A BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF THE KEY WORDS IN THE BIBLE
Bible Corner - No. 17 HOLY
Ancient people often thought of their gods as different themselves or 'holy' and might also use the word to include people or things set apart (dedicated) for the worship of these deities. Thus in Israel holy men used holy vessels in a holy house in a holy city on a holy hill - because all were associated with the worship of God. But there was no strong expectation that either priests or worshippers should be particularly good or moral people. The link between holiness and doing what was right in the sight of the Lord only came into prominence with the rise of the prophets, typified by Isaiah whose calls for justice, compassion and a sense of sin were in the name of One he called 'the Holy One of Israel' - see Amos 5:21-24; Isaiah 1:12-17; Micah 6:6-8. It is this moral aspect of holiness that we find in the New Testament and Paul makes no bones about the need for Christians to live holy lives - see Romans 6:19-22; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Colossians 3:12-17. Interestingly, the word 'saint' is just the Latin/English equivalent of 'holy one' or 'dedicated person'; and in NT times and later was used of Christians. Then it was certainly not restricted to 'canonised' persons wearing haloes in stained glass windows! (see Philippians 1:1) Professor A.M. Hunter tells how he once was introduced to a lady named Mrs Christian and on enquiring her maiden name was amused to find it had been 'Miss Saint'! He found it the perfect illustration of the NT truth that every Christian is a saint!
Howard Rady
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