A Walk Through the Bible - Part 3 - 3.15.26

Joshua Boyd

A Holy God - A Holy People

The Bible is God’s story (His story), and its truths still apply to us today.

One of the clearest themes throughout Scripture is this:

God is holy.

What Does “Holy” Mean?

The word holy simply means:

• Set apart
• Dedicated
• Separated for God’s purpose

Holiness isn’t about halos or perfection.
It’s about being separated from what contaminates and dedicated to God.

From the very beginning, God established separation.

Creation

• God separated light from darkness (Genesis 1).
• This becomes a spiritual pattern later in Scripture:
  Light and darkness are not meant to mix.

God’s Plan to Restore Holiness

Because God is holy, sin cannot exist in His presence.

Sacrifices

Under the Old Covenant:

• Bulls and goats were sacrificed.
• Blood covered sin.
• People could approach God again.

These sacrifices didn’t disappear with Jesus.

Instead, Jesus became the final and eternal sacrifice.

The Pattern of Holiness in Israel

God restored humanity step by step by separating a portion to make the whole holy.

The Pattern

1. One man – Abraham
2. One nation – Israel
3. One tribe – Levi
4. The priests
5. The High Priest

Each level represented greater separation and dedication to God.

The Tabernacle – A Pattern of Heaven

The earthly tabernacle wasn’t random.

Hebrews 8:5

The tabernacle was a copy and shadow of the heavenly reality.

The Principle of the Holy Portion

A consistent biblical principle is:

When a portion is made holy, the whole is blessed.

Examples:

Tithing

Leviticus 27:30

The first 10% belongs to the Lord.

Setting it apart makes the rest blessed.

The Sabbath

Exodus 20

God set one day apart as holy.

Keeping one day for God blesses the rest of the week.

Firstborn Dedication

In the Old Testament, the firstborn child was dedicated to God, symbolizing that the entire family belonged to Him.

The same principle applies when we dedicate our children today.

Holiness in the New Covenant

Through Jesus, holiness is no longer limited to Israel.

Anyone who believes in Christ can now be called God’s holy people.

The apostles repeatedly addressed believers this way:

• Romans – “Called to be His holy people”
• Corinthians – “God’s church… called to be holy”
• Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians – “God’s holy people”

Holiness is no longer tied to nationality—it’s tied to faith in Christ.

A Holy People in the World

Christians are called to live set apart, but not removed from the world.

Living as God’s Holy People

Holiness isn’t perfection.

It’s choosing daily to set ourselves apart for God.

When we honor what God has called holy, He blesses the whole of our lives.

Final Challenge

Just as Paul wrote to believers across the ancient world, the same message applies today.

To the holy people of God:

• Stay strong in a weak world.
• Stay faithful in a disloyal culture.
• Keep God’s Word as the highest truth in your life.

God is holy.

And through Christ, He has called us to be holy too.