Daily Bread – December 4, 2021 (The Seventh Day – Genesis 2:1-3) Romans 6:19 – I speak as a man because of the frailty of your flesh; for as you have yielded your members as slaves to impurity and to iniquity unto iniquity; in the same way, now yield your members as servants to righteousness unto holiness. ‘Purity’ is paired with ‘holiness’ just as ‘impurity’, or uncleanness, is paired with ‘iniquity’. The word translated ‘unholy’ in Leviticus 10:10, means “profane” or “common” (Hebrew- chol). The first thing God taught Israel with regards to the holiness of His presence was that there had to be a clear distinction between the holy and the profane, and the pure and impure (Leviticus 10:10). The transgressions and sins of the people created uncleanness (Leviticus 16:16). Paul defines the difference between holy and unclean in more specific terms in the book of Romans, revealing how uncleanness is the opposite of righteousness. As righteousness is the practice of those who are holy, iniquity is the practice of those who are unclean. The service to righteousness or to uncleanness depends on the master that is being obeyed. As the servants of the sinful nature, righteousness was not possible; but having been liberated by Christ Jesus form the sinful nature and made servants of God, the power of godliness and holiness brought to us by the Holy Spirit produces the fruits of holiness (Romans 6:16-22; 1 Thessalonians 4:7). The Holy Spirit, Who is now our Master, will lead us and guide us into every aspect of righteousness and true holiness – and all we must do is follow. The failure of the priests in the Old Testament was this: They had fallen so far from communion with God that they no longer made a distinction between the holy and pure and the profane and unclean (Ezekiel 22:26, 44:23). The people of Israel, having lost their concept of the holiness of God, began to call things that were good, evil; and evil things good. Their false doctrines so led them astray that they had lost a sense of right and wrong (Jeremiah 23:11-22; Isaiah 5:20). When we lose our direction, failing to recognize the will of God, we end up persecuting those who believe in righteousness and holiness. Suddenly, everyone who believes in such purity becomes the “bad guy” who is misguided and religious. The concept of common and unclean extends to all of those individuals that were not part of the community God had made holy. The Lord Jesus, intending to send Peter to the house of Cornelius, had to make it clear how the Gentiles would no longer be considered something that would defile those who belonged to God. The Lord revealed to Peter how the Gentiles who would be redeemed would also be made pure, and Peter was not to call anything God had made pure, common or unclean (Acts 10:14-15,28). Those of us who have been redeemed must not make the mistake of taking on a false identity. If we consider ourselves to be common, or unclean, then it is the same as saying we have not been redeemed. We must embrace the redemption in Christ Jesus that has made us the example of His righteousness and holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 4:24). Father has granted to us the power of godliness and the beauty of holiness – so let us walk in it! (Luke 1:74-75; 2 Peter 1:3,6, 3:1; Titus 1:1; 1 Timothy 6:11; Romans 8:4; and Galatians 5:16; 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalms 29:2, 96:9) Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 12/4/2021
