The word holiness is a noun that means "state or character of being holy." Holy is an adjective that means "belonging to. Derived from or associated with a divine power “and also "set apart to the service of God.
In other words, that which is holy belongs to God. Conversely, whatever belongs to God is holy. It is sanctified, meaning "set apart for a holy use or purpose."
God can make an item or person holy when He claims it or becomes its owner. When an individual devotes or gives an object to God, the ownership passes to God and. since He is now the owner, the object becomes holy.
Why does God make an object or a person holy? He makes it holy so that He may use that object or, that person to achieve His divine purpose, fulfill a specific function Of accomplish some task.
Whatever is holy is not only set apart by or for God, but God will not use it if it does not meet the standards He sets. He selects the tools that can fulfill His purpose, and it they do not, He will select another tool instead.
The great God of all the universe expects the very best for His use. The sacrifices commanded under the Levitical priesthood were to be perfect and without blemish. Only the highest quality materials were to be used in the tabernacle and in the Temple. Anything dedicated or devoted to God was to be the best. When anyone gives an inferior gift to God, it was not acceptable (Malachi 1:13-14).13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. All of these physical items pictured the spiritual perfection that would come later.
That spiritual perfection should be evident when we realize that one of the synonyms for holiness is godliness.
These quotes from various dictionaries relate to English words. We also need to understand a little about the Hebrew and Greek words from which these were translated.
In the Hebrew, the word for holiness is qadesh, which is taken from a similar but different primitive root word qadash. These two Hebrew words are translated "holiness." "holy" and "sanctify (or sanctified)." These English and Hebrew words mean essentially the same things, except some are used differently in sentences and therefore are translated differently.
In the New Testament Greek we discover a similar situation, The Greek word is haglos, with its variations.
Pastor Rolando Ramos
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