Ezra 9
Ezra 9
As I read Ezra 9, there is one word that kept cycling through my head… HOLINESS. This passage is not really about intermarriage. It is about holiness. Ezra’s heart is aching because God had given them a commandment that the people had not followed through with. They were faithless. They were unholy.
The best word to describe God is HOLY. This means that He is perfect. He is set apart. He is far above us and anything we will ever be. He deserves full devotion. He deserves all praise. If you looked up holy in the dictionary, the only true example should be God.
This has many implications. It means He cannot sin. It means He is trustworthy. It means He is worthy. It means we are to follow Him fully.
But we often don’t. We often lead unholy lives. We try to figure it out on our own. We do our own thing. Just as the people tried to mix God’s way with their way (intermarriage) we try to mix holiness with unholiness. We live for God on Sunday and Wednesday but the rest of the week looks different. We diminish walking with God to some “things we do” instead of a life we live. Instead of being fully devoted followers of Jesus we become half-devoted followers of Jesus.
When we do, we show exactly why we need a relationship with Jesus. Jesus lived, bled, and died, so we can be holy in Him.
Without Jesus we are unholy and unfaithful. But Jesus has made us HOLY in Him and has called us to holiness (1 Peter 1:13-16, Colossians 3:1-4). We are not called to walk the line of the world. One foot with God and one foot with the world. We are called to wholeheartedly live our lives for Jesus.
Family Discussion:
Why is it easy to only halfway live for God?
What does a life halfway living for God look like?
Describe the life that God calls us to life in Jesus.
By: Nick Parsons
As I read Ezra 9, there is one word that kept cycling through my head… HOLINESS. This passage is not really about intermarriage. It is about holiness. Ezra’s heart is aching because God had given them a commandment that the people had not followed through with. They were faithless. They were unholy.
The best word to describe God is HOLY. This means that He is perfect. He is set apart. He is far above us and anything we will ever be. He deserves full devotion. He deserves all praise. If you looked up holy in the dictionary, the only true example should be God.
This has many implications. It means He cannot sin. It means He is trustworthy. It means He is worthy. It means we are to follow Him fully.
But we often don’t. We often lead unholy lives. We try to figure it out on our own. We do our own thing. Just as the people tried to mix God’s way with their way (intermarriage) we try to mix holiness with unholiness. We live for God on Sunday and Wednesday but the rest of the week looks different. We diminish walking with God to some “things we do” instead of a life we live. Instead of being fully devoted followers of Jesus we become half-devoted followers of Jesus.
When we do, we show exactly why we need a relationship with Jesus. Jesus lived, bled, and died, so we can be holy in Him.
Without Jesus we are unholy and unfaithful. But Jesus has made us HOLY in Him and has called us to holiness (1 Peter 1:13-16, Colossians 3:1-4). We are not called to walk the line of the world. One foot with God and one foot with the world. We are called to wholeheartedly live our lives for Jesus.
Family Discussion:
Why is it easy to only halfway live for God?
What does a life halfway living for God look like?
Describe the life that God calls us to life in Jesus.
By: Nick Parsons
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