"I Will Be Sanctified"

"I will be sanctified. I will have My name appear to be holy. I will be made known unto My people, and to all the world, that I am a holy God."

Before any of the text of Jeremiah Burroughs can be enjoyed or gleaned from, there must be an agreement with and an adherence to this: I will demean and carry myself so as to hold forth my acknowledgment of God's holiness, so that by my carriage He may appear to be a holy God. If we do not actively sanctify the name of God, we will still be agents in the sanctifying if His name, but it will be through His judgment upon us.

The introduction gives us a heavy grasp on the circumstances of Nadab and Abihu. It is a swift and glorious reminder of God's resolve to be obeyed and respected above any human idea or good intention. Although a similar mode of execution has since not been witnessed, the point God makes is still every bit as pressing. This introduction to Gospel Worship has followed in my heart and mind throughout the course of the semester, impacting and influencing my reading of the text and my understanding of worship. The arguments and methods which Burroughs lays before us are worth nothing if we do not desire to actively (versus passively) sanctify the name of God. I desire to actively sanctify His name, so I have decided to work toward that end in all the particulars of my life.