Only "Holiness" - which kind?
"BE YE HOLY; FOR I AM HOLY" (1Peter 1:16)
Since that time of man’s disobedience to the command of his creator in the Garden of Eden, the mercy of God has been devising for ways to save man out His determined judgment (vengeance) for the sin he committed. He knew man had a tempter, so He had decided to forgive man; however, the determined judgment cannot be removed because it is His wrath produced out of His holiness.
God Himself, since the days of old, has been issuing out several warnings, laws, counsels that will keep man in His holiness, thus shielding him from His judgment. His love made Him gave Jesus to save man: (for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16).
Only obedience to Him can save from His judgment. Also, having sent message since over thousands years ago (since the days of Enoch) that He His coming to judge; stiff-necked and heart-hardened ones who refuses to repent will regret forever for He will not include their name in His book of life: (Jude 1:14-15: And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Rev.20:15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire).
God has appointed one man (Jesus) to save humanity from the coming judgment which is so fierce and lasts forever (Matthew 17:5; 24:6-8; Rev. 20:11-15). Only holiness is what will make God accept us back, as mankind. This is why we have to listen God and Him whom He has as appointed.
Only Holiness! – which kind?
When God says “be ye holy”, He is telling us the basis of His righteousness. Holiness is needed for one to be righteous. Righteousness is an act from holiness; it is working inside holiness. Holiness is a foundation, upon which righteousness based. Righteousness is an advanced form of holiness.
God’s Holiness is expected to be our nature, and righteousness our acts. This is what God meant when He says “be ye holy”.
In Matthew 6:33, Jesus told us to “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness”. Romans 14:17 tells us what the kingdom of God is: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”. Reframing Matthew 6:33, we’re to seek first the righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost – which is the kingdom of God.
God’s Kingdom has to be the righteousness, peace and joy “in the Holy Ghost” because the kind of righteousness (and holiness), peace and joy God wants in us is that which comes from Him (through His Spirit, the Holy Ghost).
That God is saying do not betray one another, be valiant for the truth, keep the Sabbath holy, do not kill, do not steal, do not murmur, do not call My name in vain, do not raise false alarm, measure no unjust weight to any; we’re to observe and do all His laws because they are what will make us holy. As we do them continuously it gradually becomes our nature, and thus be able to live a righteous life and do His Will more easily.
Actually, what God really wants is that His holiness be our nature. Only by this will we be able to do His Will more easily.
Not all things
good to man are good nor pleasing to God. Praying
for the in-filling and leading of the Holy Spirit is needful so as to know the
kind of holiness God wants and be able to walk according to it in the direction
He leads.
The world has its own laws and rules but heavenly rules are different. Let’s look towards the heavenly laws and rules and do them.
Finally, you cannot be holy without the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is needed to keep one holy in God’s own way and direction: for this is the only kind of holiness God will accept.
Seeing God gave not His Spirit to Jesus by measure (John 3:34), let us also ask God to fill us full with His Spirit in no measure.