Revealed // Holy // Holy One & Holy Spirit
In the past couple of weeks we’ve looked at how God revealed his holy nature in actions and word, and how a holy separation is completely different from the common separations we see in our daily lives. There is nothing like our God and the way he moves. Before we look at how God reveals his holy nature in us, I’d like to talk about our Holy One and the Holy Spirit.
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in a perfect, unified, mutual relationship of creative and sacrificial love. They do nothing apart from each other. The Father declared himself as holy (Leviticus 19:2), which means Jesus and the Spirit are without a doubt also holy. In an effort to better understand the completeness of God’s holy nature, I want to look individually at the Son and Spirit.
Jesus
Isaiah prophesied of Jesus’ coming, calling him our Redeemer, Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 54:5). His arrival on earth was holy in itself. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. That’s not common! Jesus’ life on earth as fully human was also a holy display. It is this holiness that allowed him to be the spotless lamb (1 Peter 1:18-19) and the once-and-for-all sacrifice that satisfied the wrath of God (Romans 5:9). The author of Hebrews writes, We do not have a high priest that is unable to sympathize with us. He was tempted in every way yet remained without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Although Jesus became one of us, he was unlike us—set apart. We have sinned and need to be redeemed. Jesus is our Redeemer, Holy One of Israel.
As our Redeemer, Jesus wasn’t just a sinless man. He was a sinless man who took on the sins of his creation so that they may be reconciled back to rightful relationship with God the Father. All the holy actions God commanded in the law of Moses were satisfied in Jesus’ holy life and sacrifice. Oh, and he didn’t stay dead! That would be too common. He’s alive, and we are alive in him.
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has been and is an integral part of creation, redemption, and reconciliation. But there are other characteristics about the Spirit that reveal his holy nature. He is not the only spirit that exists. John writes, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1). Paul tells us that our wrestle is not with flesh, but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). What separates the Holy Spirit from other spirits is that he is the presence of God—the Spirit of Christ. He testifies of Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not speak on his own authority but leads us in truth. That is the differing, separating quality.
In contrast to the bondage that sin leaves us in, the work of the Holy Spirit is freedom. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). He is helpful (John 14:25), empowering (Ephesians 3:17), life giving (Romans 8:2). And, unlike other spiritual forces, the Holy Spirit bears good fruit in us (Galatians 5:22-23) and gives us gifts to build up each other (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Romans 12:6-8). In all his work, he is revealing the complete, holy (there’s nothing like him) nature of God.
This week, as you read the following daily scriptures, consider how our Holy One, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit reveal to us what holy is, what it looks like, and how it operates. And, how different our lives are because of God’s holiness.
©2018 Adrienne Scott
Acknowledgments: Conformed to His Image by Kenneth Boa, Faith Seeking Understanding by Daniel Migliore
Daily Scriptures
Day One
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Psalm 51:10 – 12
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Day Two
Isaiah 54:5 – 8
For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
Day Three
Hebrews 4:14-16
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Day Four
Romans 5:6-11
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Day Five
John 16:7-17
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Day Six
Romans 8:9-11
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Ephesians 3:16-19
…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Day Seven – Selah
Brave Sparrow 