In Koine Greek, spot is “spilos”,; a blemish that mars or disfigures the face. It can imply shame or disgrace. In Hebrew, “ketem” is the common word for stain or spot; metaphorically, it stands for sin or shame.
Introductions
A spot is a blemish, an imperfection, a taint on character or reputation, etc. The Old Testament sacrificial animals were expected to be without spots or wrinkles before they could be an acceptable sacrifice to God.
The spots are the bodily deformities, and the wrinkles are the imperfections of ageing. The perfection of these animals metaphorically pointed to Christ, the perfect sacrificial lamb of God.
The Old Testament Covenant made by Yahweh (God) with the children of Israel was several times referred to as a marriage covenant. Jesus Christ took this over and referred to Himself as the Bridegroom. Apostle Paul affirmed that God’s children are espoused or betrothed to Christ in 2 Cor. 11: 1-3.
The Marriage of the Century
The world woke up in July 1981 to a unique marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, which some have called the marriage of the century, which was allegedly watched by a global television audience of 750 million in 74 countries.
Television networks’ colour commentators described the “glory and beauty” of the bride, Diana.
Her hairstyle, royal gown, her retinue, her shoes, ornaments, flowers, and her royal carriage were breathtaking. Unfortunately, this marriage lasted for 15 years only.
Yet it is noteworthy that if an ephemeral marriage can be so beautiful, how about the Royal Marriage of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Bride? This marriage has been described by the Psalmist in Psalm 45 1-17.
Christ’s Royal Marriage
The above Psalmist, the writer’s mind is boiling over because of the strange, incredible things that he saw with the eye of his spirit as revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. (Psalm 45:1).
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Great King and the man of war, is now in His full military regalia, standing with His sword strapped to His thigh and waiting for His bride. Ps. 45: 3-5, 9.
The Bride, His Queen, the Church of God, appears in gold of Ophir (vs 9) ,the purest gold known in those ancient times. We are told that the Bride is glorious within.
It is an inner beauty, an inner glory, not the externalities of the likes of Prince Charles and Diana. Here we are talking of HOLINESS. Jesus is presenting the Bride to Himself, without spots, without wrinkles.
Holiness
Holiness is the very essence of God; it is what He is made of. Of all the attributes of God, Holiness is unique. All the other attributes of God are encapsulated in holiness.
As white is to the various colours of the rainbow, so is Holiness to all other attributes. Two things stand out before us when we talk of God’s holiness they are the power and the beauty of God.
Note that Holiness is a hundred per cent power and a hundred per cent beauty. It is the only attribute of God referred to as being beautiful. The Bible says, “Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness”. Ps. 29: 2; 2 Chr. 20: 21.
Holiness connotes all that is distinctive and transcendent in the nature and character of God. Holiness has been referred to as “The Godness of God”; it is everything that sets God apart from man.
Every member of the Trinity has been addressed as Holy, the infinite superiority of the Trinity over mankind.
This is what makes Him the object of worship, awe, and reverent fear. It denotes perfect purity and uprightness, standing in contrast to the unrighteousness and uncleanness of man, thus attracting God’s inflexible retributive reaction to God’s wrath and judgment. Worship has been described as no more than honouring God’s holiness
The Power of God’s Holiness
Charles Spurgeon says, “When the most spiritual and sanctified mind perceives the Majesty and Holiness of God, they see the great disproportion between them and God and are humbled and filled with holy awe and even with dread and alarm”.
W Tozer declares that “When we talk of God’s Holiness, we have the problem of intellectual grasp and also a sense of personal vileness”.
The Holiness of Man
Please let us understand that in the whole world, the only holy man who ever appeared on earth is our Lord Jesus Christ. Outside Him and His Father, holiness does not exist. The holiness of man is only possible by having contact with God through Christ.
In the Old Testament, the temple was holy because of God’s presence in the holy of holies (the holiest place). Jerusalem was called the holy city because of the Temple in it.
God’s holiness is both sweet and dangerous. Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, lost their lives because of God’s holy presence in the Mosaic Tabernacle. Lev 10:
1-2. Uzzah died by touching the ark. 2 Sam 6 6-8. God also came down in fury in Nahum 1 3-6. Moses was warned by God not to come close, but he should remove his shoes because the ground he stood on was holy; God’s presence was there. Ex. 3: 4-5.
Today, many church ministers are messing up in God’s sanctuary and remain alive because they are not in the proximity of the Holy One.
Positional Holiness
Man becomes holy after receiving Christ as his Lord and Saviour because the Holy Spirit moves into him. This is positional holiness; that is, holiness that is imputed unto him.
The bride of the Lord, the body of believers, must be sanctified by Christ the Groom, cleansed with the washing of water by the word, presented to Christ by Christ as a Church full of Christ’s glory without spot or wrinkle. Every regenerated child of God receives all the above graces.
Experiential Holiness
However, positional holiness must be followed by experiential holiness as we work out our salvation by fear and trembling. Phil. 2: 12-13. Here we work out or live out the life of Christ, so that the Holy Spirit is working in us. Phil. 2: 12-13.
We are Christ’s workmanship, created in Him for good works. Eph. 2:10. Just as Jesus went about doing good, we must live out the life of Christ that is deposited in us.
Your Holiness Is Your Beauty
Jesus Christ, the Groom in the Song of Solomon says to His bride, “Thou art fair (beautiful), my love; there is no spot in thee”. SOS 4 7, KJV. See this repeated in SOS 4 1. Child of God, what is Jesus admiring in you that He is so full of excitement about, admiring your beauty?
It is because when He looks at you, He sees Himself in you. This is why some demonic-possessed people cannot look you straight in the eyes because they see Christ’s flaming eyes through your eyes.
God Is Awesome
The Seraphims cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts”. Is. 6: 3. The thrice-repeated “holy” is the Hebrew idiom which is said to be more than the superlative. God is hyper-superlative.
He is surrounded by unadulterated burning holiness so intense that even the Seraphim cover their faces to shield themselves from Him.
The Bible says of the Father of our Lord, Jesus, “Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light no one can approach; whom no one has seen nor can see … ” 1 Tim. 6: 16.
False Prophets and Teachers
Apostle Paul identified some false prophets and teachers as the personification of spots and blemishes. 2 Peter 2 1-3; 13-15. He calls them cursed children who engage in sexual sins, covetousness, and corruption,
Keep Yourself Unspotted
Apostle James, the half-brother of our Lord, suggests ways to keep ourselves from the worldly spots. One of the ways is to bridle the tongue. Man has succeeded in controlling and subduing many things to their advantage, but nobody can tame the tongue. James 3: 1-10. He called the tongue a small body part that can set the entire nation ablaze.
Conclusion
Child of God, we have received from the Lord Jesus Christ all that we need to walk with Him in holy life and godliness without spots and wrinkles all the days of our lives. We shall not fail, we shall not falter, we shall not fall, and we shall not fumble in Jesus’ name. Remain blessed. You can read more similar posts on our Bible teaching page of the site.
