|
||||
The Holiness of Christ
Exodus 3:5
Good News From The Redeemer
Sermon by Pastor Daniel Parks
Radio Message #307 ~ February 19, 2000
In the account of Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-4:17), God spoke from within the bush to him, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground" (3:5).
That ground was not inherently holy. Rather, it was rendered holy by the presence of God on it, and only for the time in which He was there. God is so awesomely holy that His very presence sanctifies, makes holy, that with which He makes contact.
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament translated "holy," (quadash), as also the Greek word in the New Testament (hagios), mean "separate." Accordingly, and contrary to a common misconception, the holiness of God is primarily positional and relational (Exodus 15:11; 1 Samuel 2:2; Isaiah 57:15). We speak of this aspect as His majestic holiness, by which He is absolutely distinct from all His creatures.. His holiness is secondarily ethi cal (Habakkuk 1:12f). We speak of this aspect as His ethical holiness, by which He is absolutely distinct from all sin.
We do not rank the attributes of God, because they all are perfections. We do nevertheless acknowledge His holiness as a supreme and central perfection. God is absolutely holy in everything that is predicated of Him. He is therefore as holy in His goodness and grace as He is in His justice and wrath.
All that has here been said of God the Father is applicable to Christ as well.
I. Christ is majestically holy. This we know because God spoke to Moses from the burning bush in the person of Christ, the divine Angel of Jehovah (3:2). Therefore, it was Christ's presence which caused the ground around the burning bush to be holy.
This same truth is set forth in other instances. When He appeared to Joshua as the Commander of Jehovah's Army, He said, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy" (Joshua 5:13-15). When He appeared to Isaiah in the vision of God's temple, the angels lauded Him with "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 6:1-3ff; Jehovah in this instance is identified as Christ in John 12:37-41).
The majestic holiness of Christ was manifested also in His incarnation, when the divine Son of God assumed humanity. The majestic manner in which He was made incarnate caused Him to be identified as "that Holy One" (Luke 1:35). During His earthly ministry He was acknowledged by even demons as "the Holy One of God" (Luke 4:34). In His resurrection He was declared to be "Jehovah's Holy One" (Psalm 16:10).
II. Christ is ethically holy. He is distinct not only from all creatures, but also from all sin. He "knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21), and "committed no sin" (1 Peter 2:22f), and "in Him there is no sin" (1 John 3:5). Christ even in His humanity was impeccably holy. Even though as man He could be tempted, yet as God He could not sin. He therefore "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
The holiness of Christ has had a glorious result in His elect, those whom God predestined and chose to salvation in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). Their sins were imputed to the sinless Christ when He was crucified at Calvary; and He consequently died in order to pay their penalty; and God has consequently imputed to them the righteousness of Christ. "For [God] made [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us [i.e. the elect], that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Believers are therefore justified, declared righteous, through the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them (Romans 3:21-4:8). And they are sanctified, made holy, through the impartation of Christ's nature to them (2 Peter 1:2-4; 1 John 3:9). Christ is therefore to them both "righteousness and sanctification" (1 Corinthians 1:30). They are consequently, in and through Christ alone, "holy and without blame before [God] in love" (Ephesians 1:4; cp. 1 Peter 2:9f).
Therefore, as the presence of Christ at the burning bush sanctified that place, even so does the presence of Christ in His people sanctify them.
"Hallelujah! What a Savior!" Is He yours?
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
 |
| Gregory Ickes - WebMaster |
|---|
| www.norwich.net/surety |
| Sherburne, NY |
| Chenango County |
