A Holy Gift

Matthew 1:18

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way.  While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price.  Therefor glorify God with your body.”

1 Peter 2:9

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 You once were not a people, but now you are God’s people.  You were shown mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Of all the ordinary or even amazing gifts we have received in our lifetime, no gift could ever have been considered eternal or Holy. Every gift fades and withers away, save the gift of salvation.  No gift could be perfect, Holy – except for a gift given by God Himself.

Holiness. The word is foreign to us, difficult to wrap our minds around.  Holiness is not something we can completely understand because our every inclination, apart from God’s grace, is of the flesh.  Purity of heart, integrity, sacredness, being consecrated or set apart for God, wholly devoted, free from sin – these descriptions help us to try to apprehend Holiness. Christ, the Holy One fulfilled perfect Holiness then made us Holy with His own blood.

I always love to marvel at how children reflect their parents in appearance, personality or vocation.  It is obvious that an offspring would have similarities with his or her parents, but it still never ceases to amaze me.  So we, too, who are the offspring of Jesus, have inherited His righteousness, His Holiness, His perfection.  How utterly amazing. The unholy made holy. What is impossible with man is possible with God.

Our Messiah had to partake of our nature to be able to save us.  He needed to be perfect and not partake of our sin nature.  Conceived of the Holy Spirit, unblemished by the sin stain of mankind, Christ was born.  Jesus perfectly met the righteous demands of God’s law, but bore our transgressions as a violator would.  Christ was born in righteousness and now this holiness is imputed to us. Please let that truth sink in. You are considered Holy in the sight of God because of the amazing gift of God.

Our world views children born of a king or queen as having “royal blood”.  Not so.  But we who are in Christ are truly royalty – adopted and cherished by God, the King of kings, as His precious own – and He regards us as Holy. Such a Holy gift should not be taken for granted, but cherished and an impetus to live worthy lives for our gracious God.

Holy LORD, thank You for being the sinless Lamb Who took away our sins.  We do not deserve to be called Holy, but You willingly chose to do so.  No words could ever suffice to give You the praise You are due.

“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6