2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
Holiness is not something we attain to by our own efforts or according to our own standards. The Word tells us to be holy as the Lord our God is holy. Big difference.
Holiness is based upon the revelation of who God is and the uniqueness of His character. God the Father is first and foremost Holy. In other words, He is set apart from man and unique. He is different to us in that He is totally good, totally just, totally loving and totally for us and His work in creation.
It is when we get a clear vision and revelation of who God is, then we can become holy like His is holy. It is through revelation of God that we are able, and empowered by His Spirit of Grace, to walk out the “set apart” requirements and standards of a holy life.
Trying to live up to those requirements and standards without that clear revelation of God, is human morality. It is not bad in and of itself. But on it’s own can quickly morph into it’s evil step-sisters, legalism and self-righteousness. No, we need God to become more like God.
Paul writes that as we behold the glory of God, we become transformed into the likeness of that glory (2 Cor 3:18). In the same way holiness begins with seeing God as He is and allowing His Spirit to transform us to become more and more like Him.
PRAYER: Father, I love you and I choose to worship you today. I ask you for revelation that I might see you as you are and be transformed by you into the image of your son Jesus. I ask in Jesus name, Amen.
Holiness “set apart” for Gods USE. The problem we run into is like you said becoming self-righteous and legalistic, so I believe we should take on the Devine Nature of God. As He so loved the world that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON that we would be saved not only in the natural but the Spiritual. God loved and gave!
Set apart for His use – I like it Sharon!