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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Friday, 31 January 2025:
Exodus 30:20, 21 — “When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”
God has always taken His own Holiness very seriously with and expectation that we remain holy as His servants. To the priest this is a matter of life and death. Holiness is the only attribute of God repeated in the Bible three times for highest emphasis — “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8) Of course, the Spirit is a Holy Spirit. By definition, unity with the Spirit is unity in holiness. God does not allow holy things to be used in an unholy way – “And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the LORD. Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.” What is unholy cannot be accepted with the holy. Of course, this truth is revealed throughout the New Testament (see examples below). God compares our spiritual union with Him to a marriage and label our unfaithfulness with the world as adulterous. Whenever we choose sin with the world over faithfulness to God, we are committing spiritual adultery, but we don’t see it that way – “This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done no wrong.’” (Proverbs 30:20) Consider Proverbs 7 from the perspective of the adulterous sinner in a spiritual union with God; consider your sin from God’s perspective. Of course, God’s grace covers over our sin, but do we really intend to treat Him this way?
- Revelation 22:11 -- Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.
- 1 Peter 3:15 -- …but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy….
- 1 Peter 1:15, 16 -- …but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
- 1 Peter 2:5 -- You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:9 -- But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- Hebrews 12:14 -- Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
- 2 Timothy 2:21 -- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:4 -- …that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor….
- 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8 -- For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:26 -- Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
- 1 Timothy 2:8 -- I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;
- Colossians 3:12 -- Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
- Ephesians 4:24 -- …and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Ephesians 4:30 -- And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- Ephesians 5:27 -- …so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
- 1 Corinthians 3:17 -- If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19 -- Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own….
- Romans 12:1 -- I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Exodus 30:36 – “It shall be most holy for you.”
Anything used where God is present must meet His standards of purity. Since Christians stand continually in the presence of God, how important should we consider our purity before Him?
- 1 John 3:3 — And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
- 1 Peter 1:22, 23 — Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God….
- James 3:17 — But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
- Hebrews 10:22 — let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Proverbs 22:11 — He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
- 2 Corinthians 6:2-8 — Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise.
- 1 Timothy 4:12 — Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
- Philippians 4:8 — Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
- 1 Timothy 1:5 — The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
- 1 Timothy 5:22 — Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
- Timothy 2:22 — So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
- Philippians 1:10 — …so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Exodus 30:37-38 – And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the LORD. Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”
God does not allow things used in His worship to be used in the normal life of this world.
- 1 Peter 1:16 — Since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 — Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
- 2 Timothy 2:4 — No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 31 January 2025: Today, assess your holiness an purity. Remove from you life what isn’t worthy before the Almighty.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 