He is not here
The four most powerful words in the New Testament as far as I am concerned. Resurrection is the difference between the Church and the Rotary club. Think about it, both have speakers, both do good things for people, both filled with nice people, truly the difference is about the power available because of whom we serve. Because Jesus is alive we have hope, life, and a future. May we live today with that hope exuding from every pour in our body.
posted by Todd Nelson at 3/22/2005 08:57:00 AM
9 Comments:
I read this week that Good Friday was the holiest day of the year. That is it weren't for Good Friday there wouldn't be a Resurrection. After all it was on Good Friday that Jesus gave His life for our salvation.
I was always taught that the Resurrection was the holiest day of the year because that was the day that truly proved the Jesus was the Messiah. What do you think?
From my perspective, Good Friday shows God's love while Easter shows God's power. Of course there is not exclusivity in these days. God's power was definitely on display in the earthquake, darkness, and hearts being changed of the soldiers at the Cross. God's love was evident in how Jesus' resurrection was conveyed to the womenn who were so faithful in their service. As far as MORE IMPORTANT, the event has to be viewed in totality to gain its complete significance. Thanks for your input...what do you think?
A day being holier than another? I don't feel the term holy should be used for anything other than to describe God. A cannot possibly be holy. If you reference to the old testament, only one person was allowed in the 'holiest of holies'. This was once a year and after seven days of purification. We can't possibly identify anything of this world as being holy, other than Jesus Christ, Himself. As for one day being more important than another, well, we could go back thousands of years. If Jesus hadn't been born, He couldn't have been crucified. If David or Abraham weren't born. If Adam was never created or if he had never sinned. Does that mean that Adam and Eve's fall was a holy day because it set up our need for Jesus' birth, death and resurrection? Everyday is a day that we should look to God and thank Him, for giving us that day.
Let's take a closer look at the word "holy".
ho·ly ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hl)
adj. ho·li·er, ho·li·est
Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.
Regarded with or worthy of worship or veneration; revered: a holy book.
Living according to a strict or highly moral religious or spiritual system; saintly: a holy person.
Specified or set apart for a religious purpose: a holy place.
Solemnly undertaken; sacrosanct: a holy pledge.
Regarded as deserving special respect or reverence: The pursuit of peace is our holiest quest.
Informal. Used as an intensive: raised holy hell over the mischief their children did.
When the term "holy" is used to describe a day, it is meant that we "set it aside" or that it "deserves special respect or reverence". You are correct that "holy" defined as divine can only refer to Jesus. But that is only one segment of the definition.
Thanks so much for your input.
I don't want to sound like I am being degrading, I just think that we should use the bible as our guide, not the secular dictionary of today's society. The dictionary was written centuries after the bible. Some of the words we define today are different than the way they were used in bible times. For example, some people use the word 'divine' to describe candy or food or even a persons nature or character. Just as you have stated about the word 'holy'. But I would say those are words meant, in the bible, for greater reasons than to describe a person or a food. I am not saying it is wrong to use the dictionary. But I think if we are to be the followers of Christ that we claim to be, then we need to live our lives outside of the way this 'liberal christian' world expects us to.
While I defintely respect your passion, I am not grasping how using a dictionary makes one liberal? A dictionary helps to compile the various uses of a particular verb. Words themselves are not divine, they are markers from which we can understand reality.
Context is the key in my opinion.
For instance: NRS Hebrews 9:8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent(1 )is still standing.
BGT Hebrews 9:8 tou/to dhlou/ntoj tou/ pneu,matoj tou/ a`gi,ou( mh,pw pefanerw/sqai th.n tw/n a`gi,wn o`do.n e;ti th/j prw,thj skhnh/j evcou,shj sta,sin(
[UBS] a[gioj, a, on set apart to or by God, consecrated; holy, morally pure, upright; oi` a[gioi God's people; to. a[Å or ta. a[Å the sanctuary (He 9.1, 25; 13.11); superl. a`giw,tatoj most sacred (Jd 20)
Agios is the greek word meaning holy AND sanctuary. In this text the word holy is used to name God's Spirit and the translation of Sanctuary is used to name a "place". Same word, different context and therefore usage.
I know this has been a long winded response, and I hope it helps us all to understand a little better.
Referencing the definition of "holy", in today's dictionary.
We shouldn't worship the bible, we should worship the One True God, who wrote it. We shouldn't worship the cross or its meaning, we should worship our Savior who died on it.
The bible itself is not holy. The scriptures, being written by God, are holy. We shouldn't place the bible on a high pedestal, but the light and truth of the words inside should be placed in our hearts as holy. The things of this world (the bible) will pass away. But His Words will last forever.
We should not bow down to a cross or a picture of Jesus. We should kneel down before our God in heaven and pray to Him, for He is holy.
No man on this earth is holy. Not the pope or any pastor or priest. God tells us in the bible that "All people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23
There is no holy place in the bible except the holy of holies, which was done away with at the coming of the New Covenant.
There is not a holy pledge or quest mentioned in the bible either. The Lord's prayer was not considered to be holy, but just an example of how to pray.
As children of God, we should love our God and all that He is. We shouldn't put so much emphasis on material things or events. We should love God just as much today as we show that we do on Easter or Good Friday. Let's actually love God with all our heart, mind and soul, and let us do it everyday of the year.
I apologize if I sound rude. That is not my intention. I don't want to argue the meaning of a word. Some day I will see you in heaven because we have accepted the gift that God freely gave to us. We can talk more at that time. Until then, my brother, may God bless you and your ministry and touch the lives of all those you have reached.
I take you as neither rude or unreasonable. Our methods may be different, but our goal is exactly the same. May God bless you.
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