Holy = Oddliness for Godliness

No worries, I have the official website for the British version of MUFHH with the copyright held in Britain. The link at the bottom goes there today. And, I have some thinking to do about holiness. My views on holiness stem from the religious concept in vogue during the time of Paul and Peter around the "Known World", not just within Jewish or Christian circles. The reason is that when they used the Greek word for "holy", there was a meaning in the mind of their readers; a meaning which also included the practice of "pagan" worshippers and priests.

So it is that over-arching meaning I usually head for when I discuss "holiness". But I have to accept that even within the pagan world, practice did not always match written tenants; much like believers today (including myself). So, how was "holy" understood in that day? Well, as it turns out the word used by Paul and Peter wasn't that common in ancient writings, instead they used a word we would translate as "sacred" as in a sacred site or sacred item. What they meant by that though was an item or place uncontaminated by "ungodliness".

Well, this word is definitely related to a degree to the word for holy, and the meaning then as the use in the times of the First Century, included moral purity if moral purity were a characteristic of deity for whom it was reserved. I believe it's clear that my Master is morally pure to a degree that transcends my ability to trace. My only hope in following such moral purity is to simply be obedient; as if obedience has ever been simple for me. But the essence of holiness has never been moral purity, even as it has been applied by Hebrew and Christian Scriptures.

The essential element of holiness with regard to any religious practice is the subject's complete reservation (in this context referred to as "consecration") to that deity. This consecration is in purpose, ownership, and location. For instance, the items used in the Hebrew Temple were considered holy. They were only to be used by priests or Levites (holy people). They were only to be used for their intended purpose in worship. And they were only to be used that Temple. In Daniel 5, Belshazzar uses them for himself, and earns the "writing on the wall." Holiness is so important to my Master, He inspires an entire book on the subject.

Leviticus may not be interesting on a casual read through, but with all these repeated examples of today's verse ("you will be holy because I am holy") perhaps more attention should be paid to it. It is a book dedicated to explaining holy practice as defined by my Master. Even for a believer in Jesus, I would think this book would be very important. It's one thing to talk "moral purity" as the defining characteristic of holiness, but that ends up being only a portion (ok, a large portion, but not the largest portion) of holiness. There is a mental framework required for which my Master created a whole bunch of spiritual disciplines for His people.

Holiness, as I understand it at this point (and I'm not done looking at it), means that I am to be completely reserved (consecrated) to my Master's use, ownership, and location. That means that I am to be doing only what He tells me to do. I am to be living only where He places me. It means that my Master owns me. I am Samuel in the Temple. I am Zadok before David. I am David before the people of Israel. I am completely dedicated to my Master. That, I would assume, would also include moral purity, but that quality is entirely a byproduct of holiness, not the defining characteristic.

So, today I will strive to be "Odd for God!" I will seek to be about my Master's business even as I am about my manager's tasks. I will seek to be so transparent in my dealings with my co-workers and customers that I do not stand out as much as my Master stands out through me. I will seek to think as my Master thinks, see others as my Master sees them, and see myself as my Master sees me. I will trust that the holiness of my Master will sanctify me to such a degree that others will see it for what it is, and my Master for Who He is, rather than me for what and who I am. I may need to just start with being odd for God; start small and work up.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, September 1