Readings for today: Ezekiel 33-36
Holiness. A term that has definitely fallen out of favor. People talk about being “real”, being “authentic”, being “transparent” but rarely talk about being “holy.” People seem to have no problem sharing their struggles with mental or emotional health. They seem to have no problem talking about all the skeletons that live in their closet. In fact, it seems like the greater a person’s struggles, the greater the credibility they have in our therapeutic society. The greater their brokenness, the more attention they receive. I think of all the celebrities or influencers who have monetized their pain and scandals and heartbreak and mistakes. I think of the number of preachers I know who go to great lengths to prove how relatable they are by confessing their sin publicly or lacing their sermons with profanity or getting sleeve tattoos. It’s almost become cliche.
Whatever happened to the pursuit of holiness? Whatever happened to “be holy because I am holy?” Why have so many given up the chase? Why have so many stopped even trying? Is it because it feels forever out of reach? Is it because we have emphasized grace at the expense of God’s law? Is it because, as I suspect, we have lost sight of God? Reduced Him down to our size? Remade Him in our own image? Taken Him for granted? This was the mistake Israel made and it’s why the prophet Ezekiel confronts them yet again with the call to holiness. “This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went. I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord - this is the declaration of the Lord God - when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.” (Ezekiel 36:22-23 CSB) Clearly, God expected His people to be holy. He expected them to live in such a way that they reflected God’s holiness to the nations around them. In fact, He called and created and chose them to reflect His holiness in the world. And the same is true for us.
At the same time, we all know true holiness is beyond us. We all know we fall short. We all know we sin. We all know we are not perfect. So how in the world can we actually “be holy as God is holy?” Listen again to Ezekiel. “For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:24-28 CSB) The bottom line is God knows we can’t achieve holiness on our own so He actually does it for us. He gives us a new heart. He gives us a new spirit. He washes us clean. He removes all our impurities. He gives the godly desire to follow His commands. Most of all, He promises to be our God. To be with us every step of the way. It is actually His presence in our lives that makes us holy. It is our proximity to Him that sanctifies us. And all we have to do is embrace Him to be holy.
Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 37-40