A Holy People of God

God has begun to separate for Himself a holy people for these last days. Thus, it is important to understand how God establishes a holy people for His own possession, and to know the quality of this holy people who are called by His name.

Deuteronomy 28:9-10
“The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you.”

John 14:21
“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

Leviticus 20:26
“Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.”

Deuteronomy 4:5-8
“See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”

From these scriptures, the following are ten pointers for us to meditate and explore further in our devotional studies.

First, we are a holy people to God only if we keep His commandments and walk in His ways. “I charge you in the presence of God… that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 6:13-14), for we cannot be a holy people without spot and blemish unto God for His Son if we do not keep His commandments and walk in His ways.

Second, we can only be set apart as God’s holy people through constant sanctification in the truth, which is the Word of God (John 17:17, 19; Psalm 119:160). If the Word is God (John 1:1), then we can only be sanctified through our faithful expression of God’s holy nature and our explicit obedience to God’s truth.

Third, since God has revealed Himself fully through the written Word inspired by His Spirit, then the theological foundation of the written Word as revealed by the Spirit of the Word is the starting point for conforming to the holy nature, transcendent truths, moral character, and sovereign will of God as His holy people. This theological foundation is the Word of the beginning and end for perfect faith, godly works, holy living, and glorious stature in Christ (Hebrews 6:1-2). Furthermore, the oneness of this theological foundation is the basis for true fellowship between God, His Son, and the body of His Christ (1 John 1:1-4).

Fourth, we keep the commandments of God and walk in His truth by abiding in the “kairos” of God in our times. We must understand the eschatological appointments and prophetic decrees of God for our times, and align ourselves to walk in them; for the workmanship goal of God in every “kairos” is the progressive stature of holiness and glory in His people.

Fifth, we are called by the name of the Lord only if we represent the name, nature, and will of God accurately; that is, when our identity matches His identity.

Sixth, keeping the commandments of God, and walking in His ways, are the precedents or conditions that qualify love between the Father, the Son, and us. In other words, conforming to God’s holy nature and complying to His holy requirements precede love in their order, importance, and time (c.f. Matthew 12:46-50). They are also precedent to receiving revelations from God, for God will not reveal His thoughts and His ways if we will not respond positively or obey explicitly.

Seventh, conforming to the holy nature of God, and walking in the truths of His ways, are the defining foundations of our faith and works that will establish us as a holy people of God, whether in the Old Testament (where the sacrificial lambs were the foreshadows of the Christ) or New Testament (where the Lamb sacrificed on the Cross is the substance of the Christ).

Eighth, the holy commandments and truths of God pertain first to the holy God Himself, then to God’s holy elect, and then to people who are not His elect. Therefore, God’s requirements and workmanship upon everyone of us are first unto Himself, then unto the household of the faith, and then unto others in the world. This is also the order of measure concerning good works, social justice, and divine judgment on earth.

Nineth, the nations of the world will only fear and honour a holy people who are called by the name of the Lord. If the church does not keep the commandments of God and walk in His ways, that is, if the body of Christ does not conform to the image and likeness of Christ, then the nations of the world will not fear the people of God because the name of the Lord and the power of that name will not be abiding with them.

Tenth, it is only by keeping the commandments of God and walking in His truths can the church manifest the manifold wisdom of God in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10-11), or will the nations glorify God through the people of God; for God’s statutes and judgments are true wisdom, understanding, and righteousness in the sight of the nations, being full of grace and truth (John 1:14). In fact, the statutes and judgments of God brings the nearness of God, since the Word of God is God. So, the biblical basis of seeker-friendliness is the opposite of how we define seeker-friendliness today.

To understand the above pointers better, you may read the following posts:
• Understanding the Concept of Time
• The Impartial God
• Perfect Obedience, Perfect Workmanship
• Reference Points of Salvation
• Transfiguration in Glory

Indeed, God has begun to set apart for Himself a holy people in the image and likeness of His Christ to consummate all things in Christ unto the fullness of the times. Are you the set-apart ones to the praise of the glory of His grace?

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