God Calls Us to Be Holy and Bear Fruit - Numbers 5-6 and Mark 4:1-20

I know I have explained being holy many times, but it is so important. God does not use unclean vessels for His work very often. He desires for us to be holy, because being holy is the best possible life for anyone. As we read Numbers 5 and 6, it is easy to see this emphasis. The unclean people were put outside the camp, until they became clean. Those who sinned were commanded to make it right. There is even an extended passage on restoring trust to a marriage relationship. Why did God emphasize these things in Numbers 5? He was about to explain the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6. The Nazirite vow was a vow of holiness. The person made the commitment to be separated from the things of this world and gave himself totally to the Lord. However, the unclean could not do this. Those who were living in sin could not do this. A husband and wife who were not right with each other could not be right with God. Therefore, God was setting the stage for holiness. We all need to see the need for being clean and then, being holy.

Then, Mark 4 is the parable of the soils. It shows us without a doubt that God is looking for fruit. What kind of Christian bears fruit? The one who is clean and holy. The one who is given completely to God. The wayside, the stony ground, and the thorns all represent people who are not clean and holy. Their hearts are dirty and hard. There are other things that are more important than the things of God. However, when the Word of God is sown into the heart of a holy person, it bears much fruit. There is nothing to hinder the growth and the multiplication of the fruit. This is a wonderful picture for us all to consider today. How is your holiness and how is your fruit? They go together.

Tomorrow, I intend to read Numbers 7-8 and Mark 4:21-41.