In some ways this post is an extension of my previous one from Incarnate as it carries on our responsibility to live incarnational lives that whilst unremarkable in its events is noticably different in the way it is lived.
Both Stuart Murray-Williams and Gary Bishop (i’ve only really read their papers so far due to all the other stuff I’m reading) pick up on our need to live truly human lives. Murray-Williams says:
Maybe only God can live a fully authentic human life. But the incarnation of Jesus … demonstrates that God wants to live that fully human life through us…
and Gary writes that:
…very little has been offered which would encourage or equip the faithful in their humanity.
These two thoughts combined in my mind to create a couple of questions. Could it be that true holiness is found in becoming more like Jesus in his humanity? Is holiness really about becoming fully human in the way that God originally intended us to be when he created us?
One of the consequences of this sort of thinking would be that we would start to teach discipleship in terms of equipping people to live their lives. We could concentrate on making disciples who were sanctified in their attitude toward the world and were committed to bringing about the Kingdom, yet were fully immersed in living lives as God intends us to. It would stop us putting our efforts into what we shouldn’t be doing and instead free us up to do the things that we should be doing.
If we started to live in a way that reflected the full humanity that is our touchstone in living, then we would be taking our holiness out into the world, rather than separating ourselves from it. This is what Jesus did! He brought his holiness from heaven to earth and followed his Father’s will in all things. What better example can we ask for?
I have a mixed response to this. I certainly see that Holiness needs to be seen as being like Jesus the MAN. Perfect in every way, yet without sin, despite experiencing the suffering and the temptation that we face.
On the other hand, Jesus encourages in the ‘Lords’ prayer to expect the Kingom to come and Gods will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. That holiness is making earth like heaven - bringing the divine into the human, maybe like it was always supposed to be?
Maybe heaven is like earth, but perfect?
I’m confused by your logic a little Dave. You say that “holiness is making earth like heaven - bringing the divine into the human.” This would suggest that heaven itself is divine.
Surely, heaven is the place where God’s perfect will is done at all times. Hence the call from Jesus that we should pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is what Kingdom living is all about, and therefore holiness. In this way we seek to emulate Jesus as the perfect example of how the kingdom of heaven is worked out in the life of humanity!
You’re right. bad choice of words.
It should be bringing the heavenly into the ‘ordinary’
I like the idea of holiness being about bringing the heavenly into the ordinary!