Now we can give a definition of holiness. Holiness is God wrought into us. We have seen that holiness refers to the nature of God. Thus, holiness is a matter of having the divine nature wrought into our being to make us divine. When we become divine in this way, we are holy. God alone is holy. Everything else is common. Since only God is holy, for us to become holy requires that God be wrought into us. Therefore, holiness is the Triune God wrought into our being.
We have pointed out that the concluding word regarding the priestly garments in Exodus is related to holiness and righteousness. The plate of pure gold on the turban worn by the high priest was inscribed with the words “Holy unto Jehovah.” This declaration, this brand, was on the forehead of the high priest. It was on the golden plate worn as a crown, a blossom, and therefore we may say that holiness was exalted. That holiness is exalted as a crown indicates that holiness in divinity is exalted for glory. Furthermore, the high priest was covered with linen—with a linen turban, a linen tunic, a linen girdle, and linen breeches. This linen covering of the high priest signifies righteousness. Righteousness, which is related to humanity, is expressed as beauty. Holiness in divinity is exalted as glory, and righteousness in humanity is expressed for beauty. Therefore, today holiness is our glory, and righteousness is our beauty.
As our high priest, Christ is working to bring us all the way from the first stage of holiness to the fourth stage. God treasures this holiness, and Christ is guarding it.
In the Old Testament God gave the good land, the holy land, to His people. He charged them to labor on the land in order to have the harvest, the holy produce. God also required that the top portion of this produce be brought to His dwelling and offered to Him on the altar. Furthermore, from this top portion offered as a gift, God required that a certain part be separated absolutely for Himself. Particular parts of the offerings were for God. These were regarded not as sacrifices but as holy gifts. The sin offering and the trespass offering were sacrifices, but the meal offering, the peace offering, and the burnt offering were gifts, holy gifts offered to God. Of these gifts offered to Him, God kept part for Himself, and the remainder was for the priests. According to Exodus 28:38, the high priest was required to bear the iniquity of this part. This means that if anyone who was not qualified partook of it, Aaron was held responsible. This indicates that the high priest guarded the holiness that was in the fourth stage. God treasures the holiness that is absolutely for Himself, and Christ is working to safeguard it.
The holy land is indeed holy, but it is not absolutely holy. Likewise, the produce of the holy land and the top portion of the produce were for God, but they were not for God in an absolute way. Only that part of the top portion that was set apart fully for God was absolutely for Him. Because God treasures this, He charges Christ to guard and protect it. This means that Christ as the High Priest is safeguarding a portion of holiness for God’s satisfaction.