ARE WE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE HOLY AND UNHOLY?

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. Leviticus 10:9-11

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE VIOLATE THIS DISTINCTION?

Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:6

IS GOD HOLY?

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:3

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 4:8

DOES GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE MAKE A PLACE HOLY?

And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Exodus 3:4, 5

And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:15

IS GOD’S NAME HOLY?

Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. Psalms 99:3

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15

WHAT IS GOD’S NAME BESIDES HOLY?

He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. Psalms 111:9

NOTE: No created being’s name is reverend and therefore they should not be called “Reverend.” This is the reason the Bible refers to gospel ministers as Bishops, Elders, Pastors, etc., but never “Reverend.”

WHAT SHOULD WE BE CAREFUL TO NEVER DO?

Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you. Leviticus 22:32

WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO PROFANE HIS NAME?

And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off [destroy] from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. Leviticus 20:3

WHAT DOES THE THIRD COMMANDMENT FORBID?

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Exodus 20:7

IS GOD’S WORD HOLY?

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures. Romans 1:1, 2 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 15-17

IS THE HOUSE OF GOD WHERE WE WORSHIP HOLY?

But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Psalms 5:7

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN AARON’S SONS FORGOT THIS?

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. Leviticus 10:1-3

IS OUR CONDUCT IN CHURCH AN IMPORTANT THING TO GOD?

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15

WHAT SHOULD BE OUR ATTITUDE WHILE IN GOD’S HOUSE?

Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. Leviticus 26:2

ARE THE THINGS WITHIN THE PLACE OF WORSHIP HOLY?

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. Leviticus 22:2

Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD. 1 Chronicles 22:19

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN BELSHAZZAR DEFILED HOLY ITEMS?

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another....

In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. Daniel 5:1-6, 30

IS OUR WORSHIP OF GOD TO BE HOLY?

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Psalms 29:2

HOW DOES JESUS SAY WE ARE TO WORSHIP GOD?

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23, 24

NOTE: If either the truth of God’s word or the presence of His Spirit is absent from a worship service, that worship is unacceptable to God. It is imperative, we “must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

IS WORSHIP TO BE FILLED WITH NOISE AND EMOTIONALISM?

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. Psalms 95:6

God is greatly to be feared [held in awe] in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Psalm 89:7

NOTE: The real purpose of the worship of God is not to receive an ecstatic experience, or an emotional “high.” The ultimate purpose is an acknowledgment of the glory, majesty, and identity of God in an attitude of love, awe, and reverence; while seeking an ever greater understanding of His word and will for our lives.

HOW SHOULD CHURCH SERVICES BE CONDUCTED?

Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

WHAT DOES PAUL SAY ABOUT CONFUSION IN CHURCHES?

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:33

WHAT IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE WAY TO WORSHIP GOD?

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Hebrews 12:28

NOTE: Many today have adopted the adage: “You worship God your way and I’ll worship Him my way.” This cliché comment may appear appropriate on the surface, but is filled with danger and empty of thought. This is the deadly deception into which Cain entered when, unlike his brother Able, he chose to worship God in a way other than God had directed. We must allow others to worship God their way, but we must always worship Him His way.

WILL GOD ACCEPT THE WORSHIP OF THE DISOBEDIENT?

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:9

ARE GOD’S PEOPLE TO BE HOLY?

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:1-4

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16

WHAT ARE GOD’S HOLY PEOPLE CALLED?

Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. Deuteronomy 14:1-3

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his