What other scriptures emphasize God's desire for holiness in His people? Jeremiah’s Picture of a Cleansed City “ And the entire valley of the dead bodies and ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, will be holy to the LORD. It will never again be uprooted or demolished.” (Jeremiah 31:40) Holiness Was Always God’s Plan • Exodus 19:5-6 — “Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” • Leviticus 11:44-45 — “For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, because I am holy… For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” • Leviticus 19:2; 20:7-8 — “Be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy… Consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy… I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” • Deuteronomy 7:6 — “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be His treasured possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.” The Prophets Keep the Call Alive • Isaiah 35:8 — “And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.” • Ezekiel 36:23-27 — “I will show the holiness of My great name… I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” • Amos 5:14 — “Seek good, not evil, that you may live; and the LORD God of Hosts will be with you.” • Micah 6:8 — “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Jesus Brings Holiness Near • John 17:17 — “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” • Matthew 5:8 — “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” • Luke 1:74-75 — “that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” The Apostolic Witness • Romans 12:1-2 — “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God… Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 — “Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple… God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” • 2 Corinthians 7:1 — “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” • Ephesians 1:4 — “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.” • Ephesians 4:24 — “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” • Colossians 1:22 — “He has now reconciled you…to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence.” • 1 Thessalonians 4:3 — “For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality.” • Titus 2:14 — “[Christ] gave Himself for us…to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” • Hebrews 12:14 — “Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” • 1 Peter 1:15-16 — “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ ” Revelation’s Final Word • Revelation 21:27 — “But nothing unclean will ever enter it…only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Putting It Together – From the Law through the Prophets, from Jesus to Revelation, Scripture repeats one theme: God wants a people set apart, reflecting His own character. – Jeremiah 31:40 points to a future where even the most defiled places are declared “holy to the LORD.” That future starts now in lives cleansed by Christ and empowered by the Spirit. – The call is consistent, compelling, and non-negotiable: “Be holy, because I am holy.” |
    |