The Weight of God's Holiness: Living Under His Righteous Standard
The Weight of God's Holiness: Living Under His Righteous Standard
There's a passage in the Old Testament that most of us would rather skip over. It's uncomfortable, convicting, and challenges the casual Christianity that has become so prevalent in our modern world. Yet it's precisely this discomfort that reveals how desperately we need to hear its message.
In Zechariah chapter 5, the prophet receives a vision that should shake us from our spiritual complacency. He sees a massive flying scroll—30 feet by 15 feet, impossible to miss—unfurled across the sky. This isn't a gentle reminder or a helpful suggestion. It's a divine declaration of God's holiness and His expectation for His people.
The Scroll That Cannot Be Ignored
The dimensions of this scroll are significant. They match exactly the measurements of the entrance to Solomon's temple. The message is clear: if you want to enter into God's presence and experience His blessings, you must understand and respect His standards.
On one side of the scroll is written "You shall not steal." On the other side: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Two of the Ten Commandments, representing both our horizontal relationships with others and our vertical relationship with God.
But here's where it gets uncomfortable for those of us living in the 21st century.
Stealing: More Than Taking Physical Property
When we think of stealing, our minds immediately go to shoplifting or burglary. But the concept runs much deeper. We steal when we cheat on our taxes. We steal when we take company time or resources for personal use. We steal someone's reputation through gossip and slander without ever checking the facts.
And perhaps most convicting of all—we steal from God.
Malachi 3:8-10 confronts us with a challenging question: "Will man rob God?" The answer comes back: "Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions."
Before you dismiss this as Old Testament legalism, consider what those tithes were for. They supported the Levites who had no inheritance of land, who devoted themselves to serving God and His people. They provided for the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. In other words, they funded the work of God's kingdom and met the needs of the vulnerable.
When we withhold our resources from God, we're not just affecting our own spiritual lives. We're stealing from missionaries who need support to take the gospel to unreached places. We're stealing from the next generation who needs solid biblical teaching. We're stealing from our neighbors who need the practical help that the church provides.
God's challenge remains: "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse... and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."
Taking God's Name in Vain: A Broader Definition
The third commandment warns against taking God's name in vain. Most of us think this simply means avoiding using "God" or "Jesus" as curse words. But the violation runs far deeper and hits much closer to home.
To take God's name in vain means to claim His name while living in a way that contradicts His character. It means saying "I'm a Christian" while deliberately and continually disobeying His commands.
Hebrews 10:25 gives us a specific example: "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Here's where the rubber meets the road. We live in a culture that has made an idol out of youth sports. Parents dedicate their children to the Lord, promising to raise them "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," then spend every Sunday on a ball field instead of in church.
We're more concerned with our children's batting averages than how many Scripture verses they've memorized. We prioritize tournament schedules over worship, biblical teaching, and spiritual community.
This isn't about being against sports or recreation. It's about what we've allowed to replace God in our priorities. When we identify as Christians but live according to the world's values rather than God's commands, we take His name in vain.
The Consequences of Disobedience
The scroll declares that those who violate these commands will be "cleaned out"—cut off from God's blessings. For believers, this doesn't mean losing salvation. Romans 8:1 assures us: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
But it does mean missing out on the abundant life God intends for His children. It means living with a fraction of the spiritual power and joy available to us. It means standing before Christ at the judgment seat of believers with works that burn up like wood, hay, and stubble rather than enduring like gold, silver, and precious stones.
The Gospel Reality
Before despair sets in, we must remember the glorious truth of the gospel. The law—including these commandments—cannot save us. Romans 3:20 states clearly: "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."
The law shows us our desperate need for a Savior. And God, in His magnificent grace, provided one. "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law... the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe" (Romans 3:21-22).
We are saved not by our obedience but by Christ's perfect obedience on our behalf. We are justified not by our righteousness but by His righteousness credited to our account. When we place our faith in Jesus, our sins are removed "as far as the east is from the west."
Living in Grateful Obedience
But here's the question that should haunt us in the best possible way: If God has done so much for us, how should we respond?
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Our obedience doesn't earn God's love—it expresses our love for Him. We don't serve Him to gain salvation; we serve Him because we're grateful for the salvation we've already received.
The real issue isn't legalism versus grace. It's whether we truly love God enough to prioritize Him above everything else. It's whether we're willing to be set apart, to be different from the world, to let our lives reflect the holiness of the One who saved us.
The Challenge Before Us
We live in a world that desperately needs to see authentic Christianity. Not perfection, but genuine devotion. Not self-righteousness, but humble gratitude expressed through obedient living.
The question isn't whether God is against us having fun or enjoying His good gifts. The question is whether we've allowed those gifts to replace our love for the Giver.
As believers, we have a choice. We can continue taking God's grace for granted, living as though His commands are mere suggestions. Or we can respond to His holiness with reverent obedience, understanding that His standards aren't meant to restrict us but to protect us and position us for blessing.
The scroll still flies. The message remains. God is holy, and He calls His people to holiness. Not to earn His love, but because we already have it. Not to achieve salvation, but to honor the One who gave it.
How will we respond?
There's a passage in the Old Testament that most of us would rather skip over. It's uncomfortable, convicting, and challenges the casual Christianity that has become so prevalent in our modern world. Yet it's precisely this discomfort that reveals how desperately we need to hear its message.
In Zechariah chapter 5, the prophet receives a vision that should shake us from our spiritual complacency. He sees a massive flying scroll—30 feet by 15 feet, impossible to miss—unfurled across the sky. This isn't a gentle reminder or a helpful suggestion. It's a divine declaration of God's holiness and His expectation for His people.
The Scroll That Cannot Be Ignored
The dimensions of this scroll are significant. They match exactly the measurements of the entrance to Solomon's temple. The message is clear: if you want to enter into God's presence and experience His blessings, you must understand and respect His standards.
On one side of the scroll is written "You shall not steal." On the other side: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Two of the Ten Commandments, representing both our horizontal relationships with others and our vertical relationship with God.
But here's where it gets uncomfortable for those of us living in the 21st century.
Stealing: More Than Taking Physical Property
When we think of stealing, our minds immediately go to shoplifting or burglary. But the concept runs much deeper. We steal when we cheat on our taxes. We steal when we take company time or resources for personal use. We steal someone's reputation through gossip and slander without ever checking the facts.
And perhaps most convicting of all—we steal from God.
Malachi 3:8-10 confronts us with a challenging question: "Will man rob God?" The answer comes back: "Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions."
Before you dismiss this as Old Testament legalism, consider what those tithes were for. They supported the Levites who had no inheritance of land, who devoted themselves to serving God and His people. They provided for the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. In other words, they funded the work of God's kingdom and met the needs of the vulnerable.
When we withhold our resources from God, we're not just affecting our own spiritual lives. We're stealing from missionaries who need support to take the gospel to unreached places. We're stealing from the next generation who needs solid biblical teaching. We're stealing from our neighbors who need the practical help that the church provides.
God's challenge remains: "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse... and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."
Taking God's Name in Vain: A Broader Definition
The third commandment warns against taking God's name in vain. Most of us think this simply means avoiding using "God" or "Jesus" as curse words. But the violation runs far deeper and hits much closer to home.
To take God's name in vain means to claim His name while living in a way that contradicts His character. It means saying "I'm a Christian" while deliberately and continually disobeying His commands.
Hebrews 10:25 gives us a specific example: "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Here's where the rubber meets the road. We live in a culture that has made an idol out of youth sports. Parents dedicate their children to the Lord, promising to raise them "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," then spend every Sunday on a ball field instead of in church.
We're more concerned with our children's batting averages than how many Scripture verses they've memorized. We prioritize tournament schedules over worship, biblical teaching, and spiritual community.
This isn't about being against sports or recreation. It's about what we've allowed to replace God in our priorities. When we identify as Christians but live according to the world's values rather than God's commands, we take His name in vain.
The Consequences of Disobedience
The scroll declares that those who violate these commands will be "cleaned out"—cut off from God's blessings. For believers, this doesn't mean losing salvation. Romans 8:1 assures us: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
But it does mean missing out on the abundant life God intends for His children. It means living with a fraction of the spiritual power and joy available to us. It means standing before Christ at the judgment seat of believers with works that burn up like wood, hay, and stubble rather than enduring like gold, silver, and precious stones.
The Gospel Reality
Before despair sets in, we must remember the glorious truth of the gospel. The law—including these commandments—cannot save us. Romans 3:20 states clearly: "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."
The law shows us our desperate need for a Savior. And God, in His magnificent grace, provided one. "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law... the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe" (Romans 3:21-22).
We are saved not by our obedience but by Christ's perfect obedience on our behalf. We are justified not by our righteousness but by His righteousness credited to our account. When we place our faith in Jesus, our sins are removed "as far as the east is from the west."
Living in Grateful Obedience
But here's the question that should haunt us in the best possible way: If God has done so much for us, how should we respond?
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Our obedience doesn't earn God's love—it expresses our love for Him. We don't serve Him to gain salvation; we serve Him because we're grateful for the salvation we've already received.
The real issue isn't legalism versus grace. It's whether we truly love God enough to prioritize Him above everything else. It's whether we're willing to be set apart, to be different from the world, to let our lives reflect the holiness of the One who saved us.
The Challenge Before Us
We live in a world that desperately needs to see authentic Christianity. Not perfection, but genuine devotion. Not self-righteousness, but humble gratitude expressed through obedient living.
The question isn't whether God is against us having fun or enjoying His good gifts. The question is whether we've allowed those gifts to replace our love for the Giver.
As believers, we have a choice. We can continue taking God's grace for granted, living as though His commands are mere suggestions. Or we can respond to His holiness with reverent obedience, understanding that His standards aren't meant to restrict us but to protect us and position us for blessing.
The scroll still flies. The message remains. God is holy, and He calls His people to holiness. Not to earn His love, but because we already have it. Not to achieve salvation, but to honor the One who gave it.
How will we respond?
Posted in Zechariah
Posted in #GodsHoliness, #Zechariah, #ChristianLiving, #BiblicalTruth, #LiveWhatYouBelieve, #ChurchMatters, #HolinessOfGod, #PutGodFirst, #SundayMessage
Posted in #GodsHoliness, #Zechariah, #ChristianLiving, #BiblicalTruth, #LiveWhatYouBelieve, #ChurchMatters, #HolinessOfGod, #PutGodFirst, #SundayMessage
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