“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11).
Jesus is the One who makes us holy. When we face the question of true holiness it is important to realize that Jesus, God’s holy One, makes us holy as well. He sets us apart exclusively as God’s property. He purchases us with His blood so that we are God’s possession and God Himself has claimed us as His own.
A striking note in this verse is that Jesus not only makes us holy but He identifies with us as His family members. The personal relationship with Him as His brothers and sisters lifts Christianity far above religion. It’s what we mean when we say that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship.
Another remarkable thought is that Jesus isn’t ashamed to call us family. “Ashamed” translates a Greek word that is associated with public ridicule and concern with what others think of us. Jesus is willing to stand beside us and acknowledge that we are his brothers and sisters without any concern about what others may think of that fact or what shape we’re in. That He makes the likes of us holy and part of His family is one of the amazing demonstrations of His grace toward us.
The mention of shame doesn’t make sense unless we take note of how far down Jesus had to come to be one of us. We didn’t qualify to get to Him so He, the King of kings, came to our level, lived and died to redeem us and embraced us when we were sinners, making us holy and bringing us into His family. My heart is continually overwhelmed by that kind of love.
