Unto Holiness

Unto Holiness

The end of the Law is holiness—the holiness of Jesus Christ.

“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” Leviticus 19:2

God’s purpose for Israel was to be holy, to reflect His own being and character to the world around them. The Law of God was given so that they might be formed, soul and body, inner person and outer, to refract the glory of God to the world and so draw the nations to Him. Israel was called to be holy, and the holy and righteous and good Law of God was the means for them to express that holiness in every aspect of their lives.

God’s purpose for His people has not changed: “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). But Christ Jesus is the end of the Law for holiness and righteousness to all who believe (Rom. 10:4).

We look to Jesus to teach us and empower us for doing, walking in, serving God through, and keeping all the Law. As we look to Him and cast ourselves on Him, His Spirit forms Jesus in and through us, so that we become holy by Jesus living His life in and through us. We have not, nor ever can attain, any holiness of our own. We are called to be holy, and we can be holy only in Jesus Christ. As we do what Jesus did, walk the way Jesus walked, serve the Lord as He did, and keep His commandments, we are formed for holiness, which comes to expression in everything we do unto the praise and glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

For a more complete exposition of the promises of God, order a copy of T. M.’s book, I Will Be Your God, from our online store. Subscribe to Crosfigell, the devotional newsletter of The Fellowship of Ailbe. Sent to your desktop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Crosfigell includes a devotional based on the literature of the Celtic Christian period and the Word of God, highlights of other columns at the website, and information about mentoring and online courses available through The Fellowship.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.