September 13

Read: Luke 24:25-27

Beginning at Moses and the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27).

Holiness In The Old Testament

In our search for the truths of Christian holiness can the Old Testament help us? Or must we confine our study to the clear light of New Testament revelation?

The light is certainly clearer in the New Testament. If the Old Testament had been adequate there would have been no need for the better revelation of the New. At the same time there is no truth clearly revealed in the New Testament that is not foreshadowed in the Old. In our scripture for today Jesus pointed out New Testament truth from Old Testament sources. God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

Where God has revealed a partial truth He has thrown some light on the whole truth. The basis for man’s holiness is to be found in the character of the God revealed in this Old Testament commandment: “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).

The holiness teaching in the Old Testament was not as clear to the: men who first received it as it is to us today. Without the full revelation in Christ we would see it no more clearly than did they. But God has given us a clearer under, standing. In the light of our Lord’s promise to send the Holy Spirit upon His people, these half-visible truths of earlier revelation shine clearly like phosphorescent signs at night. Holiness is taught in the Old Testament.

Prayer For Today

O Holy Spirit, Thou Guide to all truth, give me eyes to see and a deep desire to accept the truth from Thy Word, wherever that truth may appear.