Holiness is back in fashion (or should be)

HB Warner is perhaps best known for playing druggist Mr. Gower in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but 19 years earlier he was cast by legendary director Cecil B. DeMille to play Jesus in the silent film ” King of Kings”. DeMille tied Warner to a contract that barred him from playing any role for five years that could damage his “holy” image in “King of Kings.” He wanted to avoid publicity that could negatively impact the film.

Warner was not allowed to play cards, go to ball games, swim, and ride in a convertible. During filming, DeMille had him transported in a car with the blinds drawn. On the way from the car to the set, he was forced to wear a black veil. He was not allowed to eat with the other cast members.

If DeMille hoped to bestow an aura of sanctity on Warner, he failed. The pressure of being Christlike without the vision of the beauty and appeal of such a life drove Warner over the edge. During production, he relapsed into his addiction to alcohol. It was the only way he knew to handle all the stress.

Cecil B. DeMille seemed to think that holiness was defined by the things a person does not do. The early 20th century mystic Evelyn Underhill corrected these notions when she wrote, “The true mark of…this finer and more abundant life…is not an abstraction from this world, but a return to it.” ; There is nothing noble in Christian holiness. He is more at ease in the slum, the street, the hospital ward.

Holiness – the very word has fallen into disuse in contemporary culture – has often been misunderstood, even by those who consider themselves holy. True holiness is, in Underhill’s words, “that finer and more abundant life.” Counterfeit holiness is unsightly and sterile.

True holiness, again in Underhill’s words, involves a return to the world. Rather than seeking to flee the world, the truly holy person is God’s agent of love in the world. Rather than withdrawing from others, the holy person is welcoming. Rather than being proud, which is the main mark of counterfeit holiness, the holy person is humble.

A critically important, yet often overlooked biblical passage that sheds light on what “this more beautiful and abundant life” is is found in Leviticus 19. Many people, some of whom are devout Christians, are completely unaware of this passage, which elucidates the divine commandment to be holy. If they read it carefully, they would come away with a different – ​​and more positive – understanding of holiness.

Leviticus 19 reveals what true holiness looks like in the real world. It does this by illustrating what it means to be God’s people in everyday situations, for example: in families; at work; in relations with the opposite sex; and with immigrants. These examples reveal how relevant holiness is in everyday life.

Christopher JH Wright sums up well the scope of holiness as described in Leviticus 19. He notes that holiness transforms and beautifies family life (vv. 3, 32). This impacts a person’s finances, especially through generosity (vv. 9, 10). It demands economic justice (v. 13). He shows compassion for people with disabilities (v. 14). These are all contemporary concerns. Who would have thought that an outdated concept like holiness could be so current?

There is more. Holiness involves judicial integrity at the societal level (vv. 12, 15). He calls people to show concern and compassion for their neighbors (vv. 16-18). He insists on sexual integrity (vv. 20-22, 29). He treats ethnic minorities with equality before the law, then goes beyond showing them practical kindness and compassion (vv. 33-34). It requires honesty in business dealings (vv. 35-36).

This is not what life is like in most communities, but it is what life would be like if people were holy – that is, if they lived as if they belonged to God. Of course, Christians claim to belong to God. Therefore, this is what their individual lives and life in their churches should look like.

Shayne Looper is the pastor of Lockwood Community Church in Branch County. Learn more at shaynelooper.com.

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