Relevance or Holiness?

Ezekiel 44:1-46:24

It is really unimaginable to try to think about everything involved in Temple worship.

One thing that stood out to me today was how the Levitical priests were to treat their clothing:

When they return to the outer courtyard where the people are, they must take off the clothes they wear while ministering to me. They must leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes so they do not endanger anyone by transmitting holiness to them through this clothing. [Ezekiel 44.19]

When considering this, it is obvious there is a spiritual/physical manifestation of God capable of being transmitted to others. It is physical in that it is transmittable and it is spiritual in that it is holy (which, when combined with the physical, makes it deadly to un-holiness).

So, fast-forward to Jesus, the fulfillment of the Law, and the subsequent advent of the Holy Spirit.

If the presence of God (in the Temple and on the priests) was so deadly to un-holiness back then, what is the Holy Spirit to un-holiness today?

The work of Jesus the Messiah on behalf of normal people is not to be discounted! 

And I [Jesus] give myself as a holy sacrifice for them [the disciples and all who subsequently hear their message] so they can be made holy by your truth. [John 17.19]

What does this mean compared to the holiness spoken of in Ezekiel?

I think it means that those obedient to faith enjoy ALL the benefit of God's Holy Spirit including His power. I think it furthermore means that those who are NOT obedient to faith will NOT enjoy all the benefit of God's Holy Spirit including His power. Why would they if they are not 'believing'?

What concerns me is that the Church today is powerless. We 'say' we are believing, but we are laden with worldliness and faithlessness (both described throughout the Bible as situations God refuses to coexist with). We certainly go through the motions of having faith and holiness, but, unfortunately, the proof lies in the manifestations of faith and holiness in "mountains moving" and tangibly consecrated lives. 

The problem is that the Church today looks and acts just like the world to a large degree - even touting that it is "relevant" to the world. Jesus had no intention of being, or passing on, relevance to the world. He came to bring men to God in His holiness and righteousness - to lift mankind out of its relevance to the world and into blessed fellowship with God.

I don't think "relevance" is what the world needs from God and His people. We need holiness that comes form the blood of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Father, forgive me for all the filth in my life that repulses You and Your Holy Spirit. Forgive me for wanting to hold on to the world while reaching out to You. Forgive me for pursuing relevance when You demand only the righteousness of obedient faith.