Set Apart

Scofield Foster | Jan 31, 2021

Study Guide

Holiness is not merely the absence of sin—it is the presence of something other-worldly and utterly distinct. As God’s children, we are called to live uncommon lives, transformed and recreated by the work of Jesus Christ. And as we live in a way that reflects God’s holiness, we tell the story of his redemption to the world around us.
Application

  1. What does it look like for you to be captivated by God’s holiness? What habits in your life need to change in order for you to pursue knowing God fully through his Word?

  2. Have you had an Isaiah moment? If so, what prompted you to realize that you were a sinful creature who needed God to do a work in your life? How did your Isaiah moment change the way you viewed God and yourself?

  3. When we become too rooted in the world, we abandon our identities as creatures and try to manage our own sin. When did you last confess sin to God? To someone else? How can you make that a normal part of your Christian experience?

  4. What does it look like for you to pursue an uncommon life? What areas of your life is God convicting you to move in so that you can live in such a way that appears utterly distinct and different from the world?

Key Points

  • We were created and recreated to be holy—set apart by God. However, many of us think of holiness merely as the absence of sin. Rather, holiness is the presence of something uncommon, distinctive, and utterly unique.

  • God is radically distinct from us as creatures. He is the uncreated One in a category all his own. This is why we worship him and not ourselves.

  • When we get a glimpse of who God really is, it brings stability to our souls. We realize his sovereignty over the universe and can rest in his control.

  • Isaiah’s encounter with God transformed how he viewed himself. He realized that he was both a creature and sinner. We must likewise seek to encounter God so he can orient us to reality.

  • Part of growing in holiness is regular confession of sin—this should be part of the Christian experience.

  • Our pursuit of holiness is a response to the fact that we’ve been made objectively holy. It is not a performance to earn holiness—it is an outpouring of a grateful heart.

Other Scripture References

1 Peter 1:16

Leviticus 19:2

Job 38-41

Hebrews 10:14

1 Peter 2:9

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-7

Topics: Holiness, Redemption