You Tube Theology

Biblically speaking, what does holiness mean? Is our holiness different than Gods? Did Jesus empty Himself of His holiness in His incarnation? This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot have three special guests joining them: Pastor Mike Fabarez of Compass Bible Church in Orange County, CA; Dr. Tom Schreiner, the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation at SBTS in Louisville, KY; and Dr. Bruce Ware, the T. Rupert and Lucille Coleman Professor of Christian Theology at SBTS in Louisville, KY. This week our panel returns to the topic of holiness. The discussion centers on the importance of New Testament believers having a proper understanding of Gods holiness and how it relates to us. As believers it is vitally important we recognize that holiness is intrinsic to God's nature, it is who He is. Our holiness has a beginning, Gods does not, He's eternal. Our holiness is a gift given and sustained to us by God, He's self-existent. Our holiness has limits, we are finite, God is infinite. Without grasping these and other important truths about God and His holiness, and then also seeing this same holiness manifested in Christ, we develop wrong views of God and wrong thoughts of how holiness should be lived out in our lives. Often, this leads to wrong thinking and understanding of God's other attributes and characteristics, causing us to elevate one over another. But we should not do this, Gods attributes do not conflict with one another. Faulty reason and logic in this area give way to the question, "How could a loving God send people to hell?" Our panel emphasizes the standard we are called to, and reminds us that it must not be based on conjecture, the standard is holiness (cf. Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:14-16). Holiness is the absolute, separate, distinct, complete, perfection of God - a standard we are unable to meet. We must recognize that we cannot bring about holiness in ourselves, it must be the work of God by His Spirit. As New Testament believers our confidence and trust must be upon God to bring to completion the good work He has begun in us as we seek to walk in obedience to His Word. Jesus tells us that He came that we may have life and have it abundantly; this implies both quantity and quality. As we embrace the ways God calls us to be separate, distinct, and different, we will be living our lives in a manner that is keeping with God's own standard of holiness. This is the quality of a life that honors and pleases our Lord and one that will bring us great joy and hope.