God’s purpose for Israel was to be holy, to reflect His own being and character to the world around them, and thus to demonstrate His love.

The Law of God was given so that the people of Israel, being thus formed, soul and body, inner person and outer, might refract the glory of God to the world and so draw the nations to Him. Israel was called to be holy, and the holy and righteous and good Law of God was the means for them to express that holiness in every aspect of their lives.

God’s purpose for His people has not changed: “Therefore having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7.1). But we must always remember that Christ Jesus is the end of the Law for holiness and righteousness to all who believe (Rom. 10.4).

Thus, we look to Jesus to teach us and empower us for doing, walking in, serve God through, and keeping all the Law. As we look to Him and cast ourselves on Him, His Spirit forms Jesus in and through us, so that we become holy by Jesus living His life in and through us.

We have nor ever can attain any holiness of our own. We are called to be holy, and we can be holy only in Jesus Christ. As we do what Jesus did, walk the way Jesus walked, serve the Lord as He did, and keep His commandments, we are formed for holiness, which comes to expression in everything we do unto the praise and glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31).

T. M. Moore

The book of Ecclesiastes is a crucial resource for understanding the Biblical worldview against the backdrop of our secular age. Follow T. M.’s studies in Ecclesiastes by downloading the free, weekly studies available in our Scriptorium Resources page at The Fellowship of Ailbe. Click hereto see the weekly studies available thus far.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.