Holy by Association
Colossians 1:2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Associations can make or break us, can’t they? If we know someone of position or wealth, we may be tempted to name drop, saying, “I know (insert name of popular or famous individual), we’re friends!” Our social standing is elevated and we have a measure of importance because of our connection.. We might even expect to receive preferential treatment or special access because of who we know. Our value in the eyes of others may increase, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of who we know. It becomes a point of pride and self-importance.
We’re also familiar with the phrase “guilty by association” and we fully understand what that means. Just by knowing someone and being in their presence when a wrong is committed can cause us to be guilty by association. Perhaps it’s a business partnership wherein one partner acts illegally.. The other partner is then ‘guilty by association’ due to the shared responsibility and benefits of that partnership. Guilt by association can stem from the actions of a friend, family member or group to which one belongs. We’re culpable not because of what we’ve done, but because of who we know. It becomes a point of disgrace and humiliation.
But holy by association? What does that even mean and how does that happen?
The Apostle Paul addressed this when he wrote to the church in Colossae,
Colossians 1:2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
What did Paul mean when he called these believers “God’s holy people”? Was it how they lived their life? Were they exceptionally spirit-led and sinless?
Strong’s Concordance says the word ‘holy’ or ‘hagios”, means a people who possess distinction because of a connection to God. They are sacred, pure, morally blameless and consecrated (1).
Did you catch that… a people who possess distinction because of a connection to God. If we are believers in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and we trust in Him alone for our salvation, we are holy by association. How amazing is that?! It’s only because of our connection to Him that we are spiritually set apart and recognized as God’s own. It’s not just because we know Jesus, but because Jesus knows us and claims us as His own. Nothing we do on our own could ever achieve this status. It’s only through Jesus. We are holy by association.
Scripture makes several references to this holy association.
Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
1 Corinthians 1:2 “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:”
Romans 1:7 “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 2:11 ”Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
Did you note that last verse? Both the one who makes people holy (Jesus) and those who are made holy (believers) are of the same family. Jesus is not afraid to call them/us brothers and sisters. We are holy by association.
That removes a whole lot of pressure to make ourselves ‘acceptable’, doesn’t it? It’s not up to us. We are chosen and made holy by the work of Jesus.
Friends, we need to take time to gain perspective. When we ‘name drop’ it should be the name of Jesus Christ, not to make ourselves more important, but to increase the fame of our Lord and Savior. When we truly understand that we are holy by association to God, we should respond in all humility, not pride, and remember that it’s only through Jesus that we have such a standing. We possess distinction because we are connected to God. We don’t have to make ourselves better, achieve a certain standing, or have an “A” list of friends in order to be recognized as holy. All we need to do is believe in Jesus and trust in Him for our salvation and redemption.
Today, let’s pray for our sons and daughters that they don’t fall into the trap of self-importance or faulty concepts of performance-based “holiness”. Pray that they would understand the immeasurable worth of their value in Christ Jesus- the One who makes them holy. Pray that they would practice humility in understanding the price of their holiness was gained through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus and the call to obey Christ. Finally, pray that they take their eyes off of human standards of connection and worth and lean into the Biblical definition of holiness as God’s chosen and dearly loved people.
Take time today to write out a prayer reflecting your understanding of holiness by association.
Pray without ceasing.
G40 - hagios - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g40/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Impressions
Deuteronomy 6:5-8 “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Did you ever notice your little one when they first woke up? Maybe they slept with their face against a favorite toy or on a patterned pillow and the lines of the fabric shown on their little faces. They looked funny and silly with wrinkles and lines embedded into their skin from pressing against that fabric. And when we got down on the rug to play with them our knees pressed into the carpet. We had fun, only to get up and realize the pattern of the weave impressed on our knees. Then there was the finger paint. Hands eagerly pressed into the paint and then pressed down onto the paper. The precious handprints were left behind, but the paint still clung to the skin and found its way into the cracks and crevices and under the fingernails. Despite washing up, the evidence of leaning into the paint was still present and visible. Oh, we can try and soothe the marks or scrub the paint away, but the impressions remain and they don’t fade quickly.
It’s much the same in our spiritual lives. You see, the things we lean into or rest upon leave an impression. What we choose to spend time with marks us and it starts to mold us to it, whether good or bad. Then others see the impact of our choices and where we’ve spent our time. The impressions don’t fade quickly. They remain for others to see.
Here’s a question for us as parents….What is it that we’re impressing on our children? On our grown sons and daughters? When they spend time with us, what is it that they carry away with them? Can they see that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength? Do they know that God’s word is so deeply impressed in our own hearts and minds that it marks us for everything else and that when anyone looks at us, they see the imprint of God on our lives? Do our sons and daughters bear the marks of fellowship with the family of God when they leave us to go to their own home?
Friends, the more we look around us, the more we see the beginnings of the end. We see wars and rumors of wars, we see people mocking God and living in lavish sin, openly and defiantly. We see believers being harassed and persecuted. We can’t be ‘fence sitters’ ; we must choose wisely and live intentionally. What we’ve chosen to rest in and lean into will leave an impression on us for the world to see. It will give evidence of which side we’ve chosen.. Is it leaving the impression of Christ or of the world? We can’t ‘do it later’. Time is running out. What example are we setting?
Oh friends, we spend a lot of time praying for our sons and daughters, as we should. But let’s not neglect praying for ourselves and for other parents. We need to stand with conviction and be an example of those who do not lean on their own understanding but trust in the Lord. We need to set the standard for our sons and daughters and in our walk, our talk and our lives, exemplify that we love the Lord our God with all of our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength. We will not compromise. We will not ‘talk the talk’ yet bear the impression of the world on our faces…and our hearts. How will our sons and daughters follow? Will they choose the impression of Christ or of the world?
“Father, Today I choose You. I choose to follow You, obey Your Word and live my life in a way that gives evidence to those around me that You are my Lord and Savior. I pray today that You would help me to “Trust in the Lord with all [my] heart and do not lean on [my] own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5) I pray for other parents today that You would strengthen them to stand firm. Lord, help each of us to impress Your commandments on our children. Let our conversations be pleasing to You and edifying to those who hear. Lord, let Your Word and Your Truth be what is impressed on each of our hearts and lives so that when others see us, they see the marks of Jesus. Keep us safe and unharmed by this world. Keep us from sin and from oppression by the enemy. I know that Satan would love nothing more than to destroy believers’ testimonies and disrupt families. Guard us Lord so that we can be salt and light in this world. Raise up the next generation to follow after You with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. May Jesus be glorified. In His name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.