It is about something that always is

NORSK
Since I believe in God, I also believe that he is eternal and holy. The logical conclusion of this belief is that holiness always “is” – like God always is. The first human beings were holy because they were created in the image of God, but then came the fall. The only “new” thing on the divine arena, is that men can be “new” creatures in Jesus Christ (1) – and stay “new”.

For this reason I also realize that what I write about holiness is nothing new, apart from the fact that holiness is always new. Even though the focus I have had on the ‘other’ trinity is a concept I have never used before, everything I have tried to cover with the concept has been the focus of many others:

• John Wesley proclaimed that: There is no holiness, but social holiness. This truth is covered in one of his standard sermons which in many ways define his and the Methodist movement’s understanding of holiness (2).
• William Booth wrote about “salvation for both worlds” and that we are called to communicate and make both things real (3).
• When I was growing up, I very often heard officers quote Colonel Ingeborg Bödtker who always challenged with this exhortation: “Live in the angle, comrades!” at the same time as she raised one arm up to God and the other one towards her neighbour as an illustration.
• I do not know how old the motto is, but it was definitely revitalized by General Eva Burrows: “Heart to God and hand to man” (4). It does not work well in all languages, but it is part of the foundation in the understanding of the Salvation Army’s mission in Eastern Europe.

All this is about living as a one of the three in the ‘other’ trinity. I think that is how God also sees it. It is this that makes holiness holiness, and makes it into something that human beings can grasp with spirit, soul and body.

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness “is”, God “is”, and I “am” in him.

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(1) 2 Cor 5:17
(2) ”No Holiness But Social Holiness” is linked to the exposition of – Matt 5:13-16 - in “Upon our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount” IV – Sermon XIX – i “Wesley’s Standard Sermons”Vol. I – Francis Asbury Press – Grand Rapids – 1955 s. 382
(3) The third aspect of Booth's redemptive theology was what he called, in an 1889 article, “Salvation for Both Worlds.” The Booths always preached personal salvation by faith in Christ; that commitment never dimmed. Nevertheless, by 1889 William especially was convinced that salvation also had social dimensions.
(4) The motto illustrated in a song

It is about rejoicing

NORSK
For a couple of days I have focused on the burden of a suffering world and of God’s presence. Some will may be question that I label God’s presence and glory as a burden, but it has biblical origin:

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Cor 4:17

Paul is literally writing about a “burden of glory” (1). This burden is noticeable when we walk together with him even on this side of eternity. Therefore, we do not only take part in his pain, but also in his rejoicing and singing:

The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.
Zeph 3:17

God is not only a god who suffers with us. He rejoices both over us and with us, and we with him. This is also part of the true way of holiness. If joy, rejoicing and singing are not parts of holiness, holiness is just a concept at not any longer holiness. Such 'holiness' has removed itself from both God and the world, and therefore broken away from the ‘other’ trinity, and has become nothing but a pious ritual. 

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness is also about rejoicing!

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(1) Greek: baros doxes (βάρος δόξης) – the same word for burden is used several times in NT e.g. like in the parable about the workers in the vineyard who complained: “(We) have borne the burden of the work…” Matt 20:12

It is about a yoke

NORSK
The Bible uses an image that is likely to have passed the expiry date. I should therefore have chosen another image when I continue my reflections on the ‘other’ trinity, but the image of the yoke is so suitable. The verse is well known to Bible-readers:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matt 11:29-30

I thought about this image when I yesterday wrote about sharing God’s pain. I envisaged two variants of the yoke:

• The first is the tandem-yoke. It was e.g. used by a pair of oxen. It suits the idea of the sharing of a burden of alleviating a hurting world.
• The second variant, the bucket-yoke, is also a beautiful image. In one bucket I carry a small piece of human suffering, while I in the other feel the burden of God’s presence. The burden of his presence levels out the burden of the suffering, and creates a balance that makes the total burden lighter. It was this thought that made such a strong impact on me one week ago in Athens: Again I saw how the burden of God’s presence, made it possible to go into a hurting world – because we will never go alone. This is the function of the ‘other’ trinity: The closer a disciple is drawn to the needs in the world, the closer he will be drawn to the heart of God. That is why this is the way of holiness where I "find rest for my soul".  

‘Manna’ for today:

His yoke is easy!

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It is about the 'other' trinity

NORSK
I will return to the image of the triune temple, but need to be reminded about the fact that holiness also belongs to another trinity:

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is about my relationship with God and the world. Among many important things, his prayer tells me that I am not any longer “of” the world, but he wants me “in” the world. Further it tells me that it is God’s plan that I should be ‘Jesus’ in the world today.

“Our faith is a Trinitarian faith. It can only be understood in terms of our relationship with God and the world in which God has placed us. From Genesis to Revelation faith is never to be understood nor expressed in isolation to the world in which that faith is to be lived out. This raises a perspective that is important for us to consider. Our relationship with God is intrinsically linked to our relationship with the affairs and concerns of the community of this globe. The moment we isolate one aspect from the other we violate the holistic nature of our faith” Phil Wall writes (1).

I want to keep this holistic perspective in my mind all the time, because the function of holiness is to influence the world. This is important when I start to divide the different parts. I must never forget the big picture.

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness is about the big picture!

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(1) In “’I’ll Fight…’ Holiness at War” 1998 p. 49