being “holier than thou.”
Also, we know that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told us not to do good things in order to be seen by others. “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) But earlier in the same sermon, he told us, “you are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) The difference between these passages is, in the first, we are doing good to be seen and praised by those around us, and in the second, our being set apart means we reflect his light into a dark world. Light is different (set apart) from the dark world. It is not about us being better than anyone. It is about reflecting God’s glory by living for him.
As we spend this year learning about God’s holiness, one way to check our progress is to see how many people can see that, by living for Jesus, we are set apart for God’s purpose. If nobody notices, maybe we are not really set apart.
Jesus prayed for his apostles, and by extension each of us, to be in the world but not part of it. “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16.) He wants us to be noticeably holy, noticeably set apart for his glory.
Peter expected those around us to see that we are different. He expected them to react with hostility sometimes and to react by giving glory to God at other times. “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11,12). Those around us will see that we do not engage is some things that they love because those things war against our souls, and they will not be happy with us. On the other hand, they will see that we different because we live our lives to do good things for others, and they will glory God for that. Either way, they will see that we are set apart for God’s purpose.
Sometimes this is hard for us to do. There is such a thing as “herd instinct.” We naturally feel safer and more comfortable if we do not stand out from the crowd. No one wants to be accused of being “holier than thou.”
Also, we know that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told us not to do good things in order to be seen by others. “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) But earlier in the same sermon, he told us, “you are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) The difference between these passages is, in the first, we are doing good to be seen and praised by those around us, and in the second, our being set apart means we reflect his light into a dark world. Light is different (set apart) from the dark world. It is not about us being better than anyone. It is about reflecting God’s glory by living for him.
As we spend this year learning about God’s holiness, one way to check our progress is to see how many people can see that, by living for Jesus, we are set apart for God’s purpose. If nobody notices, maybe we are not really set apart.
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