What Does it Mean to be Holy?

Let’s talk about utensils in the Jewish Temple. They’re way cooler than you think. What, you’re not immediately engaged? Let me explain.

What do you think of when you hear the word holy? Maybe you think of God. Perhaps you think of a saint. Depending on your background, you may think of Mary. Or, if you’re a turophile, maybe you’re thinking about Swiss cheese.

In today’s culture, outside of church, the word holy doesn’t always have a positive meaning. Its most common uses probably involve a curse word or the phrase “holier than thou” (which is not a compliment). The word holy can carry tones of judgmentalism and self-righteousness. Yikes.

Yet, in 1 Thessalonians, we’re going to see that God calls us to be holy. Thankfully, he’s not calling us to self-righteousness. He’s calling us to be more like those Temple utensils.

In the Jewish Temple, priests regularly offered sacrifices, and they needed tools to do it. They had knives, skewers, and all kinds of other utensils. But these weren’t just any utensils. They were holy utensils. Meaning that they had been set apart from ordinary use for a special purpose: service to God. A priest would never grab a knife from home to use at the Temple. That knife was common. The Temple knife was holy; set apart for God.

That helps us understand what it means for Christians to be holy. To be holy means to be set apart for God. Our lives belong to him, and that gives us a different purpose and a different way to live.

This Sunday, we’re continuing our series through 1 Thessalonians by looking at the first of three areas where God calls us to live differently. What does holiness actually look like in real life? And what does God want to change in us?

I can’t wait to tell you more tomorrow and worship with you!

Oh, I almost forgot. We also have a special guest named Jess joining us! She’s a missionary serving in Japan, and she’ll share some ways Arborway can be part of what God is doing there.