Are You Holy?

Read Leviticus 9-12
 
Leviticus 11:44-46 “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. 45 I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. 46 'These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves in the water and every creature that moves about on the ground.”
 
WHAT is it to be holy? We need to know because God commanded, “Be Holy.” Holiness is perfection, and holiness is being set apart. God is perfect. His perfection sets him apart from his creation. Yet, he lovingly calls his own to be holy as he is holy.
    This is the reason for God’s long list of “do’s” and “don't’s”. His will is to set his people apart from a pagan world to be holy as he is. Jesus said it this way: Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  The more holy we are, the closer we are to God Almighty to love and know his will. Think about that! But how is it possible? Our big problem is our human nature. We are naturally “unholy”, never perfect as God is.         
    Jesus has answered this question. His disciples wanted to know in Mark 10:26b “Who then can be saved?” Then Jesus replied with God’s eternal power: Mark 10:27 “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
    Yes. God’s power is resurrection power to make us holy as he. The once unholy apostle Paul rejoiced in his holiness. He proclaimed God’s regenerating work in Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
    The Holy Spirit is teaching that your sin has gone to the cross with Jesus. Your unholy character is dead, transformed and born anew into a holy life because God acted. The Holy God has given you a faith to know Jesus is your Savior. You can go to God’s throne, knowing his holiness is in you. In joy, know Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 
    Yes, in faith it is possible to be holy, perfect as your Father. All you need to do is turn to him and say, “Father, thank you for sending Jesus to the cross to make me holy. I repent of my sins. I believe Jesus is risen from the tomb, ascended to heaven. I welcome Jesus into my heart, into my life to be the Lord of my life.”
    Are you new in Christ? Then know the impossible has happened in your life. Out of your sin nature, you are made new to stand in God’s holy presence.
 
Psalms 20:6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.