The Fourth Pillar of truth

1.      Holiness

The fourth pillar of truth that must be taken into deep consideration is that of Holiness: Holiness is the fruit or the product of righteousness, without which, no one can have fellowship with the Father. For this is what the Lord spoke, saying: 'by those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified (Leviticus 10:3).

Our admonition therefore, is to be “as obedient children, not conforming ourselves to the former lusts, as in our ignorance; but as He who called us is holy, we also are to be holy in all our conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1: 1-15).

Holiness is the trademark that is associated with everything that God has set aside for His purpose. For example; the days that the Lord has set aside to have fellowship with Him are called “holy convocations.” For thus says the Lord: “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 23:4).

The state of holiness is what that has been ordained for man even before the foundation of the world, For it is written; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 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, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6).

The state of holiness which in the true sense of the word means to be sanctified, set apart for holy use and necessitates being without sin, is made possible by one and only way and that is by being a slave of righteousness. For the scripture states categorically, “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Also, “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 6:18, 22).

Those whom God has called are regarded as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God`s own special people, that they may proclaim the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Their duty as priests is to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings at the appointed times, as the Lord instructed Moses saying: “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time (Numbers 28:2).

The difference between now and the time the Lord gave these instructions to Moses is the new way by which one draws near to God, which now involves our tabernacles being in heaven instead of an earthly tabernacle, having an everlasting, sinless High Priest, instead of temporary priests, and a perfect sacrifice which can present the worshiper perfect and blameless before God, instead of animal sacrifices which could not present the worshiper perfect.

Believers therefore, have been given the mandate saying; “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”. Not only is holiness, one of the main substance of the new man by which we were created, but that the new man is also predestined and elected to holiness. “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” We therefore are urged to, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

To summarize the subject on how steadfast we are in the faith, we must take into consideration the fact that the old man/nature no longer dominates our lives, for it has been replaced with the new man/nature, with a new spirit, a new mind and a new heart, for the main purpose of becoming slaves of righteousness, which automatically bears fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

These times of ignorance God has overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Our challenge is to live in accordance to the laws that regulates the life of the new man in the spirit, and to no longer be lawless and hostile to the laws of God due to the carnal mind which is enmity against God and not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph