Holiness Vs A Form Of Godliness

Holiness vs A form of Godliness

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

PRELUDE: - The English way of defining words will often cause an obscure or circular definition which literally means a complicated systems to explain something which cause confusion and we so many times will draw the wrong conclusions of words and then we try to apply that same principal to other words which in fact are not explained or defined in that manner. For example, the opposite of good is bad, the opposite of on is off, the opposite of cold is hot. What we tend to do is take that and use it for other words especially Biblical words and we say the opposite of Holy is Unholy, when that is not true. Because we use the definition of Holy as good, sacred, or godlike we therefore say the opposite would be bad, not sacred, ungodlike. To truly understand Biblical words, we must go to the context in which that word is used. The word Holy comes from the Hebrew word Kodesh and the Greek word Hagios and these words literally translate as to set apart or separated from the common or ordinary and the opposite of that would be not set apart from, common, and ordinary.

QUESTION: - What is the difference between Holiness and a form of godliness?

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURES: - 1 Peter 1:13-16 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy”.

Holiness vs a form of godliness.

DEFINITION: - Holy / Holiness according to the dictionary is the state of being holy (confusing). Biblically it is defined as being separate or set apart. WATCH THIS: - Leviticus 11:44 says, “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”. This is the first time in scripture that the command to be Holy is given, the law of first mention dictates how something is described the first time in scripture is how it will be in scripture through all eternity. Here God sets the standard and says that there must be a difference - to be Holy is to be different than everything and everyone else. Just as He said there is a difference between the clean and unclean animals, there must be a difference between the Holy and the unholy. Now let me interject this right here - the opposite of Holy does not mean unholy or corrupt perse’ but to be common.

Holy is to be separated unto God for His use and purposes everything else is not corrupt or unhealthy but it is common, it is used by everyone for anything. The Holy becomes profane when there is an attempt to mix holy – what is separated to be used by God with that which is common used by everyone else. Acts 10:13-15 says, “And there came a voice to him, Rise Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, what God hath cleansed (set apart for His use) call not thou common”. So being Holy is not being common, occurring frequently, or familiar but is set apart to be used by God. Holiness / Holy is not a denomination that speaks in tongues because that is another lesson. Depending on what part of the country you are from you may think holiness is the people that handle snakes – well that is not holiness either. Holy / Holiness is a lifestyle that is set apart to be used by God for His purposes.

Holy / Holiness requires a connection with God. WATCH THIS:- Exodus 3:5 says, “And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground”. Now Moses was standing there keeping the flock on the backside of the mountain when he saw the bush burning and was not consumed when he turned to investigate the bush is when he heard the voice of God say the ground was holy ground. What was the difference between the ground he was standing on and the spot where the bush was burning, connection with God. Where the bush was burning was connected to the presence of God the other ground where Moses first saw the bush was common ground. So holy / holiness is separated from the common and connected to God who is holy. It is not based upon the name Holiness in the churches title, it is not based upon speaking in tongues, wearing or not wearing certain clothes it is based upon the separation from the ordinary or common and the connection to God.