Being a Channel of Truth and Holiness (Part II)

“Again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, ‘Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him “unclean” by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him “unclean.”’” – Mark 7:14-16 (NIV)

Introduction

The word “channel” signifies action — to direct, lead, or train — and as a noun, it refers to a conduit or means of access. More profoundly, it also describes roles such as advertiser, delegate, witness, communicator, and spokesperson.

As Christians, Acts 1:8 reminds us that we are the channels through whom others come to know Christ — His representatives and messengers on earth. We are called to communicate the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, even though the world often amplifies political voices above the life-giving truth that only Jesus saves.

Holiness

In our last section on holiness, we said that in 1 Peter 1:3-16, Peter writes to believers on what the Bible says about holiness: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

Peter is quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2.

First, let us look at God’s holiness. What does it mean that God is holy? Passages like 1 Samuel 2:2 and Isaiah 6:3 are just two of many examples of passages about God’s holiness. Another way to say it is that holiness is absolute perfection. God is unlike any other, and His holiness is the essence of that “otherness.” His very being is completely absent of even a trace of sin (James 1:13; Hebrews 6:18). He is high above any other, and no one can compare to Him (Psalm 40:5).

God’s holiness pervades His entire being and shapes all His attributes. His love is a holy love, His mercy is holy mercy, and even His anger and wrath are holy anger and holy wrath. These concepts are difficult for humans to grasp, just as God is difficult for us to understand in His entirety.

We now continue with part two of the article. Please enjoy and pass it on!

The Bible and Holiness

Next, what does it mean for us to be holy? When God told Israel to be holy in Leviticus 11:44 and 19:2, He was instructing them to be distinct from the other nations by giving them specific regulations to govern their lives. Israel is God’s chosen nation, and God has set them apart from all other people groups. They are His special people, and consequently, they were given standards that God wanted them to live by so the world would know they belonged to Him.

When Peter repeats the Lord’s words in 1 Peter 1:16, he is talking specifically to believers. As believers, we need to be “set apart” from the world unto the Lord. We need to be living by God’s standards, not the world’s. God is not calling us to be perfect, but to be distinct from the world.

1 Peter 2:9 describes believers as “a holy nation.” It is a fact! We are separated from the world; we need to live out that reality in our day-to-day lives, which Peter tells us how to do in 1 Peter 1:13-16.

Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author