funny thing about holiness:
On the twenty-fourth
day of the ninth
month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests
concerning the law, saying, “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?” ’ ”
Then the priests answered and said, “No.”
And Haggai said, “If
one who is unclean
because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?”
So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”
Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.
' "
(Haggai 2:10-14)
this is what would have been called CEREMONIAL holiness. this is not the same as the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers
consider the case of the people holy to God called out of every nation - even the remnant of Israel - as presented in Romans 9-11:
a people not looking for God
a people not asking for God
a people not a people
a people unloved
a people not knowing God
when God calls them, are they clean or unclean? i'm going to say, unclean - and then washed by the water of His Word.
so they are unclean, and they are 'set aside' by God, being called out by Him to become a people, beloved and made righteous through faith in the knowledge of Him who they did not know, but to whom He reveals Himself. a people become holy, who were unclean.
what does Haggai have to say about this question:
do these unclean people make themselves holy? that is, do they set themselves apart?
is God the one who sets them apart? that is, makes them holy?
the question in reference to my remarks does not equate IMO. it is our choice how we behave in this world and whether or not we separate ourselves. if I do not follow you down your explanation does not mean I do not understand. I think you see this quite diffrently then do I
is holiness a thing to be attained or a thing to be submitted to?
the infinitive: "to be made holy" or "to become set apart" -- is that an active or a passive thing?
when God says "be holy" is this the voice of the Judge pronouncing an ordinance, or of a Creator bringing something about?
neither.
we know God is sinless so why does He say be holy as I am holy? does he force holiness ? since we read in this NT as well, are we to keep all the law?
@7seasrekeyed you've said you think i sometimes answer things by asking irrelevant questions and bring up off-topic scripture in responses, so i'm trying to take some care to connect some of the dots for you. i hope it makes some sense to you why a Romans 10 thread necessarily needs to have Haggai in it and why certain questions should naturally be brought up and answered
well honestly, I think it is more necessary for you to connect to what you believe, than for me to connect to improve my understanding