Daily Meditations on the Bible
… and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Summary: Paul uses Jesus’ relationship with his church as a model for husbands to follow in their relationships with their wives.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:27 – Holy and Blameless”… and gave himself up for her to make her holy,
Summary: Understanding spiritual matters is a challenge for all of us. We are all born of the flesh first, and born spiritually second. Learning to “see” spiritually is a skill, like learning to walk physically.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:25b-26a – The Holy Within”[But among you there must not be even a hint] … of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Summary: Paul sets the goal for the Christian life impossibly high. Yet, he seems to expect that God’s people are capable of becoming a “holy people.” Fortunately, what is impossible for man is possible for God.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:3c – The Power of Believing”To God’s holy people in Ephesus …
Summary: When God accepts us into his family, we become alive to God again. As living members of God’s family, we are special human beings. God expects us to behave in a certain way which can be confusing. We are not considered holy because of how we behave. Instead, we are holy because God says so.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:1 – God’s Coffee Mug”
You ought to live holy and godly lives …
Summary: Where have you been and where are you going? This is the question posed by today’s passage. Peter encourages us to live apart from the world’s values and honor God with our lives.
Continue reading “2 Peter 3:11b — A Walk in the Woods”
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
The word, “holy” suggests that something or someone is pure, sinless, upright, and set apart for God. God, Himself is the definition of holy. As I understand Peter he is saying that we who are called by God should be like God. Not in the things that are unique to God, his power, omniscience, and authority, etc., but in his character. God is humble and loving, patient, kind, and long-suffering. Those are the things we can emulate.
Discerning the difference between what is unique to God and what he can share with us is important. We need to understand that He is God and we are not. It is the lack of discernment in this area that led Lucifer to presume he could be like God. I think we are in danger of falling into the same trap when we presume upon God’s authority.
Continue reading “1 Peter 1:15-16 — Picking Nits”