Holiness 

This page is a resource that we use for Christian bible study. We have developed some of the information on this page and we have borrowed information from other studies which are freely available. Our intent is to provide a study resource that we can access when traveling. We do not disagree with anyone's personal interpretation of scripture and our thoughts are not offered as an argument for the perspective from our understanding of this revelation. Please feel free to read or use the study material if it is of help. Thank you // JL|©

We conceptualize God as "holy" ... "holiness" is an absolute attribute of God and a spiritual attribute which we seek ... often it is connected in our thoughts with goodness, righteousness and sanctification ... "holy" is often used as a descriptive adjective for objects and persons dedicated to the work of God on earth ... in old and new testament scripture "holy" is often encountered as allegory or imagery probably because, even though the world reflects the glory and holiness of God, it is hard to define "holiness" with physical world references.

In this study, we find "holiness", as a spiritual attribute for our life, has definition in a thread of revelation which could be termed "fear of the Lord" .... it becomes a somewhat lengthy study because a conceptualization of "fear of the Lord" seems best clarified by considering the relationship of spiritual wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Our study considers in sequence:

• relationship of spiritual wisdom, understanding and knowledge
• relationship of our spiritual development with "fear of the Lord"
• conceptualizing and growing in holiness ... 2 Cor 7; 1 ... make holiness perfect in the fear of the Lord ...

I.  Relationship of Spiritual Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge

A. Spiritual Wisdom is Available to Us All

B. What are some Measures of Spiritual Wisdom as present in a Christian or a Christian Church

C. Seeking to Clarify Definitions

In Proverb's chapters' 1, 2 & 3 the definitions for spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding become clearer ... this revelation uses allegory as well as both positive and negative images ... we present, here, one threaded sequence from our studies.

Summary for Section #1: the relationship of spiritual wisdom, understanding and knowledge

                                                                                    note: we are collating verses listed above for this summary 

Our daily conversation may use these terms with a contextual meaning of:

• wisdom                    accumulated learning, ability to discern, good sense, accepted principles
• knowledge                range of information, awareness of, acknowledgement of, responsibility for
• understanding           grasp of meaning, recognizing: what is going on ... what is important

The same terms apply as an absolute spiritual attribute of God:

• wisdom                    God founded the earth
• knowledge                the deep broke forth and clouds drop down dew
• understanding           God established the heaven

Notice, in this passage, that wisdom & understanding are spiritual attributes of God linked to definable places (earth and heaven) while knowledge is an attribute of on-going action ... from another view, we often note that wisdom and knowledge seem closely linked while understanding is separate ... if you ask why, for certainly there are unfolding levels of purpose as one studies spiritual principles, this principle seems defined by the image which links wisdom to earth, understanding to heaven and knowledge as the cycle of water between earth and heaven ... the purpose for each Christian and the Christian church is rooted in spiritual wisdom ... conversely ... spiritual understanding has a range for each person or church at one end of the spectrum in contrast to the absolute level understanding held by God ... how does God enable or if you prefer empower an individual or a group of individuals (e.g. local church) to reach higher levels of spiritual understanding ???  ... it seems in our study that spiritual knowledge is answer ... spiritual knowledge that breaks forth from the deep and drops like dew ... for those who have found spiritual wisdom ... the same checks and balances we find in our daily life experience or that science notes in the physical laws of our universe are also present spiritually ... no wonder since God is the author of all ... we sometimes use this thread to study the spiritual meaning of baptism though we will stay focused on our current thread of holiness here ... wisdom is a spiritual attribute which we are able to obtain by asking, by listening. by looking ... as wisdom increases in an individual so also does our knowledge of God which in turn permits an understanding, spiritually, of what is really going on and what is really important ... spiritual knowledge is a modulator of spiritual understanding ... both rest on the foundation of an individual Christian's wisdom ... each is uniquely customized for each person and are dynamically changing throughout a person's life ... so also for each local church ... 

One spiritual concept that we never quite have an understanding of is just how dynamic and flexible God is in our life ... we define milestone events in scripture which seem historical in nature but are actually as current as the next breath that any one will take ... it appears that wisdom, knowledge and understanding are like that in our life ... we'll leave this dialog at this point for your consideration ... this summary continues with additional collations ... our apology if it seems tedious ... the image of knowledge coming from the mouth of God is reflected well in the gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 - 4: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... all things were made through Him ... in Him was life ... the life was the light of men.

Wisdom and Knowledge Considered Together

• Fear of the Lord is the beginning of both Wisdom and Knowledge
• Wisdom and Knowledge are both Gifts of the Spirit ... for the "common good"
• Wisdom and Knowledge are given to those who please God
• Wisdom and Knowledge are given to those who have Understanding

Wisdom Considered Alone

• Wisdom is given to those who ask for it
• You must "listen" to receive Wisdom
• Wisdom is "hid" in the knowledge of Christ
• Christ Jesus is our Wisdom

Knowledge Considered Alone

• Knowledge of God and Knowledge of God's will seem to be discrete spiritual attributes ... Knowledge of God's will increases our Wisdom and Understanding to lead a life worthy, pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in good works and increasing in the Knowledge of God
• Knowledge is hid in the Wisdom of Christ
• Knowledge comes from God's mouth
• Knowledge of the Holy One is insight

Considering Understanding

• we must incline our heart for Understanding
• we must raise our voice for Understanding
• Understanding comes from God's mouth
• to come to an Understanding of Christ
• to Understand the Fear of the Lord
• Understanding is gained by practicing Fear of the Lord

II. Relationship of our Spiritual Development with "Fear of the Lord"

We are getting to the topic of "Fear of the Lord" following in sequence from a consideration of the three spiritual attributes: wisdom, knowledge and understanding ... those definitions probably seem fluid because by their nature they are dynamic and unique in each person's life, in much the same way that each person's relationship with God is dynamic and unique. 

While "fear" is grammatically correct and a consistent translation for these passages, ancient Hebrew also permits the use of the terms: revere and reverence ... a definition we find more consistent with the verses that focus on wisdom, knowledge and understanding ... and ... perhaps an image that permits us to continue our study toward a consideration of holiness ... in our daily context, reverence is associated with: esteem, respect, veneration, devotion, regard with great respect, awe ...

Working on our definition for fear of the Lord 

These are passages of scripture which we often use to begin our definition of fear of the Lord ... the term "fear" in these old testament verses is the Hebrew word yawray which can also be translated as revere or to hold in reverence ... this translation seem more consistent with our understanding of this revelation ... the new testament verses here use the Greek word phobeo which again can also be translated as revere or to hold in reverence ... each time we study this thread of revelation, regardless of the verse references, it seems you always have linkage between this very special reverence for God and the relationship of the people of God in the current and following generations ... not too far from the two great commandments - to love God and our neighbor ...

Usually, about this point in this study we begin to substitute the translation "reverence" for "fear" .... rephrasing the four verses above:

A summary of the four verses above: "those who hold the Lord in reverence study with one another and think on His name from generation to generation ... the Lord remembers them ... they are His treasure ... their reverence for Him is His treasure ... He will have mercy on them ... they will dwell in safety and be His people ... with ... one heart ... one way ... for their good and the good of their children ...

There are several harmonics-of-three that are helpful at this point in our definition of "reverence for the Lord"

We are working on the second of three sections in a scripture study of holiness ... in the first section, we considered definitions for three spiritual attributes: wisdom, knowledge and understanding ... in this current section, the second, we are working on a thread of revelation which suggests that there is a relationship between our spiritual development, as Christians, and the spiritual principle often termed: "fear of the Lord" ... at this point, we have substituted the translation "reverence" for the word "fear" in both old and new testament references ... we continue the study with a few more scripture references:

The only problem with long studies, like this one, is that it starts to look pretty complicated when God has actually made everything simple ... we are not searching for a formula or a secret process that unlocks the power of God for God seems to accommodate each person within the context of her/his faith at any point in time ... our purpose is seek a better understanding of this thread of scripture as it seems central to our personal relationship with God and also our relationship to each other ...

All spiritual attributes start with God ... it appears that reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom ... wisdom is an attribute that we can work on with the gifts we have as a human being ... through spiritual wisdom, we can gain, from God, a knowledge of His will or if you prefer His purpose for us ... as we have increasing knowledge of God's will, we gain a greater understanding, in a spiritual context, of what our world is actually about and what is spiritually important in a person's life ... if we "grow" in God's gift of understanding, it permits God to move closer to us in our daily life and in that process we move as individuals from a knowledge of God's will to an increasing personal knowledge of God through His revelation in Jesus Christ, through the working of His Spirit in our life, through that "small, still, voice" we all have inside of us and through our interactions with each other in the local church. This study's progress toward an understanding of holiness has taken us to this conceptualization of "depth" in our on-going relationship with God. Again, this concept of "depth" in our relationship with God, is simple and obvious ... we all encountered it when we first professed our faith in Jesus Christ and many times following ...   

The purpose of the several harmonics-of-three, listed above, is for reference to this theme of increasing "depth" in our relationship with God ... similar to Revelation 17; 14: "and those with Him are called, chosen and faithful" ... and also consistent with the spiritual principle we find in Gal. 4: 9: "now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God" ... and ... James 4: 8: "draw near to God and he will draw near to you".... 

Many of the parables which Jesus has regarding the Kingdom-of-Heaven provide an image of transcending relationship with God and also the need to both act and be ready, that is prepared ... Mat.24;40-41: a harmonic-of-two ... the Kingdom-of-Heaven appears to have a lot to do with holiness:

III. Conceptualizing and Growing in Holiness

 

Exodus 3; 5            God at the burning bush speaks to Moses:  

"... put off your shoes ... the place on which you stand is holy ..."

The ground is holy because God is there ... holiness is an attribute of the presence of God ... perhaps the bush is "burning" in Moses' account because of "light" ... this is the same "light" that is recorded at the baptism of Jesus, His transfiguration, His resurrection, His ascent into heaven, the coming of the Holy Spirit to the church at Pentecost and for that matter the column of fire over the Israelites while they were in the desert for forty years. People perceive holiness as light ... there are uncounted references to this perception within the bible, our daily life as well as every culture, from every time period, and in every honest profession of faith in God.  Holiness, as we perceive it, is not how close a person believes, hopes or feels he/she is to God ... rather ... it is how close God actually is to that person.

God, at the burning bush, asks Moses to take his shoes off because he is in a holy place ... in much the same way that God may require relatively simple actions of us or anyone for a variety of reasons. For this study of holiness, we find it important to remember that the repetition of such actions, on our part, do not always require a repetitive action by God.

Holiness characterizes the presence of God with His people ... In James 4; 8 we see an important spiritual principle for our understanding of holiness: "... draw near to God and He will draw near to you ..."   ...  it is the spiritual attributes of wisdom, knowledge and understanding which enable us to increase our intent to be closer to God ... this process has the reciprocal action that God does move closer to us both as individuals and the local church ... our free will and effort in essence "permit" God to move close to us ... as God draws nearer, the spiritual attribute of holiness will increase. Not really a new concept, remember the fine hymn: "Nearer My God to Thee".

How much light we have is pretty much related to how close God is to us in our life ... this is the same light that Moses saw at the burning bush .. it is holiness ... remember the scriptural thread from Revelations: called, chosen, faithful ... you can see the light, you can come into the light, you can be a source for the light ...

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