What is "Holiness?" What does it mean to be "holy?"

[enoob57]

I an always reminded by my Lord's Word 

1 Cor 8:1-6

8 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

2 And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
KJV

why this is so relevant here is due to the process with which we arrive 'knowledge' a vehicle here by which when pursued comes with danger... all one needs to always remember is that God alone encompasses the infinite as The Infinite... or better how when we have began with measure evaluate that which is without measure?

[snip]
HOLINESS OF GOD, THE 

Is incomparable. Ex 15:11; 1 Sam 2:3. 

Is shown in his 

Character. Ps 22:3; John 17:11. 

Name. Isa 57:15; Luke 1:49.

Words. Ps 60:6; Jer 23:9. 

Works. Ps 145:17. 

Kingdom. Ps 47:8. 

Should be magnified. 1 Chron 16:10; Ps 48:1; 99:3,5; Rev 15:4.

(from The New Thematic Concordance, Copyright © Geoffrey Stonier 2004. All rights reserved.)
[snip]

 

 

Edited July 21, 2018 by enoob57

[Retrobyter]

15 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Bro Retro,

I know that the Lord is Holy and He lives in me by His Holy Spirit, thus I am Holy.

`But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a HOLY nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.` (1 Peter 2: 9)

There is still the carnal aspect of my character that I am overcoming, however He is HOLY and He is within living His life through me.

regards, Marilyn.

Shabbat shalom, Marilyn.

Just to whom do you think Kefa ("Cephas" or PETER) was talking? He was certainly NOT talking to the "Church," per se! Read the first few sentences of 1 Peter: He was talking to the people he had known all his life! He was talking to those of the Diaspora! Those Dispersed among the nations! Yes, they were "blood-washed," but they were first and foremost children of Israel!

1 Peter 1:1-25 (NLT with modifications)

1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle (a-sent-one) of Jesus Christ (Yeshua` the Messiah).

I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. (Roman provinces in what is now Turkey.) 2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ (Yeshua` the Messiah).

May God give you more and more grace and peace.

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (our Master, Yeshua` the Messiah). It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ (Yeshua` the Messiah) from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven (in [the] skies) for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation (rescue; deliverance), which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

6 So be truly glad (Or "So you are truly glad"). There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ (Yeshua` the Messiah) is revealed to the whole world.

8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls (the rescue or deliverance of your air-breathing bodies).

10 This salvation (rescue; deliverance) was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ (the Messiah) within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s (the Messiah's) suffering and his great glory (fame, even brightness) afterward.

12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven (away from [the] sky). It is all so wonderful that even the angels ("messengers," the prophets) were eagerly investigating these things to happen.

13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation (rescue; deliverance) that will come to you when Jesus Christ (Yeshua` the Messiah) is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy (pure; clean) in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy (pure; clean). 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7.)

17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

21 Through Christ (the Messiah) you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ (the Messiah) from the dead and gave him great glory (fame, even brightness).

22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. (Greek "must have brotherly love.") Love each other deeply with all your heart. (Some manuscripts read "with a pure heart.") 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say, 

“People are like grass;
their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” (Isa 40:6-8.)

And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

[Marilyn C]

3 hours ago, Retrobyter said:

Shabbat shalom, Marilyn.

Just to whom do you think Kefa ("Cephas" or PETER) was talking? He was certainly NOT talking to the "Church," per se! Read the first few sentences of 1 Peter: He was talking to the people he had known all his life! He was talking to those of the Diaspora! Those Dispersed among the nations! Yes, they were "blood-washed," but they were first and foremost children of Israel!

 

 

Hi Retro,

So...bro where in God`s word was Israel ever called a `royal priesthood,` kingpriests!  Israel always, but only ever had kingship and priesthood separate.

Marilyn.

[Fidei Defensor]

Holy, hagios in the Greek: 

“most holy, saint. 

From hagos (an awful thing) (compare hagnos, thalpo); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated) -- (most) holy (one, thing), saint.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) 

[Retrobyter]

8 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Retro,

So...bro where in God`s word was Israel ever called a `royal priesthood,` kingpriests!  Israel always, but only ever had kingship and priesthood separate.

Marilyn.

Shalom, Marilyn.

Don't you know that this was a QUOTE from the Tanakh (the OT)?

Exodus 19:1-6 (KJV)

1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

And again, Moses said,

Deuteronomy 4:20 (KJV)

20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.

And again,

Deuteronomy 7:1-6 (KJV)

1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. 
6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

And again,

Isaiah 43:20-21 (KJV)

20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

And again,

Isaiah 60:1-16 (KJV)

1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Tell me, what do you call a people to whom KINGS will come and bow?

And again,

Isaiah 61:1-11 (KJV)

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of (the year for accepting) the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers (Servants) of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation (rescue; deliverance), he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

And again,

Isaiah 62:1-12 (KJV)

1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation (rescue; deliverance) thereof as a lamp that burneth.
2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah (Hebrew: Heftsiy-Vaah = "my-delight [is] in-her"), and thy land Beulah (Hebrew: B`uwlaah = "married-to-her") : for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.
10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation (Yeshua`tiy, "your Yeshua`") cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

Sometimes in our modern world, especially with the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, we understand the office of "priest" differently than is used in Scripture. Sometimes we think of a priest as being cloistered or secluded, but a "priest" (Hebrew: koheen) in Israel was a "GO-BETWEEN," standing between God and the people. Wearing particular clothing meant both "for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2), these men were those who performed the necessary rituals and sacrifices for the people to stand before God "clean."

In the future, ALL of the children of Israel shall have such a position for the rest of the world! For instance,

Zechariah 8:20-23 (KJV)

20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

And,

Isaiah 49:8-26 (KJV)

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation (rescue; deliverance) have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls arecontinually before me.
17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour (your Rescuer; your Deliverer) and thy Redeemer (the One who bought you back), the mighty One of Jacob.

After all, the Gentile will not be allowed in Israel at all without being escorted.

Joel 3:17-21 (KJV)

17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers (outsiders) pass through her any more.
18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

By the way, "kings and priests" is a bad translation of the Greek in Revelation 1:6 (and 5:10 and 20:6):

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

But the Greek says,

Revelation 1:6
6   καὶ ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς βασιλείαν, ἱερεῖς τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ αὐτοῦ: αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.
ἀμήν.

Revelation 1:6
6   and He-has-made us a-kingdom, priests to-the God and Father of-him: to-him [be] the glory, and the dominion into the ages of-the ages. Ameen. (Hebrew for "Truth.")

Some versions say "a kingdom OF priests," although that may only be IMPLIED in the translation.

The bottom line is this: The "kingdom of priests" is NOT exclusive to the "church" but has been in existence since the EXODUS from Egypt!

[Retrobyter]

9 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

Holy, hagios in the Greek: 

“most holy, saint. 

From hagos (an awful thing) (compare hagnos, thalpo); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated) -- (most) holy (one, thing), saint.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) 

Shalom, Fidei Defensor.

You're right, but don't read more into the words used to define the Greek word than how the Scriptures use such words!

First, "awful" doesn't mean "horrible" as it does today; it meant more like "awe-ful" or "full of awe." One might use the word "awesome" today.

Also, one shouldn't use "hagios" to define "holy" and then use "holy" in the definition for "hagios." That's a form of circular reasoning and adds nothing to one's understanding of either term. And, one TRIPLES the circular reasoning when one throws in the term, "sacred," stemming from the Latin version of the same word, and "consecrated" stems from "sacred!"

It DOES work to say that it means physically "pure" and morally "blameless"; however, don't read more into the term "saint" than the Scriptures provide. For instance, the Catholic Church has a particular branch of individuals labeled as "saint" as though they were in some sort of higher echelon than the rest of the laity. All the word "saint" means is a person who is "clean," and that's not to their credit, but to God's, for it is GOD'S power to clean an individual through His Ruwach HaQodesh (His Holy Spirit). Furthermore, EVERY born-again person is technically a "saint" for they ALL have been "washed in the blood of the Messiah."

[Retrobyter]

On 7/21/2018 at 9:43 AM, enoob57 said:

I an always reminded by my Lord's Word 

1 Cor 8:1-6

8 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

2 And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
KJV

why this is so relevant here is due to the process with which we arrive 'knowledge' a vehicle here by which when pursued comes with danger... all one needs to always remember is that God alone encompasses the infinite as The Infinite... or better how when we have began with measure evaluate that which is without measure?

[snip]
HOLINESS OF GOD, THE 

Is incomparable. Ex 15:11; 1 Sam 2:3. 

Is shown in his 

Character. Ps 22:3; John 17:11. 

Name. Isa 57:15; Luke 1:49.

Words. Ps 60:6; Jer 23:9. 

Works. Ps 145:17. 

Kingdom. Ps 47:8. 

Should be magnified. 1 Chron 16:10; Ps 48:1; 99:3,5; Rev 15:4.

(from The New Thematic Concordance, Copyright © Geoffrey Stonier 2004. All rights reserved.)
[snip]

Shalom, enoob57.

Your snippet begs the question, "What IS the Holiness of God?" The snippet NEVER DEFINED the word! While it may be "infinite" and "incomparable," Moses and the other writers of the Bible WERE able to use the word with a semblance of understanding! Why can't we?

[Fidei Defensor]

47 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, Fidei Defensor.

You're right, but don't read more into the words used to define the Greek word than how the Scriptures use such words!

First, "awful" doesn't mean "horrible" as it does today; it meant more like "awe-ful" or "full of awe." One might use the word "awesome" today.

Also, one shouldn't use "hagios" to define "holy" and then use "holy" in the definition for "hagios." That's a form of circular reasoning and adds nothing to one's understanding of either term. And, one TRIPLES the circular reasoning when one throws in the term, "sacred," stemming from the Latin version of the same word, and "consecrated" stems from "sacred!"

It DOES work to say that it means physically "pure" and morally "blameless"; however, don't read more into the term "saint" than the Scriptures provide. For instance, the Catholic Church has a particular branch of individuals labeled as "saint" as though they were in some sort of higher echelon than the rest of the laity. All the word "saint" means is a person who is "clean," and that's not to their credit, but to God's, for it is GOD'S power to clean an individual through His Ruwach HaQodesh (His Holy Spirit). Furthermore, EVERY born-again person is technically a "saint" for they ALL have been "washed in the blood of the Messiah."

Indeed, only The Lord God Trinity is holy and we are only holy through Him. Holy like the world salvation  can mean many things. There is salvation which applies to eternal life in Christ Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross and then salavation which means to be saved from an ordeal, peril, and etc.  

[Marilyn C]

8 hours ago, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, Marilyn.

Don't you know that this was a QUOTE from the Tanakh (the OT)?

Exodus 19:1-6 (KJV)

1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

 

Hi Retro,

Yes it was a reference from the OT however the Holy Spirit brought a different emphasis in relationship to the Body of Christ.

God said the Israel would be to Him a kingdom of Priests, which He will bring about. One king and priests separate.

However God will make the Body of Christ, of the same order as Himself (Melchizedek) which is a king and a priest. Two offices in one person. (Heb. 6: 20  &  7: 1 & 2)

Marilyn.  

[Fidei Defensor]

4 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Retro,

Yes it was a reference from the OT however the Holy Spirit brought a different emphasis in relationship to the Body of Christ.

God said the Israel would be to Him a kingdom of Priests, which He will bring about. One king and priests separate.

However God will make the Body of Christ, of the same order as Himself (Melchizedek) which is a king and a priest. Two offices in one person. (Heb. 6: 20  &  7: 1 & 2)

Marilyn.  

Amen, we are all royal priests (1 Peter 2:9-10) following the High Priest Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6:10, Hebrews 10 whole chapter) who is Lord God (Romans 10:9-10, Phillipians 2:1-11, Colossians 2:9, John 1:1-17), and One with the Father and Holy Spirit (John 15:26, John 17:20-23, Geneis 1:27, Genesis 18:1-11).