Undefiled

Today Bobby talked about Daniel chapter one and Daniel’s adventures in going back to school. The crux of his teaching was about the beginning of verse 8: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” This was the perfect exhortation in going back to school, and I think it is necessary to be reminded of it often, because being humans we forget. For this blog I would like to just post as many pieces of Scripture as I can find that have to do with the perfection and holiness commanded of us. This is the impossible thing that the name of my blog calls you to, but I hope these verses will encourage you to strive for it nonetheless.

Here are the verses I’ve found in the order they appear in the Bible:

Genesis 17:1 - “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.”
Exodus 19:6 - “…And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
Leviticus 11:44 - “For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves…”
Leviticus 11:45 - “…You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
Leviticus 19:2 - “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”
Leviticus 20:7 - “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 20:26 - “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.”
Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2 - “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”
Deuteronomy 14:21 - “…you are a holy people to the Lord your God…”
Deuteronomy 18:13 - “You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. ”
Deuteronomy 26:19 - “…be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken.”
Deuteronomy 28:9 - “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.”
Matthew 5:48 - “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Luke 1:74-75 - “we…serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.”
Romans 12:1 - “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Romans 12:2 - “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:9 - “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
1 Corinthians 1:8 - “[Christ] will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3:17 - “For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are”
2 Corinthians 7:1 - “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Galatians 1:4 - “[Christ] gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father”
Ephesians 1:4 - “…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love”
Ephesians 4:24 - “…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 5:1 - “…be imitators of God...”
Colossians 1:28 - “…we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus”
Colossians 3:10 - “…put on the new man… according to the image of Him who created him”
Colossians 4:12 - “…you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
1 Thessalonians 4:7 - “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 - “Abstain from every form of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”
Hebrews 12:14 - “Pursue… holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”
James 1:4 - “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
1 Peter 1:15-16 - “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”
1 Peter 2:5 - “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood…”
1 Peter 2:9 - “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people”
Jude 24 - “[He] is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy”

On top of these I found countless references to the “mature,” “holy,” “righteous,” “blameless,” “perfect,” “pure in heart,” “new creation,” and those “being renewed” and “walking in newness of life” or “Spirit”, along numerous promises that God will be faithful to fulfill this righteousness. Examples of people who are called righteous in the Bible (holy, blameless, etc.) are: Abel, Abraham, Daniel, David, Jacob, Job, John the Baptist, Lot, the Prophets, Paul, and Zacharias among others.

Additionally, Ephesians 5:27 says Christ’s goal is “that He might present [the church] to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” and (Col 1:22) “present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight,” (1 Thess 3:13) “so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”

I think God is clear on this topic. Just remember what Christ said in Matthew 19:26: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."