Page 6 - Inside Report - 1st Quarter 2016

Pastor Doug Batchelor

Called

to

An Amazing Fact: The diving bell spider, found

in central Europe and northern Asia, is the only species of

spider that lives almost entirely under water. It weaves a
small silk-web house resembling a diving bell. The spider

then captures air above water on the hairs of its body and
living a holy life might even seem impossible and impractical.
carries the oxygen down to its bubble. Though surrounded But remember, when God says the word “be,” it is backed up by
by water, the spider lives in its silk-bubble home where it
His creative power to make it happen. Just as the Lord spoke in
feeds, mates, and raises its young. It must
frequently return to the surface to
the beginning,“Let there be light” and “there was light” (Genesis

gather more fresh air to replenish 1:3),sowecanbeassuredthatwhenGodsays,“Beholy,”thereis
a promise that, through His divine power, we can be holy.
its oxygen supply.

What Is Holiness?
The

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for holy is qodesh. diving bell spider

The New Testament uses the Greek word hagios. These terms is something of
simplydescribethatwhichis“setapart.”Forinstance,holy
a a
metaphorfortheChristianlife. m
matrimony describes a couple who have chosen to separate Y
and I are called to live in this sin-
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themselves from all others by making mutual vows of exclusive s
k
d, but we’re not to be of the world.
s
l
i
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c
w
c
o
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k
w
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loyalty. The Word of God is called the Holy Bible because this Christ’s followers are to be holy in an unholy environment.
divine book stands apart from all other literature. It is unique How is that even possible?

and sacred. We shouldn’t treat the Bible carelessly, as a common Well, just as this small arachnid must make frequent trips

book. People have died and continue to die because of their to the surface to receive a fresh supply of air, so the followers

devotion to its message and its holiness.
of Jesus must frequently partake of the heavenly atmosphere
Church sanctuaries are holy places because they are set through regular prayer, bringing the Spirit with them into their

apart for a sacred purpose. That’s why we should teach our daily lives. This is the secret to holy living—staying in touch

children not to run around in the sanctuary; it is a sacred place with heaven above while living below.
where we go to meet God in fellowship with others. The bread
The holiness of God is a subject that is impossible to cover
and grape juice we use in the Lord’s Supper are holy because completely. Human language is just too feeble to express the

we set them aside for a special purpose.What’s left over is fullness and purity of divine holiness.Yet God has called us

not dumped in the trash or sent down the drain; instead, it’s to live holy lives just the same. The apostle Peter wrote,“As He
respectfully disposed of according to church guidelines.
who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

When the angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to because it is written,‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15, 16).

Jesus, the child was called the “Holy One” (Luke 1:35). Even a The summons to holy living might sound daunting—and

demondescribedJesusbysaying,“IknowwhoYouare—the
it’scertainlynotapopularsermontopic.Tosometheconceptof

6
Inside Report 1Q 2016