“Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens’” (Gen 11:4).
SHARE GOD’S HOLINESS (Pt 1)
Men want to be like God, they want to reach heaven, but it must be done God’s way not man’s or the serpent's: “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Gen 3:5).
The New Testament explains how we can share in God’s holiness: “For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).
That we may share in God’s holiness is a marvellous thought. The Lord has made his holiness available to us. This is a wonder and a blessing because we are naturally evil: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt 7:11).
God is naturally good and is willing to share his holiness with us. But the question is, “Are we willing to receive it?”
Some are not willing and seem intent on following the ways of this world, building a tower for themselves, that only that leads to destruction, for only what’s holy, therefore whole, will remain. “He has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain” (Heb 12:26-27).
So we apply ourselves to God’s teaching, “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Pet 1:15–16).
We ask the Lord to move us into his holiness, removing all falsehood, insincerity and pretence.
We sometimes wear a mask, in order that we may impress someone. We fall in with the crowd so that we may not be thought of as odd. We are not whole, or wholesome, walking in truth and faith.
We are not content to let God repay, but want to repay someone’s meanness ourselves, and take revenge, rather than leave it in God’s hands.
There are so many ways that we can fall short of God’s holiness. But we thank the Lord that he is patient with us and disciplines us for our own good. That we may become like him in all our ways. For there is no shadow of turning with the Lord. He is reliable, trustworthy and solid. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24).
Jesus teaches us, and we listen because he is holy, he moves us forward towards his holiness and we sit at his feet and apply ourselves to what he says.
Help us dear Lord to be like you in all our ways.