The Beauty of Holiness - Part 3

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:

fear before him, all the earth. 

Psalms 96:9

There is much to say in the word of God regarding various sin acts and how God feels about particular sins and how if negatively impacts our ability to worship Him in the beauty of holiness.  It begins in the Old Testament and continues in the New.   God was very specific with the children of Israel when He instructed them to be holy even as He is holy:

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. Leviticus 19:1-2

The question becomes, how can we be holy as God instructs us to? Apostle Paul gives an illustration of various works of our flesh or sin nature that we should kill:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

These sinful acts are not of God and discount a lifestyle of holiness. God not only instructs us to be holy, but tells us to separate ourselves; to come out from among them. 

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.  2 Corinthians 6:17

Who are ‘them’? Those who are not holy; those who have lent themselves to the works of the flesh and the prince of darkness. 

                                       Piercings and Tattoos            

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.  Leviticus 19:28

Many people say that was scripture that applies under the Mosaic law and does not apply now.  We have to look at the intent behind the words and know that God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  His word is settled in Heaven.  The habits, laws, customs of the 'other nations' were an abomination unto God and he hated it.

  

Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God. When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.  Deuteronomy 12:28 - 32

The custom of cutting and marking their bodies was a custom of the other nations.  Remember when God called the Israelites out, he said that through them, ALL nations will know who He is. He told them that they had to be separate and holy unto Him; a peculiar [different] people. They COULD NOT do anything that the pagan, heathen, or gentile nations were doing.

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Deuteronomy 14:2

That same principle applies today - when we give our life to Christ, we are to come out from among them, be separate, peculiar and holy.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9

So, it does not matter that it was a mosaic law or custom, the intent or the principle behind it still remains.   We cannot be, act or affiliate our self with the world because if we do, we are no longer separate or peculiar.

       Lying and Cursing  

Many passages rebuke the general concept of lying.

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.    Proverbs 6:16-19

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.  Exodus 20:16

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.   Ephesians 4:25

For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 1 Timothy 1:10

Profanity is increasingly common in our society. Many movies, books, and television shows are filled with them.  However, this is what the bible has to say:

King Solomon observes:

"The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse."   Proverbs 10:32

Many people know what speech is proper and what is improper. But for those who do not, lets consider three kinds of speech that are Biblically improper.

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.  Psalms 34:13
(Guile: insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity.)

The first is cursing. The use of swear words, usually in an exclamation.  Cursing also involves stating a wish that harm would come to someone.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  Romans 12:14  

A second form of immoral speech is profanity: the act of treating sacred things without proper reverence or respect. This often involves taking God's name in vain or using other Biblical words in very unbiblical ways!  

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  Exodus 20:7

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  1 Timothy 1:9 

A third form of unacceptable speech is obscenity: words or expressions that are intended to arouse improper sexual excitement or lust, such as suggestive jokes or use of terms that are offensive to decency.  Apostle Paul calls such speech "filthiness."

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.  Ephesians 5:4

In Galatians, he calls it "lasciviousness," (lasciviousness is being lacking in willpower or moral discipline, or being promiscuous (prone to random sex) or unwilling to conform to accepted rules and says that those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, . . . that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  Galatians 5:19, 21

Regardless of which type of cursing is being used, the bible states: 

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Colossians 3:8

Be sure to join me tomorrow as we continue to discuss what it means and what it takes to worship God in the beauty of holiness.

Biblical Study

06/15/15
09/27/16

04/18/19

10/27/20

09/07/22