Hollow or Holy

If something is hollow, it is empty inside. If the hollow object is a person, he is “lacking of significance or sincerity.” If an object is not hollow, it is solid or sound. This essay is about the kind of people it will take to restore the holy church of the first century. I say “restore” rather than reform, because an apostate church cannot be reformed; they choose to restructure instead, as the Christian Church did in the 1960’s.

Let me suggest that you look inside yourself and be keenly aware of what you see—or don’t see. You will know what is in your heart and life, whether you are empty or full, hollow or solid, lacking in significance and sincerity or sincere and fulfilled.

In my first essay in this new series, I asked you to accompany me in a quest for holiness and restoration. We must begin by looking inside ourselves to see if we are capable of such a task. We shall also look inside the church to see how far she has drifted from her original holiness. I have hope for individuals but I am not very optimistic about churches. Hosea was committed to the task of restoring Israel, but after consideration he said, “Since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer, can the Lord now pasture them like a lamb in a large field? Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone” (Hos. 4: 16, 17). So God left him alone and he was taken into captivity by Assyria. He will be no less severe with a stubborn unfaithful church. Like Hosea’s adulterous wife, who could not be restored, the church will have her way to the end and we, like Hosea, can do nothing about it. But we can restore the principles and the passion of the early Christians, and in doing so have a holy church in our time.

Scores of years ago President Lincoln, faced with a national crisis as we are faced with a church crisis, had some wise words that can be adapted to our situation. “It is...for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ... We here highly resolve ... that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom...”

You and I cannot go back to the first century to prevent the apostasy, we cannot altar history, we cannot change the post-modern church; but we can dedicate ourselves to the great task before us and highly resolve that, under God, there shall be a new burst of holiness that will fill hollow lives and result in a spiritual restoration. Why not a new birth of holiness! Holiness was a leading characteristic of the early church, but one hardly thinks of holiness as a characteristic of the post-modern church. It is far better to be holy than hollow. Most folk think about being healthy, happy, successful and secure, but how few give serious thought to being holy. People need holy models. One could do nothing better for his family, friends and church than to show them that the holiness of Christ still lives in sincere dedicated people. Why not do this for the sake of Christ? You will see others blossom as they come to know what you know and experience what you experience. This is not an impossible request that I make to you; it is the normal Christian life that you have longed for ever since you began your walk with Christ.

Isn’t it amazing what people stuff into their bodies and minds without the slightest thought as to whether it is healthful or holy? Obese people would have shapely bodies if they would control their eating. Obscene people would have healthy minds if they would stop feeding them the stuff that offends normal decency. Churches are either hollow or so stuffed with useless traditions and contemporary doctrine that they have no room for holy matters. They justify themselves to one another rather than safeguarding their justification before God. People are more concerned about relevance, progression and conformity than they are about restoration, soundness and sanctification. “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness’” (2 Tim. 2:19).

When we have submitted to the authority of Christ, welcomed the Holy Spirit into our lives, followed the Word of God as our guide and our conscience as our witness, and recognized our spiritual kinship with every blood-washed one, we will be holy rather than hollow, and a spiritual restoration will have begun.