The need for a holy church is great, because just like God called Israel to be holy in the Old Testament, He has called the church to be holy in the New Testament: "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 1:15-16). We tend to think something is holy if it is moral or righteous, and something is unholy if it immoral or unrighteous, but it's better to understand holy means separate. For example: When Moses approached the burning bush, God told him he was standing on holy ground, not because the ground was better than other areas of ground, but because it was set apart for God.
If there were two identical vessels, but one was used in the temple and one wasn't, the one in the temple was holy because it's set apart for God. Israel was holy by keeping ceremonial commands, and the church is holy by being separate from the world: "Do not be conformed to this world…do not love the world or the things in the world…friendship with the world is enmity with God" (Rom 12:2, 1 Jn 2:15, James 4:4).
Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions:
Day 1: Matt. 21:31, Mk. 4:11, Lk. 16:16, Col. 4:5, 1 Thess. 4:12, 1 Cor.s 5:12-13, Rev. 22:14. What does it mean that God has always had an inside and an outside? Why do you think this is the case? Can you think of any other examples in the Bible of an inside and outside that were not mentioned in the sermon?
Day 2: 1 Pet. 1:15, Rom. 12:2, 1 Jn. 2:15, James 4:4, Heb.12:14). What are some moral commands in the Old Testament? What are the differences between them, and why are they so important? |
