THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLINESS
A DEFINITION OF HOLINESS
To be different.
a. Separation to God
b. The conduct resulting from this state
THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLINESS
Hebrews 12:14
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
1 Peter 1:15-16
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 2:5
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Exodus 30:17-21
17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:18 “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it,19 “for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it.20 “When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die.21 “So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them—to him and his descendants throughout their generations.”
No ministry is acceptable to the Lord without cleansing. Every priest had to submit to the Word of God in this matter. To violate God’s order was to come under the penalty of death.
Before the priests could minister to the Lord in the Tabernacle, or minister to man at the altar they had to wash at the Laver.
THE LAVER
Exodus 38:8
8 He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
Laver = kiyowr = a washbowl, a pot or a furnace
The root meaning mingles water and fire.
Greek for laver = immersion or baptism
Baptism is an outward symbol of inward repentance
Ephesians 5:26
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
Isaiah 48:10
10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Where did the water come from?
1 Corinthians 10:4
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
The Laver was for cleansing, made of mirrors it speaks of the reflection and revealing of Gods word in our lives, as water it represents the work of the Holy Spirit cleaning us through the word of God, as bronze fashioned in the furnace of affliction (depression) it speaks of the tests of refining we go through.
The importance of Holiness is seen in the New Testament illustration in
1 Corinthians 11:27-32
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
To violate Gods divine order was to come under the penalty of death.
Three aspects to self-examination
1. The Word as a mirror
2. The Holy Spirit as conviction
3. The right response to testing
The Priests before they entered into ministering to the Lord and for the people had to wash their hands and feet, this symbolizes the following:
THE HANDS
Speak of what we do
2 Samuel 22:21
21 “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
Psalm 24:3,4
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalm 26:6
6 I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O LORD,
Psalm 134:2
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the LORD.
1 Timothy 2:8
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
The hand also keeps the body. Representing five fold ministry to the body. Eph 4:11
THE FEET
Represent our lifestyle.
Exodus 3:5
5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
Ecclesiastes 5:1
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
Song of Solomon 7:1
How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
Isaiah 52:7
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Ephesians 4:1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
The Priests feet became defiled because of contact with the earth. Their hands became defiled while working at the altar.
Moses the Old Testament Mediator washed the Priests completely when they were first set apart for the Lords service. From that time on they had to wash their hands and feet.
Jesus the New Testament Mediator us in His Blood and cleansed us from sin but we now have to wash our hands and feet in order to minister to the Lord and to people.
John 13:8
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
UNION AND COMMUNION
There is a difference between union and communion. Sin can break our communion with God.
In the previous verse the word “with” implies spiritual or mystical union. Jesus is not referring to being in Him but being with Him.
THE MINISTRY
TO AND FOR GOD (THE HOLY PLACE)
a. Golden Candlestick = the gifts and graces of the Spirit
b. Table of Shewbread = the Word of God
c. Golden Altar of Incense = prayer, praise and worship
TO THE BODY (ALTAR)
John 13:14
14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
1 Peter 2:21
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
Let us make a commitment to the Lord tonight to walk in holiness that we might minister in His Presence and to this City and each other
TO THE LOST
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Let us practice self-examination on a daily basis that we might be able to minister to God, the Body and the Lost.
