Holy and Profane by Pastor Walter Snyder A reader wonders, "I received the following questions from a friend. How should I answer? I don't want to give an answer that will turn him away from God. Please take a look at my planned replies and let me know where I am wrong." I'll include the reader's original responses as part of each question, then will follow up each with my own replies. Q1. What for you is the meaning of holy? ~Holy means whole and perfect, for which only God can qualify.~ A1. The full meaning of "holy" includes both the nature of God and that which He imparts or declares. The Hebrew word normally translated as holy can mean to cut, separate, or to stand apart. It is used of God, man, and of other objects and entities. It defines holiness as that which is apart from the normal, the commonplace, or the ordinary as well as being totally different from that which is tainted by evil. In the New Testament, the main word for holiness is used of God, but words denoting reverence, sacredness, or purity are also used of believers and the Church. Thus, while the hymn truly says of God, "Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee," God also says "Be holy, for I am holy (Lev 11:44)"; "You ... are ... a holy people (1 Peter 2:5)"; and "You are ... a holy nation. (1 Peter 2:9)" Q2. Do sacred and holy mean the same thing to you? ~No. Sacred is what is deemed by God as a treasure because it is connected with His holiness.~ A2. As noted in my first reply, while God calls us holy, this is only as we are defined by His Word according to His standards. Under normal use, your distinction is useable, especially as the Scriptures normally define the sacred. Sacredness is determined by outside standards alone; thus, God is holy of Himself while we are sacred to Him and such things as Scripture and Church are sacred both to Him and to us who believe in Him. Q3. What is the meaning of profane? ~Profane is that which is against God and His teachings. The Devil is profane.~ A3. Because of differences among languages, our word profane can translate words which mean either wicked and opposed to God or those things which have not been especially marked by God as sacred. Under this broader definition, things such as athletics, business, and many other human endeavors might be called profane because they are not necessarily directly sanctified by God. In this sense, we might use "secular" as a synonym. However, we more likely include the dimension of evil or ungodliness in our understanding of profanity. This is especially true of our use of language, where profane words are normally thought to be those of cursing, swearing, or blasphemy while the crude, "barnyard" words are normally considered vulgar. Q4. What for you is the holiest place on earth? ~There is no place on earth that is Holy because earth was corrupted by the Devil's works.~ A4. This, again, depends upon our definition of "holy." Yet even using a more narrow understanding, you could argue that the church building where God's word is proclaimed in truth and purity is holy. So also the altar, since it is the place of Holy Communion---where Christ our God and Lord is truly present in body and blood. Because we Christians eat and drink, so we are holy. This is why we are also declared to be temples of the Holy Spirit; that is, each believer is a "holy place" where God Almighty dwells. Q5. When you contemplate what for you is the holiest place on earth, does your definition of holy or of holiness change at all? Why or why not? ~No. Because only God is holy. Some places may be sacred if it is so deemed by God. For example when the Bible speaks about going into the Holy of Holies (God's innermost temple) it was because God was there. That is no longer the case because God removed himself from the holy of holies when the Israelites rejected Him.~ A5. As I noted above, God still maintains a sacramental presence upon earth, specifically locating Himself in order to bless His people. While there is no Holy of Holies in a physical temple, there are still the holy places where His Word is preached and His sacraments administered according to His command and because He is active in His salvific works, these places can be considered every bit as holy as the center of the Temple or the top of Mount Sinai. Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe." Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Ask the Pastor, © 2003 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others.