MEM

Matthew 20:16 (See Luke 13:22-30)

Strong’s H6922 (Hebrew Concordance)

- Transliteration: Qaddiysh (Aramaic) - Phonetic: kad-deesh'

- Definition:

1. holy, separate 2. angels, saints

Total KJV Occurrences: • holy, 4 • saints, 6

sacred (physically pure morally blameless or religious ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy; saint.

Total KJV Occurrences: • holy, 142, • saints, 60

a) pure from carnality - b) pure from every fault - c) clean

No descendant of Adam can qualify; we all have sinned; none is righteous or blameless

Rom 3:9 … For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.

The state of him who is as he ought to be, righteous; the condition acceptable to God -the way in which man may attain a state approved of God - integrity, virtue, purity of life, correctness of thinking feeling, acting / justice, mercy, humility

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

All are in need of "His grace", and the ‘gift’ of Christ’s righteousness"

Rom 5:17 For if by the one man's offense (Adam) death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life… 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace (God’s gift) might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:13 …do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Rom 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? …18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Pay attention "…having been set free from sin… (unto) everlasting life"

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Rom 6:23 … the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Rom 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Gal 4:19 … until Christ is formed in you,

John 17:23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one…

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Peter 1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Revelation 1:5-6 … Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Rev 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Rev 15:3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 11:18 … And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth."

The only hope is that we "…be conformed to the image of His Son"; that is through repentance and the receiving (internalizing) the Holy Spirit; it is our faith and obedience to His enabling power that will transform us. It is by His grace we are set free from sin - It is Messiah’s spirit dwelling in us that makes us rightness; so, we can be made acceptable in the eyes of our Creator.

It is Christ’s righteousness, dwelling in us that makes a saint. Through endurance the saints will be blessed with eternal life and reign with Yeshua (Jesus Christ) in His soon coming Kingdom, on this earth!

Next time - The power of the Holy Spirit (which is Christ) in the life of a saint

Rom 8:9 … Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (They are without hope)

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) commentary about saint is highly recommended; that your understanding be enhanced in what it means to be a saint.

Saint (Some editing for length)

TDNT entry: 02:28,1 hágios/ [holy], hagiázō/ [to make holy, sanctify], hagiasmós/ [sanctification]

A. In Greek and Hellenlstic Writings. The old Greek term hágos denotes an object of awe, the adjective hagḗs means "clean," and the verb házō has the sense "to shrink from." hágios is used of sanctuaries …

B. The Use of Holiness in the OT. The ground around the burning bush is holy (Ex. 3:5), as are Gilgal (Josh. 5:15), the temple (Is. 64:10), days (Is. 58:13), offerings (1 Sam. 21:5-7), and tithes (Dt. 26:13). The adjective may be applied to persons and to God; this produces an ethical association. The verb is versatile, denoting the expressing of a state of holiness (Is. 5:16), or setting in a state of holiness (Ezek. 36:23), or declaring holy (Ex. 19:10), or entering a state of holiness (Josh. 3:5), or being dedicated.

1. Pre-prophetic Period. The word comes to be connected with God’s name, which is the expression of his nature, and thus takes on a moral meaning (cf. Am. 4:2). Profaning God’s name even cultically is a sin (cf. Lev. 20:3; Am. 2:7). The name, which cultic invocation acknowledges, gives holiness a personal dimension. God’s holiness expresses his divine perfection. His self-revelation is his self-sanctification (Lev. 10:3 etc.). As God, however, dwells among his people through the covenant at Sinai (Ex. 24:4), Israel is to be a people holy to him (Dt. 7:6). She must shun other cults and worship God alone (Dt. 6:4), allowing no place for pagan shrines and their cultic licentiousness (Dt. 23:18). Cultic purity demands personal purity. The ark as the place of God’s presence fills the sanctuary with holiness; in connection with it God is called the "holy God" (1 Sam. 6:20). War and warriors are sanctified through the ark’s presence (Num. 10:35-36), as is the camp (Dt. 23:15).

a. The prophet Hosea develops a contrast between the holy God and sinful humanity (Hos. 11:9). Israel has followed pagan cults and thus come into collision with the holy God (14:1). But by destroying false holiness the holy God gives new life (14:8) in his inconceivable love; thus love is incorporated into the divine holiness even in its opposition to unholy human nature.

b. For Isaiah the holiness of God is his secret essence. This evokes holy awe (Is. 6), a sense of moral uncleanness which must be purged (6:7). God himself effects the atonement. Its goal is that the redeemed, too, will be holy (4:3). Though Israel is in herself unholy, God has bound himself to her. He may thus be called the "Holy One of Israel." His holiness consumes what is unholy, but in grace he establishes a remnant as his holy people.

c. In the later chapters of Isaiah the Holy One of Israel is more fully manifested as the God of redemption rather than judgment. God is incomparable (40:25). In his holiness lies his mystery (45:15). This mystery is redemption; hence salvation and holiness are now firmly related (45:18ff. etc.). God’s holy ways differ from ours, but for this very reason his holiness issues in a new creation.

a. Two intermingling streams may be seen here, the priestly-cultic and the prophetic-ethical. The law enshrines the former; it endows priests and people with cultic holiness. The Psalms belong to this sphere, but show that it could include a strong spiritual element. Israel is holy because the Holy Spirit is present within her (cf. Ps. 51:11).

b. The apocryphal writings maintain the cultic tradition with frequent references to the holy city, temple, altar, Sabbath, garments, candlestick, oil, swords, books, priesthood, people, and covenant. But God, heaven, the angels, and the Spirit are also holy.

a. The rabbis follow OT usage in calling the temple, priests, sacrifices, etc. holy, but with no precise definition. Sometimes systematization is attempted. In a new use the hair of Nazirites and the body can be called holy. "To dedicate to oneself a wife" is a phrase for "to marry."

b. God is holy as Judge and King. But he is known as such by those who draw near in a trust sustained by fear. He is thus the Holy One in Sirach, Enoch, and later rabbinic texts. God’s Spirit is also called holy, but above all his name, which led to the replacement of the proper name as well as to the expression "to hallow the name" with God or Israel as subject. Hallowing the name by keeping the law became a chief motive of ethical action.

c. Scripture is holy as God’s word, especially the law, though the phrase "Holy Scripture" is infrequent. Reading Scripture is a sacred action. The scrolls, too, are sacred, and writing them is a holy task. The hands must be washed after touching the scrolls.

d. Those who keep the law, and the righteous of the OT, are also holy. Holiness consists negatively of separation, i.e., from the Gentiles, from sin, and especially from licentiousness, so that holy and chaste came to be largely synonymous.

E. hágios in the NT.

l. The Holiness of God. On an OT basis, holiness is here seen to be God’s innermost nature (Rev. 4:8). It embraces omnipotence, eternity, and glory, and evokes awe. In John, God is the holy Father (17:11). The holy God calls for holy people (1 Pet. 1:15-16). God’s name, i.e., his revealed but distinct person, is to be hallowed (Mt. 6:9; Lk. 11:12).

2. Jesus Christ as hágios. Jesus is seldom called holy (cf. Mk. 1:24; Lk. 1:35; Jn. 6:69; Rev. 3:7; Acts 3:14). But the description is ancient and significant. In Luke it rests on the virgin birth and his being a bearer of the Spirit, confronting evil spirits and inaugurating the pneumatic age. He is confessed as the holy one in Jn. 6:69, sanctified by God and dispensing anointing with the Spirit. In Revelation he has the same predicates of holiness and truth as God. As the holy servant in Acts he has a cultic mission as the holy sacrifice offered vicariously for others. In Hebrews he is priest as well as victim, going into the antitype of the holy of holies for us and achieving our expiatory sanctification (hagiázein) (9:25ff.; 2:11; 9:13).

a. The Spirit’s holiness is inseparable from Christ’s.

b. The Spirit is active at the birth and especially the baptism of Christ, which initiates the age of the Spirit. After the resurrection Christ imparts the Spirit to the disciples (Pentecost). The Spirit is now manifest, so that resistance is unforgivable. Baptism is now in the Spirit’s name as well as the Father’s and the Son’s.

c. Luke especially likes the phrase "holy Spirit" in both the definite and indefinite form. He wants to distinguish God’s Spirit from other spirits and stresses the charismatic rather than the cultic element.

d. Paul has a more personal emphasis and maintains but spiritualizes the cultic aspect, e.g., the church or Christians as a holy temple indwelt by the Spirit (Eph. 2:21; 1 Cor. 6:19; cf. Rom. 15:16; 2 Cor. 13:13; 1 Th. 4:8).

4. The Holiness of the ekklēsķa. Again on an OT basis, the Christian fellowship is holy as a temple of the Spirit centered on Christ as the holy servant. As a holy people, Christians are to be holy (1 Pet. 2:9; 1:16). They are sanctified by Christ (1 Cor. 1:2). In him Gentiles are now numbered among the saints (Eph. 2:19). The churches as well as the church are holy (1 Cor. 14:33). Holiness is by the calling of grace in Christ (Rom. 1:6; 1 Cor. 1:24; Phil. 1:1), not by nature. The holy people has a divine inheritance (Eph. 1:18; Col. 1:12).

5. The Holy Life of Christians. Christians are to offer themselves as holy sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). As a result the cultic impinges on the ethical, and purity is stressed (cf. Mt. 5:8). The mutual service of love gives expression to this (Gal. 5:13; Rom. 15:25; 16:2). The holy kiss seals it (1 Cor. 16:20). Those sanctified in Christ sanctify their family circles (1 Cor. 7:14). Holiness here has a moral content and stands opposed to impurity, especially in Gentile sexuality (Acts 10:14; Eph. 5:5). Its cultic reference keeps it from being mere morality. Holiness in this sense is a principle of judgment (1 Cor. 6:2). Believers will judge-hence faith may itself be called holy (Jude 20).

a. The holy angels belong to the church triumphant (Mk. 8:38 etc.); they will return with Christ (cf. 1 Th. 3:13, though this verse may refer to, or include, departed saints, cf. 2 Th. 1:10).

b. Christians also belong to it as the saints (Rev. 14:12; 17:6). The holy will be holy still (Rev. 22:11)-not self-sanctified, but sanctified by God. Holiness is a central determination of Christians as already they worship God, reconciled by Christ’s holy offering and constituted the temples of the Holy Spirit.

hagiázō. This is mostly a biblical term and means "to consecrate" or "to sanctify." God is asked to sanctify his name (Mt. 6:9). Jesus sanctifies himself (Jn. 17:19) and his church (Eph. 5:26)-a divine work. The Father sanctifies Christ (Jn. 10:36; cf. 17:19) with a view to sanctifying the disciples (17:19). The latter takes place through Christ’s reconciling work (Heb. 2:11; 10:10). For Paul we are thus "the sanctified" (1 Cor. 1:2), and this is a state (1 Cor. 6:11). The sanctified have an inheritance (Acts 20:32). They are to sanctify Christ in their hearts (1 Pet. 3:15), being holy in conduct as Christ makes them holy by indwelling them (1:16).

hagiasmós. Deriving from the verb, this term means "sanctifying." It is rare in the LXX and occurs in the NT only in the epistles. Only a holy person can "sanctify," so divine sanctifying precedes any process of sanctifying (cf. Rev. 22:11). It is God’s will (1 Th. 4:3) and finds expression in life (4:4). The body must be yielded to sanctification (Rom. 6:19). Christ and the Spirit effect it (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Th. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2). It implies conduct in 1 Tim. 2:15 and is a moral goal in Heb. 12:14. It is thus the moral result of Christ’s atoning work.

hagiótēs. This word denotes "sanctification." It is an essential attribute of God that we are to share (Heb. 12:10; cf. 1 Pet. 1:15).

hagiōsżnē. This rare word denotes sanctifying as a quality. In the NT only Paul uses it (Rom. 1:4; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Th. 3:13). In Rom. 1:4 it refers to a different principle of life from that of "the flesh" (v. 3), i.e., divine, not natural. In 2 Cor. 7:1 and 1 Th. 3:13 the divinely effected condition is to find completion in moral dedication in the form of purity.

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.

2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8 He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.

2:9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.

Proverbs 2:10 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 11 Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, 12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, 13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; 15 Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths…

Ps 32:11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Ps 105:3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

All His Saints

Ps 30:4 Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

Ps 37:28 For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever…

Ps 50:5 "Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."

Ps 132:9 … And let Your saints shout for joy.

Ps 148:14 And He has exalted the horn of His people, The praise of all His saints -- Of the children of Israel, A people near to Him. Praise the LORD!

Ps 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds.

The ‘I am’ is your first companion; that He created you in His image for fellowship with Him?

Let this be the foundation for all your relationships and you will have a multitude of brothers and sisters in this world and the world to come. 

To get anywhere in a boat, you need to row with two oars. If you row only with one, you go around and around in circles. Well, the same is true as we row down the river of life. We need to row with both oars, and not just one. May I suggest that one of these oars is the Bible and the other is the Holy Spirit?

God’s Simple Plan for His Church: by Nate Krupp

Krupp’s book is an easy-to-read, straightforward manual chocked full of Scriptures on each and all the relevant issues…The very first thing Nate does is redefine Church from Scripture - as not a building, a place, a meeting you go to or a service. The Church is me and you. Nate goes to the original language several times in his book, but starts with the Greek word for church Ecclesia, simply meaning "called out ones." The church is anyone Jesus calls to Himself to become His body, part of who He is....

One summer, two best friends took a long hiking journey through the mountains. Because they were constantly together, they naturally got on each other’s nerves from time to time. On the second afternoon, they started bickering over which direction to take, and soon tempers flared.

Finally, Patrick knocked Peter to the ground. But instead of hitting back, Peter picked up a stick and wrote in the dirt: "Today my best friend hit me." Soon they both calmed down and continued walking.

The next day, the friends were rock climbing when Peter’s harness broke, leaving him clinging to the side of a steep slope over a hundred-foot drop. With great effort, Patrick got him to safety. Back on solid ground an hour later, Peter took out a pocketknife and carved on the rock: "today my best friend saved my life."

When people hurt you, it’s best to let the injury blow away like words in the sand. But when some helps you, preserve the memory so it will never fade.

A receptionist at a busy hospital answered the phone late one evening. "General Hospital, how may help you?"

The soft, quivering voice on the other end of the line reminded the receptionist of her grandmother. "I’m trying to find out the status of one of your patients. Can you help me?"

Something about the caller’s voice aroused the receptionist’s sympathies. "Well, it’s against policy to give out information to anyone except family members, but I’ll see what I can do. What’s the patient’s name?"

"Edna Smith, room 503."

She looked up the patient’s file on her computer. "Oh, she’s fine. Her blood pressure is good, her blood work came back normal, and her doctor has scheduled her to be discharged tomorrow."

"Oh, thank you!" the woman said. "That’s wonderful news. I was so worried."

"You’re very welcome," replied the receptionist. "Is Edna your daughter?"

"I’m Edna," said the woman. "NO one tells me anything."

Three children on the playground were bragging about their parents.

One little girl said, "My father is a songwriter. He writes a few words and calls it a song, and they pay him 500 dollars."

"Oh yeah?" said a little boy. "My dad writes a lot of stories and calls it a book, and they pay him 1,000 bucks."

"That’s nothing." said the third child. "My dad’s a pastor. He scribbles a few words and calls it a sermon, and it takes six people to collect all the money!"