BEHOLY

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BeHoly

July09,2016

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BeHoly

LightForDarknessMinistriesandPublications

GodisholyandHedemandsHolinessbecauseitiswritten,"YOUSHALLBEHOLY,FORI
AMHOLY(1Peter1:16)."

ThiswasJesus'missiononearth,tocleanseusfromallunrighteousnesssothatwemaybeholy
asGoddemands,HedidthisbythesheddingofHisownblood,bybecomingthecurseinour
place(Galatians3:13)further,thepunishmentwedeservedwasuponHim,thiswasthe
punishmentofdeathasaccordingtothelawofsinanddeaththatPaulteachesaboutinthebook
ofRomans,itwasthesacrificeofJesusonthetreetakingthepunishmentofdeathforsin,
becomingthecursethatredeemedus,redeemedusfromwhat?Death,andwhatarewetodo
afterbeingredeemedfromdeath?WearetobecomeHolyasGodisHoly.Now,howdowe
achievethis?

PaulechoesthescripturesasheteachesitinRomans:

"
Buttherighteousnessbasedonfaithspeaksasfollows:
DONOTSAYINYOUR

HEART,WHOWILLASCENDINTOHEAVEN
?(thatis,tobringChristdown),
or
WHOWILL

DESCENDINTOTHE
A
BYSS
?(thatis,tobringChristupfromthedead).
Butwhatdoesit
say?
THEWORDISNEARYOU,INYOURMOUTHANDINYOURHEART
thatis,thewordoffaith
whichwearepreaching,thatifyouconfesswithyourmouthJesus
as
Lord,andbelieve
inyourheartthatGodraisedHimfromthedead,youwillbesaved..."Romans10:69

ThisverseshouldechointhemindsofstudentsofscripturethewordsofGodspokentothe
IsraelitesthroughMoses:

"ForthiscommandmentwhichIcommandyoutodayisnottoodifficultforyou,
norisitoutofreach.Itisnotinheaven,thatyoushouldsay,Whowillgouptoheaven

forustogetitforusandmakeushearit,thatwemayobserveit?
Norisitbeyondthe
sea,thatyoushouldsay,Whowillcrosstheseaforustogetitforusandmakeushear

it,thatwemayobserveit?
Butthewordisverynearyou,inyourmouthandinyour
heart,thatyoumayobserveit."Deuteronomy30:1114

Again,whatisthestandardofholiness?AsdiscussedbeforebeingHolyhasverylittletowith
ourhappiness,prosperity,affluence,orsocialstatus.WhileonecanbeHolywiththesethings,
theyarenotaprerequisitenoraretheyapromise,butwearepromisedGREATREWARDSin
thekingdomofheaventhatcannotevenbefathomedbythehumanthoughtandimagination,yet,
worldlygoodsandgainveryoftendistractusfromtherealprize,theendofthisworldandthe
beginningoftheworldtocome!!

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BeHoly

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WearetoldinthebookofActsbyStephenthatthelawofGodwasbroughtdowntousby
angelsandthatmansquanderedit,whichleadstoanotherquestionwhatelsearewe
squandering?

Godhasgivenusallgifts,aptitudes,interests,andwhatfor?Hehasgivenusaninnatenatureto
lookforreason,fulfillmentandpurposewhichcanallbefoundintheTorah/LawofGod,orhow
itisbetterphrasedtruetotheHebrewwordTorahtranslatedintotheEnglishwordlaw,His
Governance.But,wehaveanadversarywhoknowsourweaknessesandthesinfuldesiresofour
heartsandheusestheworldtodistractus.Oh,yeswearedistractedbymoney,pleasure,revelry
allthewhiletimeonthisearthisslippingawayleavingussquanderingeverythingGodhasgiven
us.

Godgaveusthelaw,why?

Becausemankindwantscontrol,yeswewanttodowhatwewant,whenwewant,andhowwe
want,thisnatureofourscametosurfacewhenEvequestionedGod'sgovernance,Hiswords,and
insteadtrustedtheserpent(notbecausetheserpentprovedhimselftrustworthy,butbecausehe
toldEvewhatshewantedtohear),onceEvedidthisthefunctionofmanwithGodhadtochange
becauseGodisHolyandHecannotbearoundsin,therefore,manandGodwereseparated,yet,
GodinHismercyhadAngelsdeliverHisGovernanceinwrittenformsothatwemaystilllearn
HisGovernmentandthisGovernmentwasdeliveredbyAngelssealedbyGod'sauthority(Acts
7:5354).

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InordertobeHolyasGodisHolywemustlivelikeHim,thinklikeHim,becomepartofHis
worldandnotours.ThisiswhyIsaiahinspiredbyGodsaid:
"Tothelawandtothetestimony!
Iftheydonotspeakaccordingtothisword,itisbecausetheyhavenodawn(Isaiah8:20)."

Let'stakeacloselookatthisverseandcarefullyexaminewhatitsays,andfromdifferent
translations,becausewewillseethatwhilethetranslationsarecloseinwordingandpointtothe
samemeaningthewordingcancaptureourmindsdifferently.TheaboveisfromtheNew
AmericanStandardBible.TheNewKingJamesVersionsaysitslightlydifferent:
"Tothelaw
andtothetestimony!Iftheydonotspeakaccordingtothisword,itisbecausethereisnolight
inthem."

ManyBibleteachersteachthatthisverseisreferringtowhenapersonspeakssomethingthat
isn'tfromtheSpiritofGod,thereisnolightinthematthatmoment.

Thatdoesn'tseemtobaddoesit.Unfortunatelytheverseismuchmoresobermindedthanthat
andcarriesameaningthatshouldcauseeverybelieverpauseandassessment.Rememberthe
wordsofPaulwhenhetellsustoworkoutourssalvationwithfearandtrembling?Imustask
thisquestion,ifthelawisnolongerapplicableandJesusdiedreleasingusfromObediencetothe
verygovernmentofGodthenwhatistheretofearortrembleabout?

WhatisinterestingaboutthispassageinPhilippiansisfoundintheGreekSeptuagint(Hebrew
scripturestranslatedintoGreek)thewordsworkoutarefoundattheendoftheverse,inmost
translationsthewordsworkoutareplacedinfront,however,thissmallchangehaschangedthe
meaningofthetextinthereader'smind(
note
Ididn'tsayitchangedthescripture,rathertheway
menareinterpretingthem).IntheGreekInterlinearLiteralTranslationthewordusedinplaceof
workoutis"beyoueffecting,"effectingintheGreekisaverbanditmeanstowork,to
accomplish.Thisissignificantofbehaviorandactions.Thisisnotwhatwearetoldtoday,today
wearetoldthatwhenPaulsaysto"workoutyoursalvation"itisakintoworkingoutapuzzle,is
goestotheoreticalandphilosophicalthoughtratherthanactionsandbehavior.

WearealsotoldthatPaulisspeakingofafearthatisactuallyareverence,butthatisnotwhat
theGreekwordmeanstheGreekwordforfearisaliteralfear,actuallyaccordingtoStrong's
concordancethewordnumberisG5401anditmeanstobeexceedinglyafraid,eventerrified,to
becomeaterror.ThereisanotherplaceweseethissameusageofwordsinEzekiel28:19and
LuciferorSatanisthesubjectmatterGodtellshimthathewillbecometerrified.Thisis
Lucifer'sendfate,hispunishmentfordeceivingthenationsandhebecomesterrified,andwesee
thesameusageofwordswiththesamemeaningappliedtous!

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Thisleadsusintotheimportanceandtheextremeweightofthematter,Jesusgivesusthebiggest
clue,thestraightestanswer,andundeniableclearnessofwhatHolyisandwhatittakestoenter
intotheKingdomofGod:

NoteveryonewhosaystoMe,Lord,Lord,willenterthekingdomofheaven,

buthewhodoesthewillofMyFatherwhoisinheaven
willenter
.
ManywillsaytoMe
onthatday,Lord,Lord,didwenotprophesyinYourname,andinYournamecastout

demons,andinYournameperformmanymiracles?
AndthenIwilldeclaretothem,I
neverknewyou
DEPARTFROMME,YOUWHOPRACTICELAWLESSNESS
."Matthew7:2123

DidyounoticeJesussaid,"youwhopracticeLawlessness?"Weknowthatbelieverswill
prophesy(seeRomans12:68),weknowthatJesuscastoutdemonswhileonearth,andweknow
thatbelieverscanperformmiracles(see1Corinthians12:810),yet,Jesusstillsays,"Inever
knewyou,andthereasonHegavehadtodowithlawlessness.Doyouthinkthatthepeoplewho
hearthesewordwilltrembleinfearandbecometerrified?Certainlyweshouldbeterrified,we
shouldbeinfearofnotbeingallowedintotheKingdomofheaven,weshouldbeinterrorofGod
dismissingus,andHeevensaysthattherewillbesome,whothinktheyareenteringthe
kingdomwhowillbedismissed!Howterrifying!

Thekeywordis"lawlessness."IsJesusspeakingofthosewhobreakworldlylaws?Certainly
not!ManymustbreaklawsofmaninordertoobeylawsofGodandJesustellsusnottobe
scaredofmenwhocankillbody,buttofearHimwhocankillbodyandsoul(Matthew10:28),
thisleavesusGod'slaw,whichisalsowhatPhilippians2:12isallabout,Philippians2:12in
propercontextusingtheGreekwordisnotabout"thinking"itisnotaboutdoctrineor
denomination,itisaboutbehaviorandaction,itisaboutworks,theworksofthelaw.Criticsof
lawobservancewilloftencite,Salvationbyfaithandnotworks,andthisistrue,scripturesays
thatwearesavedthroughfaith,interchangeablewithtrustinmanyverses,yet,Jamestellsusthat
faithwithoutworksisdead(James2:17)InfactJamesalreadysaidinchapteronethatweareto
beDOERSofthewordandnotheareronlywhodeludethemselves(James1:22),thisiseasyto
understandifwetrustGodorhavefaithinHimthenwewilltrustthatHiswaysarerightandwe
willdowhathesaysandasksoutoffaithandtrust.

ManytimeswehavegoneoverversesthattellusthatthelawofGodisholy,pure,perfect,good
forinstruction,abletosave,etc.andnowwearealsotellingyouthatnoonecankeepthelaw
goodenoughtobesaved(asmostChristianswillclingtoo),but,thataccordingtoscripturewe
aresupposedtokeepthelawandthatbreakingthelawiswhatsetsaparttheTRUEbelievers
fromtheonesthatarenottrue.Jesusdiedsothatwecanhaveanadvocatewiththefather,He
diedtosetusfreefromthelawofsinanddeathandPaulremindsusthatwehavethechoiceof
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whomweserve,GodbytheLawofRighteousnessorsinbythelawofsinandtheroadtothe
firstleadstolifewhiletheroadofthelatterleadtodestruction(death),Paulsays,"don'tyou
knowbrethrenthatwhoyousubmityourselvestoo,istheonewhomyouserve?"Thenexplains
thenatureofthetwodifferentTorah's(Laws)(seeRomansChapter8).Noneofthismeansthat
wearesavedbythelawweneedJesusjusttobeabletokeepthelawandweneedHis
consistenthelp,yes,wewillfallandscrapeourknee,wewillneedtoconstituentlyrepent,but
doesthatmeanwejustgoaheadandforgetthelawandtransgressitaltogether?InPaul'swords
"HeavenForbid!"(seeRomanschapter3).

Theevidencehascomeinlikearagingstormandtheproclamationisbeingsentout,Repent
andturnfromyourevilwaysandsubmityourselvestotheLordbydoingwhatHehas
arrangedbyorderofHisangelsandthesealofHisholiness!

Jesussaid,"Ineverknewyou
DEPARTFROMME,YOUWHOPRACTICELAWLESSNESS
,"Jamessaid,
"faithwithoutworksisdead,"andPaulsaidwhoyouobeyiswhoyouserve,Godorsin.Yet,
thereismorestill,tyingallthistogether.
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BeHoly

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WestartedthisstudywithIsaiah8:20andIexplainedtheslightlydifferentwordingoftheverse.
TheNASBisthetruesttotheoriginalHebrewwhereitsays,
"Tothelawandtothetestimony!
Iftheydonotspeakaccordingtothisword,itisbecausetheyhavenodawn"

Thinkthroughthiswithmeusingscriptureasourguide"inasmuchasitisappointedformento
dieonce
and
afterthis
comes
judgment
(Hebrews9:27),thereiscomingadaywhen
thedead
shallcomeoutoftheirgraves
andthosewhodid
good
to
theresurrectionoflife
andforthose
whodid
evil
tothe
resurrectionJudgment
(John5:29).Whatisgoodandevilinthesightofthe
Lord?JesustolduswhenHesaid,"departfromme
youworkersoflawlessness
."

Theseversesestablishthattherewillbetwoseparateresurrectionsoneuntolifeandtheother
untojudgment.Nowlet'slookatwhatitmeanstobedead:

ByDaniel'sexplanationofthedead,beingdeaduntiltheResurrectionislikenedtobeingasleep
"Manyof
thosewhosleepinthedust
oftheground
willawake
,thesetoeverlastinglife,butthe
otherstodisgrace
and
everlastingcontempt(Daniel12:2)."JobalsocallsdeathsleepinginJob
3:1117,Jesussaid,"ourfriendLazarus
sleeps,
whenindeedLazaruswasdeadandJesuseven
says,
Lazarusisdead
(John11:1114),andPaulreferencessleepwhentalkingaboutthedead
(see1Thessalonians4:1517).PaulactuallytellsusmoreaboutIsaiah8:20thenwerealize,look
attheversesintheirentirety:

"ForthiswesaytoyoubythewordoftheLord,thatwewhicharealiveand
remaintothecomingoftheLordshallnotprecedethem
whichareasleep
.For
theLordhimselfshalldescendfromheavenwithashout,withthevoiceofthe
archangel,andwiththetrumpofGod:
andthedeadinChristshallrisefirst
:
Thenwewhicharealiveandremainshallbecaughtuptogetherwiththeminthe
clouds,tomeettheLordintheair:andsoshallweeverbewiththeLord."
Thessalonians4:1517

Let'stracktheseverses,itisappointedformantodieonceandthisdeathislikeneduntosleeping
byJesusandHisdisciples,thereturnofChristiswhenthedeadwillbeawakenedfromtheir
sleepaccordingtoDanielandPaul.ThosewhohavebelievedintheLordJesusandputtheirtrust
inHimshallenterintoeternalLife.Withthisperspectiveinmindstraightfromscriptureletus
againlookatIsaiah8:20:

"Tothelawandtothetestimony!Iftheydonotspeakaccordingtothisword,itisbecause
theyhavenodawn
"

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ThisverseisnotamomentofnotbeingguidedbytheHolySpirit,thisverseisawarning,a
warningthatwhosoeverdoesnotteachaccordingtothescriptures,includingtheLAW,therewill
benodawnforthisperson,therewillbenolifetowakeuptoo!
Arewesobermindedyet?ArewewillingtoexamineGod'slaworarewestillwillingtorisk
beingtold"departfromme,Ineverknewyou?"

Thatwilltrulybeterrifying.

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