A call to holy living

 In many of his epistles, the Apostle begins with a doctrinal section followed by a practical and exhortational section concerned with the Christian walk or how Christians should live. In this epistle, rather than beginning with doctrine, there is a personal and historical section in which he demonstrates his thanksgiving for the Thessalonians, reviews his ministry, and shows his deep concern for them in their sufferings and present state. However, with chapter four, the Apostle moves to a series of exhortations which deal with the Christian walk.

Paul begins this section (4:1) with “finally then.” “Finally” is the Greek particle loipon, a particle of transition often found toward the end of a letter. It means “for the rest,” not necessarily implying that he was ending the letter, but marking a transition in the subject matter (see Phil. 3:1). Paul turns from their thanksgiving and prayer for the Thessalonians to the exhortations needed for this body of believers in view of Timothy’s report.

“Then” is oun, a coordinating, inferential conjunction meaning, “therefore, consequently, then.” What is now introduced is the result or an inference from the preceding. Just as the missionaries had prayed earnestly for the faith and spiritual growth of the Thessalonians, so now Paul exhorts them, in keeping with those prayers, to holiness in their daily walk.

God is deeply concerned with our daily walk, with how we live the Christian life. The Lord came not just to make us children of God and get us into heaven, but to enable us to live as the children of God ought to live in a dark and sinful world that does not know Him.

This final portion of the book, then, falls into five major sections: (1) The Call to Holiness (4:1-12); (2) The Comfort of His Coming (4:13-18); (3) The Comfort and Challenge Concerning the Day of the Lord (5:1-11); (4) The Conduct of the Assembly (5:12-22); and (5) The Concluding Remarks (5:23-28).

The immediate section, 4:1-8, was particularly necessary in view of the cultural background of the Thessalonians. In contrast to the Jews who had the Law, these Gentiles had come out of gross idolatry which had little or no restraint on their moral character especially in matters of sex. In fact, prostitution was a very prominent part of their religious life since the worship of the so called gods involved the use of temple prostitutes. The moral climate in the Roman Empire was morally decadent. “Immorality was a way of life; and, thanks to slavery, people had the leisure time to indulge in the latest pleasures. The Christian message of holy living was new to that culture, and it was not easy for these young believers to fight the temptations around them.”74

Especially in view of the moral climate that has developed in this country in the last 40 years, William Barclay has a significant comment about conditions in Rome. He writes:

In Rome, for the first five hundred and twenty years of the Republic, there had not been one single divorce; but now, under the Empire, as it has been put, divorce was a matter of caprice. As Seneca said, “Women were married to be divorced and divorced to be married.” In Rome the years were identified by the names of the consuls; but it was said that fashionable ladies identified the years by the names of their husbands. Juvenal quotes an instance of a woman who had eight husbands in five years. Morality was dead.75

Pointing to the fact that in Greece immorality had always been quite blatant, Barclay also quotes Demonsthenes who said:

We have courtesans for the sake of pleasure; we have concubines for the sake of daily cohabitation; we have wives for the purpose of having children legitimately, and of having a faithful guardian for all our household affairs.

… In Greece, home and family life were near to being extinct, and fidelity was completely non-existent.76

The Greek gods which the ancient world worshipped and the debauchery that accompanied such worship were simply the products of man’s own vain imaginations or their foolish and darkened hearts (see Rom. 1:8f.; Eph. 4:17f.). These gods were half human, half god, and as immoral as the hearts that hatched them, which gave them (in their debased perspective) a license to act according to their own fleshly desires. Their consciences became dull and hardened and the law of the conscience had little effect. The Psalmist declares, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12a), but the opposite always occurs when nations either ignore the Lord or turn away from Him, as we see happening in our country today.

But, through the gospel of the Lord Jesus, God comes into our lives, regardless of our condition or culture, joins us into union with Him through faith in the Savior, and begins a reformation movement to transform us into the moral character of the Savior. This occurs as His life is lived out in ours by the Holy Spirit according to the Word. This is not a matter of simply changing cultural patterns like Westernizing natives, but changing the spiritual and moral fiber of men and women. God, who is holy, is deeply concerned with our walk.

As a result, a number of passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:1 address the concept of the believer’s walk. The Christian life is compared to walking. Walking becomes a visual aid to teach us how to live. By means of walking we move from one sphere to another; we seek to carry out certain responsibilities at work, at home, in the church, and in society. We do many things, some good and some not so good. But walking also means taking one step at a time, and with each step, while one foot is off the ground as we move forward, we are susceptible to being knocked off balance, to stumbling, or stepping into trouble.

In verse one, the Apostle speaks of “how you must live (literally, “walk”).” The Greek word here is peripateo, from peri, “about, around,” and pateo, “to walk.” It portrays one walking about in all the various areas or arenas of life. Because of the emphasis of this passage, an addendum is included at the end of this lesson with an overview of some of the key passages on the believer’s walk.

The General Exhortation
(4:1-2)

4:1 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more. 4:2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Verses 1 and 2 form a gentle and general reminder of the previous instruction they had received from Paul and his associates concerning how they should live and please God. In the word “live” (literally, “walk”) the emphasis is on actions, and in the words “please God” the emphasis is on motives.

The nature, strength, and emotion of this appeal is seen in the use of two terms, “we ask” and “urge.” The verb “we ask” is the Greek erotao, which is normally used between those who are of equal rank or status. It is the only word used by the Lord Jesus in His prayers to the Father (see John 14:16; 16:26; 17:9, 15, 20). Paul was appealing to them as fellow believers in the Savior. “Urge” is parakaleo, “appeal to, exhort, encourage” (see as previously discussed in 2:12). This word is somewhat more emphatic and formal, especially with the words, “in the Lord Jesus” attached. On their behalf, as a fellow believer, he makes his appeal, but he exhorts them by the Lord Jesus. This draws attention to the great importance of following both the previous instruction and that which would follow.

“That as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God …” This reminder of their former instruction draws our attention to several practical lessons:

(1) After these missionaries led their converts to the Lord, they also began to teach them how to live and please God. They laid a doctrinal foundation and then taught them the moral obligations of that doctrine. This was Paul’s practice and forms a precedent for us: first doctrine, then duty; precept and then practice. Doctrine should lead to godly practice, but a godly practice that is in keeping with God’s Word as to its character and the means (root to fruit). Learning to live and please God is a matter of biblical instruction. It is neither natural nor innate. Without the Word, there is simply no way any of us are going to be able to walk as we should so we are able to please the Lord (Col. 2:6). Over and over again in the Old Testament we read that God’s people are to walk in His ways, statutes, and laws, i.e., according to the Word (Lev. 26:3; Deut. 5:33; 8:6; 10:12; Josh. 22:5).

(2) Further, this is not an optional issue. Paul says “how you must live.” “Must” is dei, which refers to a logical and moral necessity, one which arises out of the divine constraint or the nature of the relationship involved, an inner compulsion that grows out of the situation. For a commentary on this principle one only needs to consider Titus 2:11-14 and 1 John 3:1-3.

(3) Living or walking as we ought to walk means pleasing the Lord. The Apostle may have in mind Genesis 5:22. There the Hebrew has “Enoch walked with God,” while the Septuagint (LXX) has “Enoch pleased God.” In Hebrews 11:5, the LXX is quoted. Here Paul seems to combine the two concepts.77 To please God, we must walk with Him in the light of His Word.78

(4) The Apostle adds, “even as you are walking” to assure them that he is not insinuating they have not been walking as they should. We all need growth and to be on guard against the temptations of world around us.

(5) Thus, the Apostle continues with, “that you do so more and more.” Literally, “that you may abound or excel more and more.” Paul uses the verb perisseuo, “to be over and above, overflow, abound, excel.” To this he adds the adverb, mallon, “to a greater degree.” The goal of Paul’s plea concerns the believer’s daily walk in the pursuit of excellence and increase, or progress in the daily life of holiness, set apart living to the Lord (cf. vss. 1 and 10). This means being stretched and that means becoming uncomfortable. Too often we are simply concerned with keeping the status quo and we shrink from commitments that might stretch us.

There are serious consequences for failure to follow God’s directions. When men and nations refuse, God turns them over to their own devices and the schemes of their own hearts (Ps. 81:12-13; Rom. 1:18f.; Eph. 4:16f.).

The emphasis in verse two on the commandments by the authority of the Lord Jesus would add a further emphasis to show that none of this is optional if we are to please God. In fact, to stress the imperative nature of our walk and pleasing God, the Apostle will later give three reasons for obedience in verses 6b-8.

It seems that far too often some Christians just want to hear new truth. Certainly, God wants us to grow in the knowledge of His Word, but we also need the exhortation to excel still more in the truth we know; our goal should be to press on to greater and greater appropriation of the truths which we already know and are already practicing, but to only a limited degree.

The Exhortation to Sexual Purity
(4:3-8)

4:3 For this is God’s will: for you to become holy, for you to keep away from sexual immorality, 4:4 for each of you to know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, 4:5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 4:6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. 4:7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 4:8 Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

The general exhortation of verses 1-2 is now followed by specific instructions. Verse 3 begins with “for” (Greek gar, a conjunction of explanation or continuation) to introduce the needed exhortations, especially in view of the cultural background of the Thessalonians. The first has to do with sexual purity (vss. 3-8), the second with brotherly love (vss. 9-10), and the third with orderly living (vss. 11-12).

The walk that pleases God is first defined with the words, “the will of God,” and then as “your sanctification.” With the statement, “This is the will of God,” Paul brings into focus the constant battle and a key issue going on in the hearts of men. “Will” is thelema, “what is willed.” It points to the sovereign will and plan of God for the Christian. But all men by nature tend to follow the desires, thelemata, of the flesh and mind which are opposed to the will of God (see Eph. 2:3) and which can never please God (Rom. 8:8). It is not that all of those desires are evil, for many of them are God given. Sex is not evil. From the beginning God created marriage as a sacred union between one man and one woman and sex was to be a part of that union for the continuance of the race and for pleasure in marriage. What makes many of man’s desires (thelemata) evil is his self-centered commitment to follow those desires contrary to God’s will (as in adultery) and at the expense or exploitation of others. The specifics of God’s will are clearly set forth in many places in Scripture, even though Christians often seem to have a great deal of difficulty applying it in everyday decision-making (cf. 5:16-18; 1 Peter 2:15). Nevertheless, Paul describes this in general terms as “your sanctification.”

“Sanctification” is the Greek hagiasmos, from hagiazo, “to set apart, consecrate, dedicate, sanctify.” Taking the New Testament as a whole, there are three aspects and phases of sanctification: (1) positional or past, a position of being set apart to God in Christ, which every believer has at the moment of his salvation (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11); (2) progressive or present, a progressive growth in holiness of life that ought to be true of every believer (1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Thess. 4:3), and (3) prospective—ultimate or future, the believer’s future condition in heaven, when believers will be “without blame” (3:13). In this passage the Apostle is clearly dealing with the issue of present or progressive sanctification.

But Paul does not leave this in just general terms. That which is the will of God, or our pursuit in present sanctification, is spelled out in three appositional infinitive clauses in the Greek text that give examples of what sanctification means.79 This is easily seen in the “that” clauses of the NIV and NASB in verses 3b, 4, and 6. The translation of the NIV is given below to illustrate.

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. (NIV)

THE THREE INSTRUCTIONS (VSS. 3B-6A)

ABSTAIN FROM IMMORALITY (VS. 3B)

“… for (that) you to keep away (avoid, abstain) from sexual immorality …” The first instruction is general and is designed to produce greater holiness through avoiding sexual immorality. Paul called his readers to avoid it, pointing to the need for exercising self-discipline as enabled by God’s Spirit (as the end of this section suggest in vs. 8).

“Keep away from” is apecho, “to hold back, keep off, be distant.” In the middle voice as used here, it means “to hold oneself from, avoid.” The middle voice draws attention to the subject’s personal participation in the action on himself with vested interest. This stresses personal responsibility along with the benefits that will result in pleasing God and protecting ourselves from sin and avoiding its consequences (see 4:6-8).

The word porneia, translated “sexual immorality,” is broad and includes all forms of illegitimate sexual practices. Bruce writes,

While porneia means primarily traffic with harlots (pornai), … it may denote any form of illicit sexual relationship. But “immorality” is too vague a rendering. In some New Testament passages porneia appears to have a more general sense. Christianity from the outset has sanctified sexual union within marriage (as in Judaism); outside marriage it was forbidden. This was a strange notion in the pagan society to which the gospel was first brought; there various forms of extramarital sexual union were tolerated and some were even encouraged. A man might have a mistress (hetaira) who could provide him also with intellectual companionship; the institution of slavery made it easy for him to have a concubine (pollake), while casual gratification was readily available from a harlot (porne). … There was no body of public opinion to discourage porneia, … Certain forms of public religion, indeed, involved ritual porneia. In Thessalonica it was sanctioned by the cult of Cabiri of Samothrace, …80

Thus, by calling for believers to keep away from fornication, Paul had in mind all the particular social conditions to which these believers were susceptible in Greece stemming from their past history as idolaters. The Thessalonians lived in a pagan environment in which sexual looseness was not only practiced openly but was also encouraged. As Bruce has pointed out, in Greek religion, prostitution was considered a priestly prerogative, and extramarital sex was sometimes an act of worship. But to a Christian the will of God is clear: holiness and sexual immorality are mutually exclusive. No appeal to Christian liberty can justify fornication.

Point: Christians are to avoid and abstain from any and every form of sexual practice that lies outside the circle of God’s revealed will; Christians are to avoid adultery, premarital and extramarital intercourse, homosexuality, and other perversions.

KNOW HOW TO POSSESS YOUR VESSEL (VSS. 4-5)

In these verses, the Apostle moves from the general to the specific and from the positive to the negative. A great deal of debate exists regarding the meaning of verse 4 with two interpretations being prominent. The debate concerns the meaning of “vessel” (skeuos). Taking “vessel” to refer figuratively to one’s own body, some interpret verse 4 to mean, “learn how to control one’s own body with its sexual passions since our own bodies are our vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7; 2 Tim. 2:20-21). How to do this is not explained by the Apostle. “Know” is an infinitive of oida in Greek which may refer to knowledge learned from the Word or the revelation of God. This would be a command to learn and apply what God’s Word says about self-control of one’s body and sexual urges through the control of the Spirit (vs. 8) and the Word filled life.

But a second and equally prominent view (as suggested by the NET Bible’s translation) holds this clause to mean that believers are to learn how to acquire a wife or husband81 and live with one’s spouse in the sanctity of marriage. In this view, the verse is dealing with one’s approach to and maintenance of the marriage relationship according to the teaching of Scripture.

Of course, both aspects are important to believers, but perhaps there is stronger support for the second view because of the following reasons:

(1) “Possess” is the Greek ktaomai which, in every occurrence in the New Testament, is used in the sense of “acquire, purchase for oneself, or gain.” Compare Luke 18:12; 21:19; Matthew 10:9; Acts 1:18; 8:20; 22:28. In none of these passages is this word used in the sense of “get control over or mastery over.”

(2) By contrast, ktaomai was frequently used of courtship and contracting a marriage, i.e., acquiring a wife (cf. LXX uses kataomai in Ruth 4:5, 10). Because of this, Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich chose “acquire a wife” as the most probable meaning, and the NET Bible and the RSV translates it accordingly.82

(3) “Vessel,” skeuos, is used of any instrument, object or thing used for any purpose. It is used (1) of vessels in religious worship (temple vessels), (2) of men as instruments of the Lord (Acts 9:15; 2 Cor. 4:7), and (3) of husband and wife as vessels (1 Pet. 3:7). That 1 Peter 3:7 includes the husband is clear by the term “weaker.” In general, he is the stronger and she is the weaker physically speaking.

So, we do have a biblical basis for using “vessel” for a marriage partner and for using kataomai in the sense of contracting a marriage (Ruth 4). Further, it was used of women in rabbinical literature.

(4) Clearly, one way to avoid sexual impurity is through marriage and a proper understanding of sex and marriage as God designed it. This is particularly true for Paul’s audience due to the cultural climate of Greece. This does not depreciate a woman’s position in marriage as just a vessel to satisfy sexual desires as verses 4b-5 illustrate, and because, in the final analysis, the principles are applicable to both men and women in their approach to marriage.

Verse 4b then points us to positive biblical attitude that must guard and guide one’s approach into marriage, “in holiness and honor.” Then verse 5 warns against the wrong goal that must not be the objective of marriage.

With the clause, “in holiness and honor,” the preposition “in” (Greek en) points us to the sphere or controlling atmosphere that is to surround, control, and guide the process of courtship, entrance into and maintenance of the marriage relationship whether man or woman.

As mentioned previously, “holiness” or “sanctification” basically means “set apartness,” a state of “holiness.” It refers to the progressive aspect of sanctification, the process of being set apart to the Lord and His purposes and plan. Marriage must be entered and maintained by the principles of Scripture. Scripture sets marriage apart from the motives, ideas, and values of a world that “does not know God” (vs. 5).

“Honor” is time which means “a valuing, a price paid or received,” then “esteem, preciousness, respect.” Marriage must be entered and maintained in an atmosphere of respect for it is a special and holy creation and institution of God. It is not just a convenience or a means of power or position or an excuse for sex. It is a life-long commitment of two people committed to ministry and love wherein they seek to complement and complete each other.

Having stressed the positive, the Apostle then turned now to the negative focus in verse 5: “not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.”

Such behavior is a mark of heathenism. A heathen is one who “does not know God.” Here Paul put his finger on the key to overcoming sexual temptations. A Christian can overcome because he knows God; this makes all the difference!83

Simply put, believers are never to enter into marriage, as the unbelieving world does, simply because of passionate lust (en pathei epithumias). “Passionate” is pathos and refers to what one suffers or experiences as in suffering, like the passion of Christ, or of sexual passion. “Lust” is epithumia, “desire, longing, craving.” Sexual desire is God given and is not wrong. One only has to read the Song of Solomon, a love poem of sexual love and passion within marriage, to see God’s blessing on sex in marriage. It only becomes wrong when it controls one’s life and goes beyond the limits of the marriage relationship in which there is personal commitment to each partner for life.

We should note that Paul did not say the heathen do not know about God. The reason, they behave as they do is because they do not know God personally, even though they may know about Him. When a person comes to know God by faith in Jesus Christ, not only should his attitudes toward sex and marriage drastically change, as he gains a knowledge of the Word, but he also discovers that God gives him the ability to handle sexual temptation as he couldn’t before. Knowing God intimately is fundamental to living a life in sanctification and honor. This is why both having relationship with God (through faith in Christ) and maintaining a close walk with Him (through daily intimate fellowship) is vital to having and keeping a pure walk before God.

DO NOT TRESPASS AND DEFRAUD A BROTHER (VS. 6A)

“In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, …” As mentioned previously,84 this verse begins with another infinitive which may be setting forth a third explanation of the clause, “this is the will of God, your sanctification” (vs. 3a), or it might possibly be introducing the purpose or intended results of following the instruction of verses 3-5. Ryrie writes: “Verse 6 is probably to be understood as the result of obedience to the injunctions of verses 3 and 4. If fornication is abstained from, no man will go beyond his brother.”85

Whether Paul intended the two infinitives here86 introduced with “to me” to be understood as expressing purpose or result, or simply as appositional to “this is the will of God, your sanctification,” the end result is that verse 6 does give us the intended result of obedience. A biblical approach to marriage and sex according to these instructions will keep one from violating the rights and taking advantage of others in the matter of sex and marriage.

Thus, in 4:4-5, Paul made his appeal on the basis of the importance of sexual purity for the sake of obedience to God’s will (vs. 3), and for the Christian’s own spiritual benefit and that of his or her marriage. In verse 6 Paul made his appeal on the basis of the others involved in immoral behavior.

But who is “the brother”? Typically, the Apostle uses “brother” as a term for believers, but due to the context, many see “the brother” in this verse as most likely another person, not necessarily another Christian male. “This seems clear from the fact that this person is a victim of illicit sex. Sexual immorality wrongs the partner in the forbidden act by involving him or her in behavior contrary to God’s will and therefore under His judgment.”87 Ryrie agrees though he acknowledges this is not the Apostle’s normal use of “brother.” He writes, “Paul uses “brother” here not in the restricted sense of a brother in Christ but in the general sense of a brother man. There is no other instance in Paul’s writings of this use of brother.”88 Paul’s point is that just as stealing is a sin against one’s neighbor, so sexual immorality is a transgression against others.

THREE REASONS FOR OBEDIENCE—WHY SEXUAL IMMORALITY MUST BE AVOIDED (VSS. 6B-8)

(1) The first reason is set forth, God is avenger of all sin (see Rom. 6:23a), and sexual fornication is sin. In the context, “in all these cases” or “in all such things (sins)” refers to all the various forms of sexual sin not specifically described here, but covered by the general term “sexual immorality” or “fornication.” Sexual sin will not go unpunished. It has its immediate consequences in the personal discipline of God on the believer who transgresses and on a society which ignores the laws of God. The tremendous effect of this can be seen on the home and in the transmission of sexually-transmitted diseases so prevalent in our world today. But there is also the future aspect of loss of rewards for those believers who ignore God’s truth.

2 Cor. 5:9-10. So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.

With the words, “just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you,” the Apostle reminds them of their former instruction, instruction that came with a solemn warning. “Warned” is diamarturomai, “to solemnly warn, affirm solemnly, charge, warn.” This is a compound verb (dia + marturomai) and carries the idea of thoroughly.

Sexual immorality wrongs the partner in the forbidden act by involving him or her in behavior contrary to God’s will and therefore under His judgment. Two or more people practicing sex out of God’s will are calling God’s wrath down on themselves (Heb. 13:4). The initiator of the act takes advantage of his partner in sin by fanning the fire of passion till self-control is lost …

Everyone who fears the wrath of God should abstain from immorality because judgment follows such sin as surely as day follows night. That God always judges sin is a basic Christian truth which Paul had taught them and warned them about when he was in Thessalonica.89

(2) Verse 7 sets forth a second reason Christians must avoid sexual immorality. “For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.” Sexual sin clearly goes against God’s calling for believers. In the previous reason of verse 6b, the Apostle focuses us on the sure prospect of God’s judgment, but the second argument against sexual sin focuses us on the purpose and plan of God who has called each Christian into a life-changing, sanctifying relationship with Himself. This means purifying the believer’s life from the degenerating behavior of a world that lives under Satan’s dominion because it does not know God.

“Impurity” is the Greek akatharsia, “uncleanness, filthiness, impurity.” It literally meant “refuse” and was used of the contents of graves. From this it came to be used of sexual sins. This gives us some idea of God’s attitude toward such sin. “Sexual immorality frustrates the purpose of God’s call. Certain pagan cults promoted unclean ceremonies, but Christ’s plans for a Christian are to clean him up. A holy life demonstrates God’s supernatural power at work overcoming what is natural, and it glorifies God.”90

With the word, “holiness” the Apostle again called their attention to the general principle that must guide the believer’s life. The noun used here is hagiasmos (“sanctification”), which occurs here for the fourth time in this epistle (cf. 3:13; 4:3-4) and the verb hagiazo [“to sanctify”] is used in 5:23. God’s will for believers is to set them apart from the mentality (viewpoint, aspirations, beliefs) and actions of a world that does not know God.

(3) The third reason Christians must avoid sexual immorality is set forth in verse 8, which really has two parts: (a) Sexual purity is grounded in the truth of God’s revelation, and (b) God has provided the Holy Spirit as our enabler.

In this verse Paul drew a conclusion based on his preceding arguments. First, sexual purity is grounded in the truth of God’s holy revelation. It is something which man normally will not arrive at on his own because of his own self-centered interest.

Greco-Roman ethics were based largely on the principles of self-interest and respect for another’s property. The individual was expected to do what was to one’s advantage, regardless of its effect on others, so long as one did not violate another person’s property. When the Romans discuss morality, they use terms such as duty, loyalty, prudence, and utility. There were certain restrictions because of class and societal obligation, but no action in itself was immoral, except for incest, cannibalism, and murder of a blood relative, things taboo in almost every society anthropologists have studied.

Whereas most Christians today would define their sexual morality as based on religious teaching, the Greeks and Romans made no such connection. In the words of R. Flaceleire, “The domains of religion and sexual morality were then regarded as completely separate.”91

“Consequently” is the translation of toigaroun, an emphatic compound particle introducing a sharp inference, “for that very reason, then, therefore.” It occurs only here and in Hebrews 12:1 in the New Testament. Bruce points out that it is as emphatic in Hellenistic Greek as it was in classical Greek.92 “Rejects” and “rejecting” is atheteo, “to declare invalid, set aside, reject, not recognize.” God has given plenty of evidence to validate the nature and uniqueness of the Bible as God’s inspired and accurate Word. The issue is not a matter of poor evidence, but of blindness and hardness of heart. The problem is that men love darkness and refuse to come into the light as the Savior points out in John 3.

John 3:19-20. Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. 3:20 For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.

The point is simply that God has not been silent; He has spoken and revealed His will in both the Old and New Testaments to protect man from himself and to bring him into a life-changing relationship with the living God. Sexual purity is simply a practical application of the basic truths of God’s revelation and reveal His holy will.

Paul’s attitudes toward sexual uncleanness did not arise from his background or personal preferences. They were the logical consequences of divine revelation. The Thessalonians and later readers of this epistle should realize that to reject these instructions is to reject the Person from whom they came originally, that is, God.93

The second part of this third reason against sexual immorality is seen in the words, “who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” The gift and ministry of the Holy Spirit, who is our enabler, is inseparable from the kind of holy living called for in these verses. Literally, the Greek has, “the Spirit of Him, the Holy one.” The Greek word order places special emphasis on the character of the Spirit as “holy,” the One given to enable us to be set apart to the will of God in sanctification and in honor.

Lest anyone feel that God is asking more than is reasonable of weak mortals, Paul concluded this exhortation with a reminder that God has also given believers His indwelling Spirit. This Person of the Trinity is so characterized by holiness that He is called the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit has power enough to enable any Christian to learn how to control his own body, even in a pagan, immoral climate. The exhortation is to avoid sexual immorality; the enablement comes from the Holy Spirit.94

Frame has an excellent comment here regarding the gift of the Spirit. He writes:

… Three points are evident in this appended characterization of God, each of them intimating a motive for obedience. (1) Not only is God the one who calls and judges, he is also the one who graciously puts into their hearts his Spirit whose presence insures their blamelessness in holiness when the Lord comes (3:13). In gratitude for this divine gift, they should be loyally obedient. (2) This indwelling Spirit is a power unto holiness, a consecrating Spirit. Devotion to God must consequently be ethical. (3) The Spirit is put not eis hemas … “into us Christians” collectively, but eis humas “into you” Thessalonians, specifically. Hence each of them is individually responsible to God who by the Spirit is resident in them. In despising, the individual despises not a man but God.95

The Exhortation to Excel in Brotherly Love
(4:9-10)

4:9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 4:10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,

The phrase “now on the topic of” (peri de) is a frequent formula used by Paul to introduce a new subject (4:9; 5:1). He uses it some six times in 1 Corinthians (7:1, 25; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1, 12) to introduce his answers to the Corinthians’ questions. He is probably using it in response to different elements brought back by Timothy in his report (3:6) regarding the conditions at Thessalonica.

In verses 1-2, we have a general exhortation as to how we ought to walk and please God, and by the process of growth to excel. From the general, the Apostle moved to the specific area of holiness of life in the realm of sexual purity (vss. 3-8). Now the transition from sexual purity to brotherly love is a natural one. We see a similar emphasis and relationship in 3:12-13.

3:12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, 3:13 so that your hearts are strengthened in holiness to be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Sexual sins, regardless of their nature, are self-centered and usually involve the exploitation and use of another for selfish reasons. Even though sexual sins are couched in terms of love by society, they are really acts of self love (vs. 6).

“Brotherly love” is philadelphia from philos or philia. It refers to a friendship love, a deep affection as in close friendships and in marriage. The other part is adelphos, which means “brother.” It refers to the kind of love and affection that should exist, not because of physical birth, or nationality, or secular alliances, but because of our spiritual relationship as brethren in Christ and children of God through faith in Christ.

By way of application, regardless of personality differences and conflicts, all believers should be bound together in warmth and concern for each other because of their relationship in Christ. Brothers in Christ are often closer than blood brothers because of their spiritual bond and oneness of mind in the Lord (see Phil. 2:1-5).

“You have no need … , for you are taught by God to love one another.” “Taught by God” is theodidaktoi (pl), a term found only here in the New Testament (cf. didaktoi theou in John 6:45). But what does this mean? Is the Apostle saying we don’t need biblical instruction on loving one another? Obviously not because the New Testament has so much to say on this subject and because the church is often so poor at loving.

The sense Paul has in mind seems to be that we are God-taught to love one another in two ways: (1) By the example given to us by the Father in sending His Son (1 John 4:9-11, 19), and (2) through the continuing inward ministry of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (vs. 8; Gal. 5:22; 2 Cor. 5:14). “Deeper than human language can reach, God Himself speaks to the believer’s heart.”96

The phrase, “to love one another” is an important one for two reasons. First, because it reiterates one of the primary commands of the New Testament. This command is repeated thirteen times in the New Testament97 and is to be the badge of our identity as disciples of the Lord. Our Lord said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The second reason is because this phrase takes the concept of philadelphia, brotherly love, and lifts it to new heights. Love in this phrase is agape which is a sacrificial love, a love produced by the Spirit, and a love that reaches out to the unlovable or even to one’s enemies, those who need our forgiveness just as we all need God’s forgiveness.

With verse 10, the Apostle confirms his comments in verse 9. Note the “and indeed” (kai gar). They were already living examples of loving one another; they had been showing love toward all the brethren in Macedonia. How, he does not say, but probably through hospitality as an expression of love frequently urged in Scripture (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2; 1 Pet. 4:9). Furthermore, this verse shows the extent of love. Love is to extend to all the brethren and not just to a few with whom one might have special rapport. It should be limited only by the opportunities afforded to express it.

Once again in keeping with the need for continued growth, he urged them to excel. As before, “to excel still more” is literally, “to abound more.” For comments on this, see verse 1. No matter how much we love, due to the very nature of love and the difficulties with loving, there is always room for improvement in our capacity to love both in quantity and quality.

We don’t need anyone to tell us to love since we are taught of God, but because of the devastating effects of the fall, even as regenerated people, we do need reminders and biblical instruction on how to deal with the forces in our own hearts that are so debilitating to our ability to love—our fears, our self-protective strategies for dealing with our hurts, our lack of maturity, and our failure to reckon with our own sinfulness. Because of this, we often simply do not love as we should.

We might compare Paul’s prayer for the Philippians (Phil. 1:9). Here the Apostle prays that love may abound still more and more, but the additional clause, “in real knowledge and all discernment,” is tremendously instructive. “Real knowledge” is epignosis, a word which often refers specifically to biblical truth or the knowledge of God and the spiritual things of God. “Discernment” is aisthesis, which refers to spiritual insight, perception denoting moral and spiritual understanding of the issues involved (cf. Phil. 1:10-11). Love needs the wisdom of the Word along with a personal relationship with the Lord, the fruit of righteousness by Jesus Christ, so we can make loving and wise choices and not simply sentimental choices which are so often simply selfish.

See Addendum 2 at the end of this lesson for some principles on “love” and “loving the brethren.”

The Exhortation to Walk in an Orderly Manner
(4:11-12)

4:11 and to aspire to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, as we commanded you. 4:12 In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.

If you will notice, verse 11 is connected to the preceding section and the exhortation to excel in love with a simple connective, “and,” (the Greek kai, a coordinating conjunction, “and, even, also”). These verses stand in close grammatical and logical connection with the preceding. While there is a change in emphasis, what we have in these next two verses is actually a further application of the responsibility to excel in love through walking in a biblical and orderly fashion. Hard work and individual accountability to responsibly care for one’s own life and needs is not unrelated to the subject of Christian love.

The two are not completely unrelated. Nothing disrupts the peace of a Christian community more than the unwillingness of members to shoulder their part of the responsibility for it (Hiebert, p. 180). To disturb tranquillity violates the love that permeates a truly Christian community. More specifically, some members of the Thessalonian church appear to have taken advantage of the liberality of other Macedonian Christians (cf. 2 Cor 8:1-5) in accepting financial help while making no effort at self-support (Lightfoot, p. 60).98

It is important for us to note that our daily habits of living, the very way we conduct our own business, can manifest love of the brethren just as much as special demonstrations or actions of Christian love. In other words, love touches our lives in many ways which we often fail to recognize. So, the Apostle challenged the Thessalonians to reflect on some of their everyday patterns as it might affect them in their ability to show brotherly love. Undisciplined living very often results in pain to others and disturbs the peace of the body of Christ and can cause believers to fall into disrepute with outsiders.

Paul’s exhortations here demonstrate that while this was a loving and growing body of believers, it was not a perfect church (as no church is), and there were conditions that needed changing. Are you looking for a perfect church, or are you willing to be a part of the change process?

THREE EXHORTATIONS (VS. 11)

TO LEAD A QUIET OR RESTFUL LIFE

Each of the verbs in verses 11 and 12 employ the present tense. This, along with the nature of the verbs used, (“aspire,” “lead a quiet life,” and “work”) suggest Paul has in mind patterns of life which are to be regular and consistent goals for believers. “To aspire” introduces the responsibility to lead a quiet life. The Greek has one word here, philotimeomai, literally, “to love honor,” but certainly, for emphasis, there is a kind of play on the word philadelphia. When our conduct is not biblical, it will affect the lives of others in negative ways. The idea is “consider it an honor” or “strive eagerly for.” Having “a quiet life” is to be something Christians are to strive for or have as their ambition. But what does it mean “to lead a quiet life”?

The word translated quiet (hesuchazein) means quiet in the sense of restfulness (cf. Acts 22:2; 2 Thes. 3:12; 1 Tim. 2:2, 11), rather than quiet as opposed to talkativeness (sigao; cf. Acts 21:40; 1 Cor. 14:34). The former means “undisturbed, settled, not noisy,” while the latter means “silent.” Paul was telling the Thessalonians to be less frantic, not less exuberant. A person who is constantly on the move is frequently a bother to other people as well as somewhat distracted from his own walk with God. The latter can lead to the former. But a Christian who strives to be at peace with himself and God will be a source of peace to his brethren. Such quietude constitutes a practical demonstration of love for others.99

The Apostle does not tell us here precisely what was causing some to be restless and busybodies within the church. Second Thessalonians 3:6-15 gives part of the picture, but the problem could have been from several causes:

(1) Anticipation of the coming of the Lord was causing an imbalanced excitement in their expectation of the Lord’s return. This was evidently causing idleness. Ignoring the fact that no one knows the precise day nor hour of the Lord’s return (Matt. 24:36), some of the believers at Thessalonica had evidently stopped working and were instead going about from house to house as busybodies.

(2) Self-seeking ambition within the church—seeking to play ‘spiritual king of the mountain,’ zealousness for position and recognition by others—could have been another cause. Such ambition often leads people to run from one person in the church to another to gain influence in an attempt to promote their own agenda. And of course, such behavior often results in spreading rumors and tearing others down in an attempt at self promotion.

(3) Self-appointed confronters, people who see it as their God-appointed role to go about straightening out everybody else. Some people seem to think they have the ‘gift of criticism.’ There is a place for brotherly rebuke or bold love that reaches out to help a brother with an obvious weakness (cf. 5:14; Rom. 15:14; 2 Thess. 3:15). But most often such people have hidden agendas behind their actions. It’s not really love at all, but a way to promote their ideas or opinions, or to prove they are right on some point. The point is, people bashers, as we might call them, are often restless and nervous. They fail to seek and find their significance in the Lord, and so, as a human mechanism to meet their needs to control or dominate, they run about tending to everyone else’s business, interfere in other’s lives, and create havoc in the body of Christ.

Paul’s solution as given here is found in our next exhortation.

TO TEND TO YOUR OWN BUSINESS (VS. 11B)

“Attend to your own business” is simply and literally, “and practice your own.” “Attend” is prasso, “to do, practice, be engaged in” or “achieve, affect, accomplish, perform.” “Own” is idios and means “private, distinct, one’s own.” It refers to what is private and personal and is used of friends, property, home, country, and personal affairs. It has the article and is neuter and means, “your own things” in the sense of “affairs, business.”

Obviously, one of the solutions for restlessness is to tend to your own life and affairs which of course would involve getting one’s spiritual life in order, getting the planks out of one’s own eye that one might have the ability to really help others in their failures. When our first priority is taking care of our own lives, not in a selfish, self-centered way, but in a truly biblical way, we are less likely to become nosy people who go around bashing others in the name of loving confrontation.

However, we must balance this with our responsibility to be involved with and caring for others. Our tendency is to go from one extreme—nosiness, to the other extreme—isolationism.

TO WORK WITH YOUR OWN HANDS (VS. 11C)

“Although the Greek generally looked down on manual labor as the work of slaves and others, the Jews did not have this attitude. The emphasis here, however, is not on manual labor as opposed to some other form but upon working as opposed to idling.”100 Paul deals with this problem in more detail in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-11. Some evidently did not respond to this word, so he not only dealt with it again, but (1) defined the refusal to work as being “unruly” and “undisciplined” (2 Thess. 3:6, 11), (2) again pointed to the results, “acting like busybodies,” or “meddlers” in the words of 1 Peter 4:15, and (3) gave directions for church discipline showing how the church is to handle such people in the body.

While we all have a responsibility to help those in need, we also have a responsibility not to help them if they refuse to work or look for a job. Part of the help that people in this condition need is help in finding work, and if needed, the admonition and instruction to prompt them to look for work. They must understand God wants them to be self-supporting and productive in society rather than dependent on society. See also 1 Timothy 5:8.

TWO MOTIVATIONS OR REASONS (VS. 12)

TESTIMONY TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD (VS. 12A)

“In this way” translates the Greek, hina, a conjunction of purpose or intended result. “Live” is peripateo, “to walk” and refers to one’s conduct in all the various areas of life. “A decent life” is an adverb, euschemonos, which means “in a way that is fitting, decently, becomingly.” It consists of eu, “good, well” plus schema, “form, figure, fashion.” It is used in 1 Corinthians 14:40 of doing all things properly and in order (cf. Rom. 13:13). It refers to a pattern or form of life that is becoming and attractive rather than derogatory to those without the faith (cf. 1 Pet. 4:14-16).

The unbelieving world is watching and we should always be concerned about how our lives look to those outside the body of Christ. They cannot see our hearts nor the justifying work of God imputing the righteousness of Christ to our account. What they need and want to see is authenticity—lives that back up our profession with works and a walk consistent with our talk.

PROVISION FOR ONE’S OWN NEEDS (VS. 12B)

The final purpose is the ability to meet one’s own needs. “Need” is chreia, “need, necessity.” It refers to an actual need (not wants), something needed for a situation or condition for it to be right. Here it would include food, clothing, shelter and the basics necessities of life. If the unsaved have to work to pay their bills, why should Christians not have to work as well? Work is not a curse. Work is a blessing and a gift.

There are a number of reasons why work is a blessing and is to be promoted by the Christian community and supported in society:

(1) To provide for our needs and our family’s needs (1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 5:8).

(2) To keep us from being a burden on others (1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Cor. 11:9).

(3) To give to those who have need within the guidelines of 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (see also Eph. 4:28).

(4) To be productive in society. God has ordained work to meet the needs of others by providing goods and services. Work is not a curse. It is a way to use the gifts and talents God gives us in productive ways.

• As the creator and sustainer of the universe, God is a worker (Isa. 40:28; Col. 1:16-17).
• As created in God’s image, man has been given creativity and abilities, and needs to work to experience true meaning in life. Scripture even calls work a gift of God (Eccl. 3:13) and declares that man has been given responsibility to care for creation, the works of His hands (Ps. 8:6).
• Work is not the product of sin. God gave Adam and Eve things to do in the Garden before the fall (Gen. 2:15).
• God uses our work to serve others in dozens of ways through goods and services that supply the needs of one another.

(5) To avoid idleness which leads to temptation and meddling (cf. our passage and 2 Thes. 3:6f.).

Addendum 1:
The Believer’s Walk

(1) The Model for Our Walk: To walk after the example of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 2:6; 1 Pet. 2:21).

(2) The Means of Our Walk:

• By abiding in Christ (1 Jn. 2:6).
• By walking in the Light (1 Jn. 1:7). This means all known sin confessed with no sin unconfessed or hidden (1 Jn. 1:6-9).
• By grace resting in our union with Christ (Ga. 6:15-16).
• By the Spirit (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 5:16, 25).
• According to the Word, the truth received in Scripture (Ps. 86:11; 119:1, 35, 45, 59; Pr. 6:22; Col. 2:6-7; 2 Jn. 1:4-6; 3 Jn. 1:3-4).
• By faith (2 Cor. 5:7).
• To walk in the pursuit of growth (Phil. 3:6; 1 Thess. 4:1).

(3) The Manner of Our Walk:

• In God’s plan of good works (Eph. 2:10).
• Not like the unbelieving world in the futility of its mind (Eph. 4:16f.).
• In love (Eph. 5:2).
• As children of the light (Eph. 5:8).
• Carefully, watching our step (Eph. 5:16).
• In wisdom as a testimony to others (Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12).
• In a manner worthy of our calling (Rom. 13:13; Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10).

Addendum 2:
Principles on Love and Loving the Brethren

(1) Love is described in 1 Corinthians 13, illustrated in the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and commanded throughout the Bible. Indeed, it is declared to be the preeminent virtue, the summary of the whole of Scripture (Mark 12:30-31). Paul exclaims, “The entire law is summed up in a single command, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal. 5:14). Compare also Romans 13:8-10.

(2) The standard and impelling motivation for our love for one another is Christ’s love for us (John 15:34; 1 John 4:11). Allender writes, “I will not live with purpose and joy unless I love; I will not be able to love unless I forgive; and I will not forgive unless my hatred is continually melted by the searing truth and grace of the gospel.”101 Our hearts need to be melted by God’s forgiveness of our sin and sins (cf. Eph. 4:31-32).

(3) Love for one another is fortified by other Christian virtues or Christ-like attributes (1 Pet. 3:8; 2 Pet. 1:7; Rom. 12:10; Eph. 6:23). From the standpoint of its foundation, love is a matter of having a purified inner heart or soul (1 Pet. 1:22).

(4) Love is to be a continuous, abiding virtue regardless of the problems or the behavior of the one being loved (Heb. 13:1). Agape love is the ability to love our enemies.

(5) Love is the measuring rod of character, the index by which our lives will be assessed. This is the message of 1 Corinthians 13. “Talent without love is deafening; spiritual discernment and power without love is debasing; and sacrifice of possession or body without love is defrauding.”102

Some of the responsibilities of love include:

• It involves serving and doing, not just talking (Gal. 5:13; 1 John 3:18).
• It means a mutual affection and respect which places others above oneself (Rom. 12:10, cf. Phil. 2:3-4).
• It means showing hospitality to one another and to all men as we are able (Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 3:2; Heb. 13:1-2).
• It means showing sympathy to those in suffering (Heb. 13:3).
• It means praying for one another (Eph. 4:18; Rom. 15:30).
• It means not seeking your own advantage, but the well being or advantage of others (1 Cor. 10:24; Phil. 2:3-4).

(6) As the summary of the whole of Scripture, love must be the motive behind anything we do as we minister to others in their need whether encouraging, exhorting, teaching, helping, or comforting.

Leviticus 22:1–31, Profane Vs. Holy. In this section of the Torah, YHVH makes some strong delineations between that which is profane, polluted or contaminated and that which is kadosh or literally to be clean, consecrated, set-apart in service to YHVH. To come into his presence demands that men follow high and exacting standards. Why? It is to teach sinful man that although YHVH is high and lifted up above the mortal and mundane plane in his set-apartness and righteousness, he is not unapproachable by men if they will prepare themselves properly to come into his presence (see Eccl 5:1–2). He wanted to impress this upon the Israelites as they began the service of the tabernacle.

Therefore, YHVH specifies that certain offerings brought to his altar that are contaminated will be rejected if (a) the offerer is in a state of physical contamination, (b) he is contaminated through improper marriage, or (c) he is offering a blemished animal. What can we learn from this? What offerings do we bring to YHVH’s altar now? Our time, our money, our energy, our talents and spiritual gifts, our devotion? Do we give him the best? Do you pray to him and study his Word in the morning when you are the freshest, or do you give him the crumbs of your day after a hard day’s work just before bed when you offer up “sleepy time” prayers and read the Scriptures as your drifting off to sleep? Are your tithes the crumbs and leftovers after all the bills are paid, the government has taken out its portion and your play money has been set aside?

If you are a young person, are you serving YHVH while you have the health and vigor of youthfulness, or are you planning on playing now and serving YHVH after you have sated the lusts of the flesh, if at all? (Read Eccl 11:9–10; 12:1–14 and Matt 6:24.) Examine your life. Are you giving YHVH the best in all areas? If not, repent and change your priorities, and then see what happens in your spiritual walk and relationship with him!

The Bible reveals that there are many aspects relating to the concept of holiness or purity. One thing is for certain: without holiness, no one will ever see YHVH (Heb 12:14). Holiness or purity is not only a mindset, but a lifestyle—a way of living, acting and speaking. Holiness is much more than just acting religious!

Leviticus 22:2 and 32, Profane not my set-apart [kodesh] name. Chapter 22 opens and closes with YHVH commanding his people to not desecrate his kodesh name, but to sanctify or to keep it set-apart. In Hebrew thought, a name is not only what we verbally call a person, but it is also a reflection of one’s character and identity. Why does YHVH stress the importance of revering and sanctifying his name? How does having a proper understanding of his name help humans to not offer profane, polluted or contaminated offerings to YHVH? In Exodus 20, we find the Ten Commandments. The Jews teach that the first word or command is not “You shall have no other gods before me …” but rather “I am YHVH your Elohim …” Why is knowing his identity and his name so vital to a righteous walk? Do you use his name carelessly or utter it with great fear and reverence?

     It is in the re-born spirit that we have “the mind of Messiah”, are able to contact the eternal realm of Yahuwah, where we hear Him speak. He never speaks to the volatile soul—analyzing, reasoning intellectual mind and emotions, which contact the natural realm through the five senses—the seat of the sin-prone nature/flesh/carnality.

     He only deals with us by His Spirit in our re-born spirit, if truly the Spirit has transformed us into “a new creation” – a new birth.  This is why a baby is positioned in this area in the womb--the place where Abba’s image and likeness is reproduced. This is why Sha’ul talks about “bowels of mercy” and the Psalmists talk about the liver and kidneys.

 Amos 3:7: “For the Master Yahuwah does nothing unless He first reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets”.

     All of those who serve Him with purity of heart, whom He allows to speak for Him, are hearing the same things – for the Teacher, the Spirit of Truth, speaks the same thing to all of Yahuwah’s set-apart ones. This is why running from one human teacher to another to tickle ones’ ears and learn head knowledge is so highly dangerous—for deception is rampant among those that listen to human teachers and never hear from Abba’s Spirit.  The western mind in its analyzing and rationalizing erases the input of the spirit, and keeps a person earth-bound. 

     II Timothy 4:3-4 is a tragic reality in these last days! The preparation of the forerunning companies and the “witness company” are ready for their assignments. As the veil begins to get thinner and thinner in the portals of Elohim in East Jerusalem, where everything of importance will be happening between now and when Messiah comes. I was out walking along the Sea of Galilee recently, thinking about these things. And it came to my spirit that in any natural wedding, the attendants of the Bride and Groom are friends – they are known by Bride and Groom—not strangers. Thus, the Bride will be interacting with the two witnesses--the two attendants of Bride and Groom—Moshe and Eliyahu. (Refer to: “The Two Witnesses, The Bride of Messiah, The Forerunning Companies, and the Fleeing Remnant”]

     The wall of division between the set-apart to Yahuwah and the demonized minds of the world’s people is thickening, so that there is a huge gap forming between the two. This is the time of the great apostasy, the great falling away from truth—it is the time once again that we read about in Judges 21:25: “In those days there was no King in Israel, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes”.

     The King is coming, but the chaos is increasing--for everyone is doing what their mind and fleshly desires decide to believe and do. False teachers use verses from the Bible to prove their own belief system—twisting His Word to their own advantage. It is because they do not know Him. They do not fear Him. They do not know His nature, His ways, His thinking, His plans and purposes for now. They keep their hearers in darkness, filled with pride in their ignorance. 

     The veil is also thinning between the demonic world of fallen angels and their leader Lucifer and his son Apollyon (the Beast). Revelation 12 tells us what is soon to come when Lucifer/Satan is cast out of heaven onto the earth. He will immediately go after the set-apart ones to kill them--Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 tell us the reality of that.

     He is always willing for us to come before Him to hear from His Spirit, and “sit with Him in heavenly places”. It is mankind who erases Him--substituting Him for all kinds of earthly time-wasting uselessness. Eternity is near…

     I John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world or that which is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lusts of it, but the one doing the will of Elohim abides forever”. 

     Truly this world is passing away quickly – its systems, including its religions, are deteriorating—and will soon call for a world ruler to rescue it out of chaos. Soon the chaos that is being created between the Arabs and Israel will burst into World War III, and the earth will be consumed with horrors never before on the earth—as Messiah told us (Matthew 24:21-25). Refer to: “The Creation of Chaos”.  And, please look up the Scriptures in the two lists: “All Flesh” and “No Flesh Saved But a Remnant”.

Purity in heart and actions, set-apartness, love of the Word, love of Abba, love of Messiah, conforming to Their nature and ways, commitment to Their Covenant, commitment to loving others is almost gone from the earth. Greed, selfishness, and the lusts of the flesh are common among all. I see it more now in Israel and the U.S. than ever before, but it is all over the world. As Abba has said, the earth is becoming demonized—under demonic Satanic control. The demonized are accepted as good people, for there is little discernment of spirits among His people. “Nothing is as it appears”. The deceptions are so incredible it is mind-boggling, and those being deceived are in the multi-billions now. 

     Daniel 6:3-5a, 22: “And Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and viceroys because an excellent spirit was in him…Then the governors and viceroys sought to find occasion against Daniel…But they were unable to find occasion of negligence--no corruption was found in him. Then these men said: `We shall not find any occasion against Daniel unless corruption, because he was steadfast and we find it against him concerning the law of his Elah’…[King Darius the Mede speaking] `Daniel. Daniel servant of the living Elah, has your Elah whom you serve continually been able to deliver you from the lions?’ …[Daniel speaking] `My Elah has sent His messenger and has shut the lion’s mouths and they did not harm me because I was found innocent before Him…’ ”. 

     No wonder Daniel has returned along with others like Enoch and Eliyahu, for he was found innocent, blameless, pure and set-apart before Yahuweh, and promised that he would return at the end of days to stand in his destiny upon the earth.

We’re in the time period when those who have heard and now possess understanding and wisdom are receiving more and more of His secrets, hidden from the “natural man” who slumbers in darkness. It is time that those who are truly His are spending more and more time in His Presence, eliminating from their lives those things that are useless distractions.

     Those who have a little knowledge but did not love Truth enough to get it from the Spirit of Truth are falling away rapidly to the lies of the enemy (II Thessalonians 2), so that even the little they had in the beginning, because they chose to hear teachers that tickled their ears (II Timothy 4:3-4), is being taken from them. They openly reject truth, and many are even losing the salvation that they first had.

     There are four parts to the parable of the sower of the Word (Mark 4). The first group never received the truth at all. The second received it, but when their flesh rose up, cast it off. The third group embraced the truth, but because of the cares of this world and their weakness of the flesh departed from the truth to embrace lies that fit their lifestyle. The fourth group is the group who will enter the Kingdom—they produce 30, 60 or 100-fold fruits of righteousness in their life. This is the wedding division that is all through the Word—the guests, the attendants and the Bride--the guests produce 30-fold fruit, the attendants 60-100 fold fruit, and the Bride only 100 fold.

     The Guests are detailed in Matthew 22. The attendants, called the “friends of the Bridegroom,” are found in Mark 2, John 3, and in Revelation 21 as “the kings of the earth.” They are the representatives of the guests – the go-betweens between the new earth into the throne room in eternity. Like attendants in any wedding, they attend the seating of the guests, and the order of service, standing with the Groom during the ceremony.

     In Revelation 22:3-5, we see a small group who live in the throne room. These are those of Daniel 11:32, Revelation 3:7-13, 7:1-8, 9:4, 14:1-5 for example. There are those from the past that join them, for they were instrumental in carrying out Yahuwah’s will completely during their time on earth.  

     The Bible is a book about an exclusive people--the people of Ya’cob. (II Samuel 7:22-28) This people came through a special family created by     This royal seed got down to one person a few times, but now has formed into a decisive group of three – the guests (the blood-bought, justified, set-apart), the attendants (the blood-bought, justified, set-apart, pure of heart, Spirit-taught, bondservants--“friends of the Bridegroom”), and the Bride (the blood-bought, justified, set-apart, pure of heart, bondservants, blameless, and exclusive).  

     Why the saving back of a remnant company until the time of great tribulation on earth? For they are Yahuwah’s agents to do His will even in the face of the Beast, so they cannot die. The Beast even kills the two witnesses at this time. He has to have a “first fruits of the resurrection” company to pave the way for His return with all the set-apart ones from heaven.

     Exodus 34:14: “…you do not bow to another god, for Yahuwah, whose Name is jealous, is a jealous Elohim.”  “You shall have no other gods in My face. For I, Yahuwah, am a jealous Elohim…” (Exodus 20:3, 5) 

     He is a consuming fire and no darkness can approach Him. Unless one is totally pure of heart, they cannot approach His throne. “The pure in heart (single minded—single focused) will see Elohim” (Matthew 5:8)

     In Isaiah 6, Isaiah saw Yahuwah high and lifted up. The angels at the altar of incense came and touched his lips with the coals from the altar, to purge his lips from sin – so that he could hear what Yahuwah had to say, and respond “Here am I, send me”--to speak only what Yahuwah had him to speak.

     He is a jealous Elohim. He will not allow us to bring other gods, including our self will, our religious pride, our self-righteousness, or any other thing that man holds onto for security, comfort, ease, power and control.  He alone is Elohim. Mankind has reached a place where most in the “free world” that have been mind-programmed by the television and other media, think of themselves as gods who “deserve the best”. This is western civilization at its root—a lust for head knowledge, a lust for being “like God” (Genesis 3) Elohim is an exclusivist – He will only speak and interact with those whose heart is humble and contrite before Him without hidden agendas. (Isaiah 66:1-2)

     Yahuwah has always had a remnant whom He could trust absolutely to carry out His will, those proven faithful for He tests the remnant most all their life. The Apostle Yochanan was given the Revelation—He is symbolic of the Bridal remnant. There is no record of His death. I have come to meet with 7 of this remnant Daniel, being one of them – no record of his death either.  

     The “Bride of Messiah,” composed of men and women, is far different in every way that those in western culture. The mentality is 100% different. They have no attachment to the world system outside of doing the basics of what they have to do for life on earth. As an example, look at an eastern-culture bride. She has chosen to submit to one man exclusively and totally. Her own desires are left behind. I’ve talked to Jordanian wives, and understand. They choose to submit to their husbands. They told me that wearing those cover-up-all dresses actually protect them from the stares of other men, and makes them more peaceful. They understand “covenant.” They forsake all to submit to their husband. We see this in Psalm 45 with the Bride of Messiah in symbolism. She has left all for Him. We see this in Orthodox Jewish culture today. There is a contentment that comes to men and women when they submit to one they trust with their life. We can trust Yahuwah and Yahushua with our life, now and eternally!

     Far different that churchianity. This is what it means to be “saved”—to make covenant with Abba Yahuwah through the Savior, committing one’s entire self to learn from Him, forsaking all to follow Him. The Bridegroom has chosen His Bride well, and she has agreed to the terms of the marriage contract that he has set forth. They have drunk the cup of wine together to seal the commitment.  (Refer to: “The Ancient Hebrew Wedding” – that is still the guide line)

     In John 13:21-26 we see him at the last supper of Messiah, leaning on Messiah’s chest (for they reclined on the floor in front of a low table). He says of himself, “And one of the taught ones, who Yahushua loved, was reclining on the bosom of Yahushua…” Kepha (Peter) had to ask him what Messiah was saying because he was too far away to hear him. Yochanan didn’t answer Kepha. John 21:20.

     John 19:26-27: “Then Yahushua seeing His mother and the taught one whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother: `Behold your son’. Then to the taught one He said, `Behold your mother’. And from that hour the taught one took her into his own home”. Only one Apostle/disciple (taught one) stayed at the stake with Yahushua, so it was to this faithful one that Yahushua entrusted His mother. The Bride remains by His side, even when it costs her everything to do so! You see, the true bride of Messiah dies to self, so that upon marriage she can rise with him to walk with him in a new life (Romans 6).

     Daniel is called “beloved” (loved one, “yedid”) three times by Gabriel the archangel. (Daniel 9:23; 10:11, 19) “Oh Daniel, greatly beloved, fear not, peace be unto you”.  Beloved to who? -- Because he was beloved to Yahuwah, many of the secrets of the end times were given to him.

     Psalm 25:14: “The secret of Yahuwah is with those who fear Him, and He makes His covenant known to them”. The reason so few hear Him is because they have no fear of Him.

     Song of Songs 2:14: “Oh my dove, you are in the cleft of the rock, in the secret places…”  The beloved of Yahuwah and Yahushua are hidden in “…the secret place of the Most High, [and] shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1) This secret place is where one can put their ear to His chest and hear things no one else can hear!

      Matthew 17:1-9: He took only three to the top of Mt. Hermon to see His esteem as the eternal Bridegroom--as Elohim--with the wedding’s “best men”. Verse 9--Yahushua says to them: “Do not mention the vision to anyone until the Son of man is raised from the dead”. Only three got to see “the other side”.

     Mark 5:37—the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead: He took only Kepha, Ya’cob and Yohanan with Him into the room with the dead girl.

     Hebrews 11:5 with Genesis 5:22: Enoch walked with Elohim for he pleased Elohim. “By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death and was not found for Elohim took him. For before he was translated, he had this testimony—that he pleased Elohim”. He pleased Elohim, and was shown the secrets of the universe. Eliyahu was taken into heaven in a chariot of fire (II Kings 2) because he pleased Yahuwah. Yahuwah took pleasure in these men—and delivered them from passing through death. They are back on earth now to finish their course. Moshe was translated to Paradise after death. Satan was frantic when he could not find his body. (Jude 1:9)

     The most powerful proclamation in the whole Word as far as I can see by any man regarding his future state is found in Iyob (Job) 19:24-27 – from the King James Version, which was made into a powerful aria in Handel’s “Messiah.” Verses 26-27: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see Elohim! Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold and not another…”

     Esther had to prepare to go before the King for a year. The first six months she had to soak in myrrh – the tree-resin/oil that was used in embalming the dead. This is the symbolic oil of death to self, which is required if anyone approaches the King of kings. For six months more, she had to soak in perfumed oils--with living frequency, therapeutic essential oils that not only beautify the body but have the power to change the mind and emotions, removing things of the past and preparing for the future. The oils can even affect the spirit. Her whole being was transformed in order to approach the King—inside and out.

     In order to be welcome in the Presence of Elohim, one must allow the Spirit to transform them into the nature of Yahuwah/Yahushua (II Corinthians 3:17-18). This soaking is what we all must be doing now!!!  Relationship is everything. Exclusivity is based on His knowing us intimately. Secrets are given to those He trusts. We must come away and be alone in His Presence more and more! The veil is thinning between this earth-life and eternity.

 

Purity and holiness are two words that that came across my path so much the last couple of weeks and not only mine. It is as if YHVH is urging His children to focus on becoming pure and holy before Him. Purity and holiness aren’t new, YHVH has always required it of us, but it is as if there is an urgency to this. We have to be pure and holy. Why is this necessary, you may wonder? Let’s see what YHVH said about purity and holiness.

Purity and holiness

When you study YHVH’s word, you will learn that YHVH requires purity and holiness from us. We are to become holy for He is holy and pure because He is pure.

Leviticus 11:44
⁴⁴ â€˜For I am YHVH your Elohim. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.

Leviticus 19:2
² â€œSpeak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I YHVH your Elohim am holy.

What is holiness?

HOLINESS; HOLY A fundamental element in the distinctive nature of God as revealed in Scripture and a basic response to His grace on the part of the people of God as they become molded into His likeness. ²

To be holy is to be set apart. To be set apart is to follow and do as YHVH did. YHVH gave us instructions and we are to be obedient to these instructions. That is set apartness or holiness.

Y’shua also said we are to become like Him, He too was holy and He also did YHVH’s instructions.

John 13:15
¹⁵ â€œFor I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

1 John 2:6
⁶ the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

1 Peter 1:16–17
¹⁶ because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ¹⁷ If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

From this we see that this holiness is still required. Y’shua didn’t change that, to the contrary, He came to show us how to live holy lives. He even taught us to follow the spirit of the law which is stricter than the word of the law. Read Matthew 5:21-48 for understanding.

Y’shua was the personification of holiness and He is our example.

What is purity?

purity

An absence of blemish or stain, especially sin. The state of being morally and spiritually pure, which is seen by Scripture as the result of being the people of God and also as an expected distinguishing mark of the church.³

Purity is both physical and spiritual. Sin makes us spiritually impure. Sin is transgression of YHVH’s commandments.

1 John 3:4
⁴ Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

So, whenever we transgress YHVH’s law or commandments, we become spiritually impure. This impurity causes separation between us and YHVH.

Isaiah 59:2
² But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your Elohim, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

This separation causes YHVH not to hear us. This is the reason we must live spiritually pure lives. We have written about spiritual impurity before, you can read about it in Spiritual uncleanness and shadows…

We also understand from Scripture that physical or ritual purity is required by YHVH.

Leviticus 15:31
³¹ â€œThus you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle that is among them.”

However, there is currently no Temple, so we are all ritually unclean as we have all at some stage come in contact with a dead person, directly or via another person, and have not followed the proper procedure to be cleansed. The ashes of a red heifer is required for this ceremony and we don’t have that. We have elaborated more on this topic in the article Y’shua and the laws of clean and unclean.

We have now looked at holiness, or set apartness and purity. To simplify the relation between these, set apartness or holiness is basically what we have to do to achieve purity . If we keep YHVH’s commandments, which is set apartness, we will be pure and there will be no separation between YHVH and us.

Why live pure and holy lives?

We know that living pure and holy lives are required of us by YHVH, and also that not living this way will cause separation between YHVH and us. However, there is another more important reason. Most would tell you that if you do YHVH would bless you, but that is not the reason. When we live pure and holy lives, we glorify YHVH.We make His kingdom known on earth. That should be our motive. We are to do it for Him, not for ourselves. Society has become so self-focussed, we always want to know what is in it for me. Being set apart and pure should be done out of fear (read respect) for our heavenly Father and to glorify His name. it is not about us.

Here are a few facets of purity to consider.

Pure words

Our previous article was about The Power of Words. YHVH’s words are pure, refined seven times. This serves as an example for us weare to think seven times before we speak. Words has the power to build up or destroy.

Psalm 12:6
⁶ The words of YHVH are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

Pure body

Our bodies are vessels for YHVH’s Spirit. We are for this reason to keep our bodies pure and undefiled. This starts with being modestly dressed.

Romans 12:1
¹ Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to Elohim, which is your spiritual service of worship.

1 Thessalonians 4:3–5
³ For this is the will of Elohim, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know Elohim;

Pure in heart

Our lives are to be holy and pure, but not only on the outside. YHVH knows our hearts

Psalm 73:1
¹ Surely Elohim is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart!

Matthew 5:8
⁸ â€œBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Elohim.

Most people know that YHVH knows our hearts.

YHVH knows my heart

Yes He does indeed! YHVH knows everything! However, this phrase is often used as an excuse to do unrighteousness. By unrighteousness I mean, breaking YHVH’s commandments.

Let us look at the context this phrase is used in.

Our outward appearace

1 Samuel 16:7
⁷ But YHVH said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for Elohim sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but YHVH looks at the heart.”

Samuel was sent by YHVH to Jesse to annoint the new king and he was looking at Jesse’s sons, wondering who it might be. He was looking at their outward appearace and YHVH corrected him. From this we learn that outward appearace doesn’t mean as much to YHVH, but what is in the heart. To YHVH it is not important what we wear or don’t wear, but our relationship with Him matters.

We as human beings have an inherent need to belong. One of the ways we do this is to dress the way the group we are in does. In the Hebrew roots movement this means mostly tallits and kippa’s to men and dresses or headcoverings to women. Some of these are worn as a result of conviction, but to others it is worn as “identifiers.” We are to be careful of this, as outward appearace can become too important to us. It is in actual fact not important at all. If you do feel convicted to do it, by all means, but let it not be a stumbling block to another.

One area of outward appearance that is important is modesty, but that should be a given for all believers. We can bring YHVH’s name in disrepute and be a stumbling block to another, by wearing immodest clothing.

The next area is our ways.

Our ways

1 Kings 8:39
³⁹ then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men,

Take note, YHVH will render to each according to his ways, whose heart He knows. What we do is important to YHVH, but what is in our heart when we do it, more important. He gave us instructions for our lives. However, we are to follow these instructions out of loving obedience to Him, not as a way to gain from YHVH or to be seen by others. YHVH knows our hearts which means He knows our motives for doing what we do.

This could possibly be the reason the apostles prayed to YHVH to help them choose an apostle to replace Judas. They had a choice of two righteous men, but YHVH knew which one’s heart was in it.

Acts 1:24
²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, YHVH, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen

In 1 Chronicles David speaks to his son Solomon and tells him to serve YHVH with a whole heart and willing mind for YHVH searches the hearts and understands the intent of the thoughts. So, even if we do righteousness, but not with a pure heart, YHVH knows it and will render to us accordingly.

1 Chronicles 28:9
⁹ â€œAs for you, my son Solomon, know the Elohim of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for YHVH searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Rote routine is not what YHVH wants from us. In Isaiah 1:2-15, we read how YHVH reproved Israel for doing this. They were doing sacrifices and celebrating YHVH’s appointed times, but their hearts were not in it as they have turned away from YHVH.

In verse 17 He tells them what he required of them:

Isaiah 1:16–17
¹⁶ â€œWash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, ¹⁷ Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

This washing YHVH is referring to is repentance. YHVH then continues

Isaiah 1:18–20
¹⁸ â€œCome now, and let us reason together,” Says YHVH, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. ¹⁹ â€œIf you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; ²⁰ â€œBut if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of YHVH has spoken.

YHVH tells us what He requires of us. He wants our hearts, not rote routine in what we do for Him. We can live righteously and not please YHVH, if we live so only outwardly. Each of us knows our own hearts just as YHVH knows our hearts. He knows loving obedience and he knows rebellion and he will recompence each according to his/her deeds.

Psalm 24:3–4
³ Who may ascend into the hill of YHVH? And who may stand in His holy place? ⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.

YHVH knows falseness and deceit. We can’t hide anything from Him. Let us therefor ask Him to create a clean heart in us and let us live holy and pure lives to glorify His name.

Psalm 51:10
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

oliness IS NOT what the mainstream Christian church has told you it is. Your pastors and Bible teachers have lied to you! The church has largely stripped holiness of its biblical meaning and imposed on it a man-made religious meaning. A study of the book of Leviticus will reveal the true meaning of the word as defined by YHVH Elohim, our Creator, and teaches us how to become holy as he is holy as we will see below.

The focus of Leviticus is holiness and holy living. Holiness is the chief attribute of Elohim and the most defining aspect of his character. It has to do with the fact that Elohim is entirely good and without evil and moral defect and is sinless. This is why the spiritual beings around his heavenly throne are continually crying, “Holy, holy, holy” in his Presence (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). This is why one of his titles is The Kadosh One of Israel,which is used more than thirty times in the Tanakh (e.g. 2 Kgs 19:22; Ps 71:22; Isa 1:4; Jer 50:29). This is why the high priest who ministered in the Tabernacle of Moses and later in the temple wore a golden crown or headplate with the words inscribed on it, SET-APARTNESS TO YHVH. Not only was this pointing upward to YHVH’s set-apartness, but man himself is to become holy or set-apart even as YHVH Elohim is set-apart, for we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews that the attribute of holiness is a prerequisite for a man coming into the Presence of Elohim (Heb 12:14).

The Hebrew word for holy and holiness is kadosh, which is defined as “sacredness, consecrated, set-apartness or separateness.” That which is holy or kadosh relates to that which belongs to the sphere of the sacred, godly or heavenly and is distinct or separate from the sphere of the common, profane, defiled or polluted. Everything about Elohim is holy or set-apart compared to man who is completely polluted and defiled by sin and is thus unholy (Jer 17:9; Rom 3:23; Isa 64:6). 

The Tabernacle of Moses had two rooms: the kadosh place and the most kadosh place. The nomenclature of these rooms relates to the chief attribute of Elohim, which is his set-apartness. The tabernacle is represents heaven where YHVH dwells with the most kadosh place representing his throne room. The understanding of this reality may help us to appreciate the ceremonial rituals that YHVH required of the priest in order to enter and to minister in the tabernacle. It is a picture man coming into the heavenly presence of Elohim.

Elohim gave Moses, Aaron, the priests and Levites strict protocols to follow to insure that the tabernacle stay holy and keep from becoming profane, polluted or defiled. This involved caring for and properly handling the building and its furnishings as well as the priestly attire and their bodily, ritualistic and spiritual cleanliness. If these protocols weren’t followed, there were penalties — sometimes involving the death of the violator. If they were followed, the result was a blessed relationship with Elohim.

The requirements for coming into and ministering in the Tabernacle of Moses, the dwelling place of Elohim’s Presence (Exod 25:8) teach us several things. 

First, Elohim is holy and undefiled and is thus transcendent above the earthly and human plane. He is pure, set-apart and undefiled by. 

Second, heaven and the Presence Elohim is a holy and undefiled place. The tabernacle was the earthly dwelling place of Elohim’s Presence (Exod 25:8). It and everything about it was to remain holy or set-apart. Nothing was to defile it. 

Third, maintaining a high standard of holiness with regard to everything pertaining to the tabernacle teaches us that no one can come into the Presence of Elohim without first going through proper protocols to become undefiled. 

Fourth, there was a death sentence upon those who refused or neglected to follow these protocols. This teaches man to fear, honor, respect and even to dread Elohim who has the power over life and death. Man cannot come into Elohim’s Presence in a casual, cavalier or arrogant manner in a defiled or polluted state. 

Fifth, the Tabernacle of Moses was a “processing center” to aid man in going from an unholy, polluted and sinful state to progressively becoming more and more holy and sinless. Eventually, man could come to a place — by following YHVH’s protocols of holy living — of intimate fellowship with Elohim. This is pictured by the inner room, or holy of holies, of the tabernacle where the Presence or Kavod of Elohim was dwelt. The holy of holies is representative of Elohim’s heavenly throne room. 

Sixth, man was created in Elohim’s image to have an intimate relation with him and with the capability of reflecting his divine character. When man sinned in the garden, man’s relationship with Elohim was cut off. The Tabernacle of Moses shows man how to deal with the pollution or defilement of sin through blood atonement and the eventual sacrifice of Yeshua on the cross to which all the bloody, sacrificial rituals of the tabernacle pointed. 

Seventh, there is no other way for man to come into the Presence of Elohim except through the protocols that he has established. Man has to recognize his sinfulness, turn away from his state of unholiness or pollution by making the proper sacrifices. He must then turn to and embrace Elohim’s holy or righteous standards for living a sinless life. 

Holiness is the greater message of Leviticus as it relates to the redeemed believer coming into conformity with the exalted and righteous standards of a holy Elohim. This occurs when one recognizes their unholiness or sinfulness, puts their faith in the blood atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of Elohim, Yeshua the Messiah who died on the cross in payment for men’s sins, and then turns from sin by adhering to Elohim’s standards of righteousness as outlined in the Torah and the rest of the Scriptures, and as lived out by Yeshua and his immediate disciples. 

Holiness involves heeding Elohim’s call to become his special and treasured possession by following him and allowing him to separate us from the defilement or pollutions of the heathen nations around us (Lev 20:26; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:19).

This message of holiness — and the message of the entire Bible — can be succinctly summed up by Elohim’s loving and longing cry to his people on several occasions to be holy as he is holy (Lev 11:44, 45; 20:7, 26; 1 Pet 1:16). The Torah shows us how to be holy (Lev 20:7–8). The Torah (and the rest of Scripture) shows us that being holy not only involves behavior, but man’s thoughts and attitudes, words and physical cleanliness as well as the observance of holy times (e.g. the Sabbath and biblical festivals), and respect of things that are dedicated to Elohim. Men must learn to make a division or separation between the spheres of the holy and the profane and to keep them separate (Ezek 44:23; 22:26), and to not let the latter pollute the former.

The message of holiness has serious implications for each individual, for as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews declares, without holiness, no one will see Elohim (Heb 12:14 cp. Ps 15:2ff).

 First, know and love Scripture.

Scripture is God’s primary road to holiness and spiritual growth—with the Spirit as Master Teacher blessing the reading and searching of God’s Word. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). And Peter advised, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).

Read through the Bible at least annually. Even more importantly, memorize the Scriptures (Ps. 119:11), search (John 5:39) and meditate upon them (Ps. 1:2), live and love them (Ps. 119; 19:10). Compare Scripture with Scripture; take time to study the Word.

Consider the words of Proverbs 2:1-5:

My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.

In this passage, we find the principles of serious personal Bible study: teachability (receiving God’s words), obedience (storing God’s commandments), discipline (applying the heart), dependence (crying for knowledge), and perseverance (searching for hidden treasure).

Do not expect growth in holiness if you spend little time alone with God and do not take His word seriously. When you are plagued with a heart prone to be tempted away from holiness let Scripture teach you how to live a holy life in an unholy world.

Second, consider yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ.

If you are a Christian, you already are. Claim that. Regard yourself as dead to the dominion of sin and as alive to God in Christ (Rom. 6:11).

“To realize this,” writes Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “takes away from us that old sense of hopelessness which we have known and felt because of the terrible power of sin. I can say to myself that not only am I no longer under the dominion of sin, but I am under the dominion of another power that nothing can frustrate.”[i]

This is not implying that because sin no longer reigns over us as believers, we have a license to forgo our duty to fight against sin. Jerry Bridges rightly admonishes us, “To confuse the potential for resisting sin (which God provided) with the responsibility for resisting (which is ours) is to court disaster in our pursuit of holiness.”[ii] Westminster’s Shorter Catechism balances God’s gift and our responsibility when stating, “Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and to live unto righteousness”.[iii]

Seek to cultivate a growing hatred of sin as sin, for that is the kind of hatred against sin that God possesses. Recognize that God is worthy of obedience not only as the Judge but especially as a loving Father. Say with Joseph in temptation, “He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). The person who considers himself or herself dead to sin also looks for heart-idols. Pray for strength to uproot them and cast them out.

Strive for daily repentance before God.

Never rise above the publican’s petition, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Remember Luther’s advice that God would have His people exercise “lifelong repentance.” Furthermore, believe that Christ is mighty to preserve you alive by His Spirit. You live through union with Christ, therefore live unto His righteousness. His righteousness is greater than your unrighteousness. His Saviorhood is greater than your sinfulness. His Spirit is within you.

1 John 4:4, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Do not despair. You are strong in Him, alive in Him, and victorious in Him. Satan may win many skirmishes, but the war is yours, the victory is yours (1 Cor. 15:57; Rom. 8:37). In Christ, the optimism of divine grace reigns over the pessimism of human nature.

Fourth, we cultivate holiness through prayer and work.

Pray and work in dependence upon God for holiness. No one but God is sufficient to bring clean out of unclean (Job 14:4). Hence, pray with David, “create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10).

And as you pray, work.

The Heidelberg Catechism (Question 116) points out that prayer and work belong together. They are like two oars, which when both are utilized, will keep a rowboat moving forward. If you use only one oar—if you pray without working or you work without praying—you will row in circles.

Holiness and prayer have much in common.

Both are central to the Christian life and faith; they are obligatory, not optional. Both originate with God and focus on Him. Both are activated, often simultaneously, by the Spirit of God. Neither can survive without the other. Both are learned by experience and through spiritual battles. Neither is perfected in this life but must be cultivated lifelong. The most prayerful often feel themselves to be not prayerful enough; the most holy often regard themselves as unholy.

Holiness and work also have many ties.

Holiness and work are also closely related, especially the work of nurturing and persevering in personal discipline. Discipline takes time and effort. Paul exhorted Timothy, “train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7). Holiness is not achieved sloppily or instantaneously. Holiness is a call to a disciplined life; it cannot live out what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called cheap grace—that is, grace which forgives without demanding repentance and obedience. Holiness is costly grace—grace that cost God the blood of His Son cost the Son His own life and costs the believer daily mortification. With Paul, he died daily (1 Cor. 15:31).

When you fail, do not despair.

Gracious holiness calls for continual commitment, continual diligence, continual practice, and continual repentance. “If we sometimes through weakness fall into sin, we must not therefore despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin, since we have an eternal covenant of grace with God.”[iv] Rather, resolve with Jonathan Edwards: “Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.”[v]

These two things, fighting against sin and lack of success, appear contradictory, but they are not. Failing and becoming a failure are two different matters. The believer recognizes he will often fail. Luther said that the righteous man feels himself more often to be a “loser than a victor” in the struggle against sin, “for the Lord lets him be tested and assailed to his utmost limits as gold is tested in a furnace.”[vi] This too is an important component of discipleship. The godly man will persevere even through his failures. Failure does not make him quit; it makes him repent the more earnestly and press on in the Spirit’s strength.

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Prov 24:16).

As John Owen wrote, “God works in us and with us, not against us or without us; so that his assistance is an encouragement as to the facilitating of the work, and no occasion of neglect as to the work itself.”[vii]

Let us never forget that the God we love loves holiness. This is why the Father offers us affectionate, chastising discipline (Heb. 12:5-6, 10). Perhaps William Gurnall says it best: “God would not rub so hard if it were not to fetch out the dirty that is ingrained in our natures. God loves purity so well He had rather see a hole than spot in his child’s garments.”[viii]

So, pray and work, but remember: we are utterly dependent upon Him in our prayers, and also in our work (Philippians 2:12-13).

Fifth, we flee worldliness.

What does it mean to flee worldliness?

We run from it. We fight the flesh. We must strike out against the first appearance of the pride of life, the lust of the flesh and eyes, and all forms of sinful worldliness as they knock on the door of our hearts and minds. If we open the door and allow them to roam about in our minds and take a foothold in our lives, we are already their master. We can start with starbucks... ll. Supporting ungodly businesses. Getting away from organized religion, the gregorian calendar... Seriuosly looking at everything through the lens of the Bible. Things are evil or wicked, or people are saved and have good fruit... 

Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.”

The material we read, the recreation and entertainment we engage in, the music we listen to, the friendships we form, and the conversations we have all affect our minds and ought to be judged in the context of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

We must live apart from worldliness and not be of the world while we are in it (Rom. 12:1-2). This is for the sake of our holiness and also our witness.

Brothers and sisters, let’s walk in the Word and not in the world. And as such, our witness will shine before the world, and we will glorify our Father in heaven.

Psalm 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Matthew 5:14, 16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Sixth, we seek fellowship in the church, strengthen the brethren

If you want to cultivate a life of holiness make sure you seek fellowship with other Jesus-followers. Associate with mevv ntors in holiness (Eph. 4:12-13; 1 cor. 11:1). The church ought to be a fellowship of mutual care and a community of prayer (1 Cor. 12:7; Acts 2:42). If you meet a fellow believer whose godly walk you find admirable, converse and pray with such folks (Col. 3:16). Proverbs 13:20, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Association promotes assimilation. A Christian life lived in isolation from other believers will, in turn, be defective. We cannot have a heavenly fellowship if we promote a hindering fellowship. I know how hard it is to find a church... most studies began at the homes of early Christians in Antioch (acts). I do prison ministries and evangelism daily and witness to as many people as possible. Living faith is more important than church membership... church membership doesn't equal obedience to God. 

Such conversations, however, ought not to exclude the reading of godly treatises of former ages which promote holiness. Luther once quipped that some of his best friends were dead ones. For example, he questioned if anyone could possess spiritual life who did not feel a kinship with David pouring out his heart in the Psalms.

The bottom line is this: you can’t cultivate holiness in Christ without the bride of Christ. However, if we are led by the Spirit, then we are the sons and daughters of God by faith in Jesus Christ. I am a server (greatest among you shall be a servant) and consider my work part of my worship. I have dedicated my life to serving others in love and providing them blessed food and drink. 

Finally, commit completely to God.

Live present-tense, total commitment to God. Form habits of holiness. Pursue harmony and symmetry in holy living. Root out all inconsistencies, by the grace of the Spirit, and enjoy godly activities.

Don’t fall prey to the “one-more-time” syndrome. Postponed obedience is disobedience. Tomorrow’s holiness is impurity now. Tomorrow’s faith is unbelief now. Aim not to sin at all (1 John 2:1); ask for divine strength to bring every thought into captivity to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), for Scripture indicates that our “thought-lives” ultimately reflect our character: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7a). An old proverb says it this way: Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.

First, know and love Scripture.

Scripture is God’s primary road to holiness and spiritual growth—with the Spirit as Master Teacher blessing the reading and searching of God’s Word. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). And Peter advised, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).

Read through the Bible at least annually. Even more importantly, memorize the Scriptures (Ps. 119:11), search (John 5:39) and meditate upon them (Ps. 1:2), live and love them (Ps. 119; 19:10). Compare Scripture with Scripture; take time to study the Word.

Consider the words of Proverbs 2:1-5:

My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.

In this passage, we find the principles of serious personal Bible study: teachability (receiving God’s words), obedience (storing God’s commandments), discipline (applying the heart), dependence (crying for knowledge), and perseverance (searching for hidden treasure).

Do not expect growth in holiness if you spend little time alone with God and do not take His word seriously. When you are plagued with a heart prone to be tempted away from holiness let Scripture teach you how to live a holy life in an unholy world.

Second, consider yourself dead to sin and alive in Christ.

If you are a Christian, you already are. Claim that. Regard yourself as dead to the dominion of sin and as alive to God in Christ (Rom. 6:11).

“To realize this,” writes Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “takes away from us that old sense of hopelessness which we have known and felt because of the terrible power of sin. I can say to myself that not only am I no longer under the dominion of sin, but I am under the dominion of another power that nothing can frustrate.”[i]

This is not implying that because sin no longer reigns over us as believers, we have a license to forgo our duty to fight against sin. Jerry Bridges rightly admonishes us, “To confuse the potential for resisting sin (which God provided) with the responsibility for resisting (which is ours) is to court disaster in our pursuit of holiness.”[ii] Westminster’s Shorter Catechism balances God’s gift and our responsibility when stating, “Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and to live unto righteousness”.[iii]

Seek to cultivate a growing hatred of sin as sin, for that is the kind of hatred against sin that God possesses. Recognize that God is worthy of obedience not only as the Judge but especially as a loving Father. Say with Joseph in temptation, “He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). The person who considers himself or herself dead to sin also looks for heart-idols. Pray for strength to uproot them and cast them out.

Strive for daily repentance before God.

Never rise above the publican’s petition, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Remember Luther’s advice that God would have His people exercise “lifelong repentance.” Furthermore, believe that Christ is mighty to preserve you alive by His Spirit. You live through union with Christ, therefore live unto His righteousness. His righteousness is greater than your unrighteousness. His Saviorhood is greater than your sinfulness. His Spirit is within you.

1 John 4:4, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Do not despair. You are strong in Him, alive in Him, and victorious in Him. Satan may win many skirmishes, but the war is yours, the victory is yours (1 Cor. 15:57; Rom. 8:37). In Christ, the optimism of divine grace reigns over the pessimism of human nature.

Fourth, we cultivate holiness through prayer and work.

Pray and work in dependence upon God for holiness. No one but God is sufficient to bring clean out of unclean (Job 14:4). Hence, pray with David, “create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10).

And as you pray, work.

The Heidelberg Catechism (Question 116) points out that prayer and work belong together. They are like two oars, which when both are utilized, will keep a rowboat moving forward. If you use only one oar—if you pray without working or you work without praying—you will row in circles.

Holiness and prayer have much in common.

Both are central to the Christian life and faith; they are obligatory, not optional. Both originate with God and focus on Him. Both are activated, often simultaneously, by the Spirit of God. Neither can survive without the other. Both are learned by experience and through spiritual battles. Neither is perfected in this life but must be cultivated lifelong. The most prayerful often feel themselves to be not prayerful enough; the most holy often regard themselves as unholy.

Holiness and work also have many ties.

Holiness and work are also closely related, especially the work of nurturing and persevering in personal discipline. Discipline takes time and effort. Paul exhorted Timothy, “train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7). Holiness is not achieved sloppily or instantaneously. Holiness is a call to a disciplined life; it cannot live out what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called cheap grace—that is, grace which forgives without demanding repentance and obedience. Holiness is costly grace—grace that cost God the blood of His Son cost the Son His own life and costs the believer daily mortification. With Paul, he died daily (1 Cor. 15:31).

When you fail, do not despair.

Gracious holiness calls for continual commitment, continual diligence, continual practice, and continual repentance. “If we sometimes through weakness fall into sin, we must not therefore despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin, since we have an eternal covenant of grace with God.”[iv] Rather, resolve with Jonathan Edwards: “Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.”[v]

These two things, fighting against sin and lack of success, appear contradictory, but they are not. Failing and becoming a failure are two different matters. The believer recognizes he will often fail. Luther said that the righteous man feels himself more often to be a “loser than a victor” in the struggle against sin, “for the Lord lets him be tested and assailed to his utmost limits as gold is tested in a furnace.”[vi] This too is an important component of discipleship. The godly man will persevere even through his failures. Failure does not make him quit; it makes him repent the more earnestly and press on in the Spirit’s strength.

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Prov 24:16).

As John Owen wrote, “God works in us and with us, not against us or without us; so that his assistance is an encouragement as to the facilitating of the work, and no occasion of neglect as to the work itself.”[vii]

Let us never forget that the God we love loves holiness. This is why the Father offers us affectionate, chastising discipline (Heb. 12:5-6, 10). Perhaps William Gurnall says it best: “God would not rub so hard if it were not to fetch out the dirty that is ingrained in our natures. God loves purity so well He had rather see a hole than spot in his child’s garments.”[viii]

So, pray and work, but remember: we are utterly dependent upon Him in our prayers, and also in our work (Philippians 2:12-13).

Fifth, we flee worldliness.

What does it mean to flee worldliness?

We run from it. We fight the flesh. We must strike out against the first appearance of the pride of life, the lust of the flesh and eyes, and all forms of sinful worldliness as they knock on the door of our hearts and minds. If we open the door and allow them to roam about in our minds and take a foothold in our lives, we are already their master.

Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.”

The material we read, the recreation and entertainment we engage in, the music we listen to, the friendships we form, and the conversations we have all affect our minds and ought to be judged in the context of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

We must live apart from worldliness and not be of the world while we are in it (Rom. 12:1-2). This is for the sake of our holiness and also our witness.

Brothers and sisters, let’s walk in the Word and not in the world. And as such, our witness will shine before the world, and we will glorify our Father in heaven.

Psalm 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Matthew 5:14, 16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Sixth, we seek fellowship in the church.

If you want to cultivate a life of holiness make sure you seek fellowship with other Jesus-followers. Associate with mentors in holiness (Eph. 4:12-13; 1 cor. 11:1). The church ought to be a fellowship of mutual care and a community of prayer (1 Cor. 12:7; Acts 2:42). If you meet a fellow believer whose godly walk you find admirable, converse and pray with such folks (Col. 3:16). Proverbs 13:20, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Association promotes assimilation. A Christian life lived in isolation from other believers will, in turn, be defective. We cannot have a heavenly fellowship if we promote a hindering fellowship.

Such conversations, however, ought not to exclude the reading of godly treatises of former ages which promote holiness. Luther once quipped that some of his best friends were dead ones. For example, he questioned if anyone could possess spiritual life who did not feel a kinship with David pouring out his heart in the Psalms.

Read classics that speak out vehemently against sin. Let Thomas Watson be your mentor in The Mischief of Sin, John Owen in Temptation and Sin; Jeremiah Burroughs in The Evil of Evils; Ralph Venning in the Plague of Plagues. Also read J.C. Ryle’s Holiness, Octavius Winslow’s Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul, and John Flavel’s Keeping the Heart. Let these divines of former ages become your spiritual mentors and friends.

The bottom line is this: you can’t cultivate holiness in Christ without the bride of Christ.

Finally, commit completely to God.

Live present-tense, total commitment to God. Form habits of holiness. Pursue harmony and symmetry in holy living. Root out all inconsistencies, by the grace of the Spirit, and enjoy godly activities.

Don’t fall prey to the “one-more-time” syndrome. Postponed obedience is disobedience. Tomorrow’s holiness is impurity now. Tomorrow’s faith is unbelief now. Aim not to sin at all (1 John 2:1); ask for divine strength to bring every thought into captivity to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), for Scripture indicates that our “thought-lives” ultimately reflect our character: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7a). An old proverb says it this way: Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.

On this Shabbat, let’s take a moment to remember God, who He is and what He has done for us. Let’s remember the reason that He Himself came down fully man(as a baby) humble and meek and lived a perfect sinless life and died for us so we could obtain eternal life- through Jesus' blood sacrifice once for all. Let us reflect upon our lives and see if we are living our lives in such a way that those who are around us will see Him in us.

Shabbat Shalom!

1. God is set apart as Lord, wWho is Jesus Christ. Hear O ISRAEL, the LORD our GOD is ONE- SHEMA.

1 Peter 3:15 says, “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord” . 

God is sovereign, controlling all, ruling over all. He is a king on a royal throne who must be obeyed above all. We set him apart to obey him as we obey no one else.

2. God is set apart for worship and ultimate reverence.

Although we honor others, we worship only God. Although we reverence others, we give ultimate and wholehearted reverence only to God.

Quoting the Old Testament, Jesus said, “You shall worship the lord your God, and serve him only” (Matthew 4:10).

3. God is set apart for ultimate love and devotion.

God has a place in our hearts that no one else can have. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

Jesus also said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37–39).

These three attitudes of the heart are fundamental to what it means for God to be set apart as holy.

“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints [set apart]” (Romans 1:7).

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy [set apart], acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

“That I might be a minister of Yeshua the Messiah to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified [set apart] by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16).

“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified [set apart] in Messiah Yeshua, called to be saints [set apart], with all who in every place call on the name of Yeshua Messiah our Master, both theirs and ours” (1 Corinthians 1:2).

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see YHVH” (Hebrews 12:14).

“Peter, an apostle of Yeshua the Messiah, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Yeshua the Messiah” (1 Peter 1:1-2).

It’s not enough for me to be chosen and set apart. God did it for a “specific purpose.” Can you see what that purpose is?

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12).

“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy'” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Yes, we are “set apart” to be “set apart,” which seems to mean that we are doing good works.

According to Ephesians 2:8-9, we don’t do good works to become set apart. No, we are only chosen because the Spirit of God did a miraculous work in our hearts, by no effort of our own. God’s Spirit has already sanctified us, or set us apart. However, because He chose us, He gives us the set-apart task of being different from the world, by the good things we do.

Just as the Holy Spirit set us apart so that we would be set apart, the Word of God sets us apart so that we will proclaim the Word of God.

We are set apart by the word of God…

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

…so that we will proclaim the word of God.

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

“That I might be a minister of Yeshua the Messiah to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16).

Note that proclaiming the Word of God is our “priestly duty.”

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Yeshua the Messiah… But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:5, 9).

We are also sanctified (set apart) so that we will keep the commands of God.

“For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:21).

“Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12).

“Here is the patience of the saints [set-apart ones]; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

In fact, John tells us that the way others can look at our lives and know we are saints [set-apart ones] is because we keep God’s commands.

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Yeshua the Messiah Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in YHVH” (Ephesians 2:19-21).

If I am set apart for a specific purpose, then obviously if I go back to my former purpose, I won’t be set apart any more.

If I am not set apart and clean, God will not use me.

If, in my old life, my purpose was to live in wickedness and uncleanness, then my new purpose is to be righteous and clean.

Holiness is to be separated from uncleanness.

“I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:19-22).

“If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:17).

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? ..And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Master Yeshua and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints” (Ephesians 5:3).

“…in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” (Colossians 1:22).

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Master Yeshua that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Master Yeshua. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. …For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on YHVH out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:20-22).

“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11).

The apostle Peter wrote that it is urgently important for us to be holy.

“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy'” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Peter says, “It is written,” to remind his readers that he wasn’t making up a new commandment; rather, he was quoting from the oldest part of the Bible, the Torah.

I probably wouldn’t have noticed this myself, except that my Bible has a footnote to tell me where he’s quoting from. The footnotes tell me that he is quoting from Leviticus 11.

“You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. For I am YHVH your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. For I am YHVH who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.” (Leviticus 11:43-47).

The apostle John wrote something very similar in his first letter.

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

“Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning” (1 John 2:3-7).

In Greek, the word message is logos. This same word is also used in John’s gospel:

“In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

The “beginning” referred to by John is the creation of the world, which is recorded for us in Genesis, in the beginning of the Torah.

The message of the Bible never changes from beginning to end. The Word, with a capital W, is Yeshua, the logos “made flesh”[2] and the One who came to live among us, Immanuel, or “God with us.”[3] Just as Yeshua cannot change,[4] neither do His commands and teachings.[5]

I had often heard as a Christian that I was to live a holy life. However, I was also frustrated by the different opinions of what holiness means. For instance, a simple Google search brought up the following:

• Holiness means to be morally good.
• Holiness means to be unique.
• Holiness means to belong to God.
• Holiness means to live with God.
• Holiness means to be a light.
• Holiness means to be distinct from the world.
• Holiness means to have a right relationship with God.
• Holiness means to study God’s Word and grow in it.
• Holiness means to be a saint.
• Holiness is goodness.
• Holiness is the sum of all God’s attributes.
• “NO man can determine what acts, thoughts and lifestyle are Holy. It is only with the aid of the Holy Spirit we can do this.”

Wow.

Are you with me that this is as clear as mud?!

Exactly how am I supposed to be holy?

It all seems rather vague…

This is precisely why verses like the following make me pause:

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see YHVH” (Hebrews 12:14).

I am guessing I’m not the first person to wonder these things, for in the acrostic poem written to help young Hebrew children learn their aleph bet, the Psalmist says,

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9).

We become holy, pure, and clean by living according to the Word of God. My Google search basically said the same thing, but now I’m wondering if the Torah gives a specific definition of what it means to be holy, pure, and clean.

Let’s start with the passage in Leviticus that Peter quoted:

“Now YHVH spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying, “These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat. Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you…

“’”These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat…

“’”By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening…

“’”You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. For I am YHVH your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. For I am YHVH who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

“’”This is the law of the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten” (Leviticus 11:1-4, 9, 24, 43-47).

Seriously?!

Again, I was looking for specifics — and this is specific — but… seriously?

My search took me much further, to lists of many more specific things that God defines as “clean,” which we’ll discuss further in an upcoming chapter.

• Touching dead animals is unclean (Leviticus 5:2 and 17:15).
• Women are unclean for a number of days after childbirth and during their periods (Leviticus 12:2).
• Contagious skin diseases are unclean (Leviticus 13:3, 46).
• Clothing contaminated by certain types of mildew are unclean (Leviticus 13:59).
• Homes contaminated by certain types of mildew are unclean (Leviticus 14:33-57).
• Various bodily fluids are unclean (Leviticus 15).
• It is unclean for a man to marry his brother’s wife (Leviticus 20:21).
• Places where people have died (such as graveyards and battlefields) are unclean (Numbers 19:14-16).
• Lips can be unclean (Isaiah 6:5).
• Evil spirits are unclean (Matthew 10:1, 12:43).
• A land where idols are worshiped is unclean (Joshua 22:19, Ezra 9:11, Zechariah 13:2).

God was very, very specific when He said,

“For YHVH your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you” (Deuteronomy 23:14).

He obviously took his specific commands of cleanliness seriously!

We find that God’s people knew what God’s definition of “clean and unclean” were, even before the time of Moses. For instance, Job lived shortly after the Flood, and he understood God’s definition of holiness:

“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4).

“They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean” (Job 36:14).

Even before that, Noah understood how to tell which animals were clean and which were unclean:

“Then YHVH said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth'” (Genesis 7:1-3).

It seems likely to me that this knowledge wasn’t passed on from generation to generation, as it should have been, so that by the time of Moses, the godly line of Israel didn’t know what clean meant any more.[6]

As John said,

“Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning” (1 John 2:7).

Here we are, thousands of years later, and it seems to me that believers have not been taught any specific definitions of holiness. We have been left to do what is “right in our own eyes.”[7] We’re sincerely trying to obey God — but if the definitions of “clean” in the Torah are correct, we are sincerely missing the mark!

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped… A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray” (Isaiah 35:5, 8).

“The Spirit of YHVH God is upon Me, because YHVH has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound… To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of YHVH, that He may be glorified… But you shall be named the priests of YHVH, they shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast… And they shall call them ‘The Holy People,’ ‘The Redeemed of YHVH’; and you shall be called ‘Sought Out,’ ‘A City Not Forsaken'” (Isaiah 61:1, 3, 6; 62:12).

“Yeshua answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them'” (Matthew 11:4-5).

“But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

“‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says YHVH.  ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you'” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Israel was judged because she refused to “come out from among them” and be clean.

“Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26).

In fact, these things were given as the reason why the House of Israel was kicked out of the Promised Land and sent into Exile!

“They shall not dwell in YHVH’s land, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and shall eat unclean things in Assyria” (Hosea 9:3).

We have learned before that this world lives according to the system of Babylon, a system which God defines as unclean in every possible way.

“And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!'” (Revelation 18:2).

And so Peter wrote to the first-century believers,

“…as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy'” (1 Peter 1:14-16).

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:9-12).

God told Aaron and the priests,

“…that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which YHVH has spoken to them by the hand of Moses” (Leviticus 10:10-11).

As a member of the chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God, I also have a responsibility to distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean. And I must also teach this to others!

God never changes. Even in the millennium, the priests of God will be commanded to “teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.”[8]

And at the end of time, in God’s Holy City, a city set apart and pure, we see that “nothing impure [Greek koinoō, or unclean] will ever enter it.”

“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27).[9]

I am thankful for the blood of Yeshua, which cleanses me from all my uncleanness:

“For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14).

I have been cleansed, but this doesn’t give me license to do things God calls impure.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2).

And so if God’s Word doesn’t change and He is always the same, then Peter’s words make more sense:

“Peter, an apostle of Yeshua Messiah, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Yeshua Messiah: Grace to you and peace be multiplied” (1 Peter 1:1-2).

It’s important to know what YHVH commands! It is important to be clean!

To sanctify means to be set apart for a holy use. God has set us apart for the purpose of sanctification not impurity (1 Thess. 4:7) and being such we are called to do good works (Eph. 2:10).

Christians are to sanctify Christ as Lord in their hearts (1 Pet. 3:15). God sanctified Israel as His own special nation (Ezek. 37:28). People can be sanctified (Ex. 19:10,14) and so can a mountain (Ex. 19:23), the Sabbath day (Gen. 2:3), the tabernacle (Ex. 27:19), and every created thing is sanctified through the Word of God and prayer (1 Tim. 4:4).

Sanctification follows (See Justification). In justification our sins are completely forgiven in Christ. Sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit makes us more like Christ in all that we do, think, and desire. True sanctification is impossible apart from the atoning work of Christ on the cross because only after our sins are forgiven can we begin to lead a holy life.

Daniel had a prayer life and he chose to live a consecrated life. He was taught from an early age to live his life for God and never to compromise his godly values or to bow down to other gods

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.

We are set apart from the world. There are huge differences between what the world practises and God’s values. For example, the world advocates individualism and no fault divorce but we advocate covenantal marriage till death do us part. The world hates us when we live by Biblical values and principles. It is like a light shining into their lives revealing all the ugliness, immoralities and evil. Jesus warned us that we will be persecuted for righteousness and for believing in His name. This is the only suffering that Christians will face without possibly being delivered because Jesus has warned us about it.

John 15:19-20 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

It is very important to have a prayer life in order to lead a consecrated life to God. When we consecrate our lives to God, the desire to walk in His will and holiness (set apart for God) will emerge. It is a lifelong process. We seek the face of God, rather than the hand of God. This means we ask God with humility how we should live for Him. This kind of prayer life is open to correction, rebuke and training in righteousness.

Living out a consecrated life is challenging for our flesh because our flesh needs to be brought into submission to the spirit. We have to deal with our pride, lack of faith, fear of losing control, uncertainty in God’s goodness etc. But this is not impossible, for we have the Spirit of God living in us. We have to submit to God’s plan and not our own. Jesus lived a consecrated life. Every step of His ministry, He submitted to the Father’s will. We too, should live consecrated lives for we are set apart from this world.