Wholly Imitating Holiness

Spirituality Column #187
June 8, 2010
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Wholly Imitating Holiness
By Bob Walters

We can never go wrong shining a light on Jesus Christ.

And the most assured way to do that is to imitate God by being holy.

How are we holy? Surprisingly, not by being sinless (we aren’t), not by being divinely loving (we fall short), not by being perfect (only God is perfect), and not by going to church, reading the Bible, shouting “Amen!” or haranguing non-believers.

Holy is a special assignment.

“Holy” can mean many different things, few of which any of us would typically apply to humans. But God (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7, 1 Peter 1:15-16) tells us to “be holy as I am holy.” And as we are told frequently in the Bible to “imitate” or “be imitators” of God, what can we do to carry out that assignment?

I’ve often wondered about that, and heard a pretty good answer on the radio a couple weeks ago (Today in the Word, WGNR 97.9, May 25, 2010).

We can be holy in the same way God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are holy in the Trinity by shining the light on Jesus Christ.

In theology the Trinity is called the “economy,” which refers to the working relationships within the Godhead. Jesus willingly submits to God, and the Holy Spirit willingly places all focus on Jesus Christ (John 14:26, 16:13-15).

We imitate God and obey His command “to be holy” when we imitate the Holy Spirit and put Jesus Christ center-stage. We are holy when we focus on Jesus Christ.

Naturally, believers and non-believers alike balk at putting Christ first, which means putting Christ first in everything – in our work, in our love, in our lives, in our nation, in our community, in our world, in our knowledge. In everything.

Most people have a problem putting Christ first on Sunday; heck, some have a problem putting Christ first in their church. They’d rather not mention His name. They’d rather put Jesus Christ in a convenient box of human restrictions, making it easier to focus on their (our) human desires.

It’s wrong to think, “Hey, I’m a good person. God will take care of me. Jesus isn’t a big deal.”

When God says, “Imitate Me” and “Be holy,” God is saying “Jesus Christ is a very big deal.” We’re holy to do it, and wise to believe it.

Walters (www.believerbob.blogspot.com, email rlwcom@aol.com) knows he is more unholy than holy, but appreciates the opportunity to shine a light on Jesus.

Why No Sabbath in New Testament?

Spirituality Column #37
July 24, 2007
Current in Carmel (IN) newspaper

Why No Sabbath in New Testament?By Bob Walters

Nine of the 10 Commandments of the Old Testament are mentioned as items of obedience in the New Testament.

The one that’s missing is about keeping the Sabbath holy.

Ever wonder why that is?

I’ve written here before that the only two truly New Testament commandments are to “love God” and to “love others as you love yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). “Love others” is a command – “as you love yourself” just proves how well Jesus knows us.

Still, having no other Gods, no idols and not misusing God’s name; honoring our parents; not committing murder or adultery; and not lying, stealing or coveting, are all mentioned in the New Testament as works of our faith.

But there’s nothing about observing the Sabbath.

The word “Sabbath” appears 57 times in my NIV New Testament, but always to identify a day or time, or in an argument Jesus is having with the Jewish leaders.

Jesus – a Jew – is frequently rebuked by the Pharisees for his activities on the Sabbath: healing the sick, blind and crippled, casting out demons, allowing his disciples to pick up grain, etc. In Matthew 12:11-12 Jesus points out that as we would rescue our sheep on the Sabbath, so is it right to do good for others on the Sabbath.

Sunday isn’t the Sabbath anyway. Saturday is the Sabbath, commemorating the Seventh Day of creation when God rested and commanded Israel to similarly rest. Sunday, the first day of the week, is the Lord’s Day commemorating Jesus’ resurrection. That’s why Jews observe Shabbat on Saturday, and Christians (mostly) go to church on Sunday.

So why no “Sabbath” observance for Christians? Because while Jewish law commands worship days, feasts and festivals to honor God at specific times, Christ promised He would be with us and in us always, just as we are to worship him always.

Christians have no need for a Sabbath, because Christ is always with us.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) believes God doesn’t care when you go to church (or Temple, for that matter), but that He’d sure love to see you there.