Understanding true holiness

The message below was originally an article I wrote, and then it developed into a message I preached/taught in our home church I was pastoring. Today, I felt inclined to resubmit it again, with slight revisions, in written format. I hope it speaks to you. As I studied and prepared it back then, my own understanding of God's expectations, and my concept of holiness took on new meaning. I'd love to hear from you!

-David

Holiness is not an option

It’s been said that you must pray to be holy, but it’s possibly even more true that you must be holy to pray.

The word "Holy" is mentioned in the Old Testament over 500 times, and in the New Testament, over 100 times.
The word "Holiness" is mentioned in the Bible 43 times.
The word "Sanctification" is mentioned in the Bible 70 times.

God inspired all the writers of scripture throughout 1600 years to include these words in the Scriptures.
Yet, some churches and believers are intimidated and even angered by these words.
Some pastors never preach on these subjects.
Some Christians become defensive as soon as these words are mentioned.
Yet God Himself ordained that these topics should be the longed for and he expects it of His people.

I am compelled to discuss the necessity of personal holiness.

God has called us "unto HOLINESS" -1 Thessalonians 4:7
"He hath chosen us...that we should be HOLY and without blame before him in love.." - Ephesians 1:4
God commands us: "Be ye HOLY even as I am…" 1 Peter 1:16
Holiness is required for admittance to Heaven..
"Follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which no man can see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

"That He might present it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing: but that it should be HOLY and without blemish.." Ephesians 5:27

Hebrews 12:14 Follow after peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which, no man shall see the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto HOLINESS.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting HOLINESS in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.

Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

James 4:4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:17 Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you...

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even our sanctification (purification, holiness), that ye should abstain from fornication that everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.

3 John 11 Follow not that which is evil.

Psalm 97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil..

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie. (enter into what? The city of God)

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every verse mentioned above, and numerous others that I didn’t mention makes mention of “holiness” or the word “holy” – sometimes indirectly or implied.

I want to show you that for the Christian, the act of being made holy (salvation) by the sacrifice of Jesus’ own blood and body and our faith in Him, and the act of perfecting and pursuing holiness on our part go hand in hand.

The holiness of God, and the holiness required by God are intimately linked together in the Greek and Hebrew.

puritan William Gurnall

“Say not that thou hast royal blood in thy veins and art born of God,”
“unless thou canst prove thy pedigree
by daring to be holy.”

Holiness is broken down this way - The word in many of the references above, as a descriptive definition of God describing Himself comes from the Greek word “qâdâsh”, meaning “cut off” or “separate” or even “otherness” (which means odd or strange). By applying that to who God is, it means He is unique – there is none like Him. Everything about Him is different from everything else He has made.

In the other references, the word holy is used meaning sacred, pure, blameless, but it also means consecrated, which means separated.

So, if you use this description of Himself, and compare it to his commandment for us to “be holy as He is holy” (1Pet 1:16; Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7) then it has not just to do with perfection, but has as much to do with meeting His expectations. If God is cut off, separate, unique, and there’s nothing like Him that’s ever been created, then that’s exactly what He expects us to be. Of course, this was originally an expectation He put on His chosen people, the Israelites (the Jews), but since we are given the honor of being grafted in (adopted) to that relationship, it is no less an expectation for us as well. As God’s adopted children, we should be cut off from the world, separate from other people, unique and should not resemble anything else He has created (meaning people who don’t know Him).

Considering this understanding of the word holiness, and putting it all together to apply it to our lives, it really has nothing to do with “doing things to attain anything” in the sense of legalism, (because we know that to be “holy” or blameless and pure is impossible without a perfect atoning sacrifice, and that’s Jesus) but it does have everything to do with what we do, how we do it, why we do it, in order to prove who we are in relation to God. To call ourselves Christians is to be a separate people with a notable, obvious difference about us, which proves we are who we say we are. It’s part heart and part obedience. We obey and appear to be something different than those around us because there’s been a heart change in us. That’s holiness! It’s actually a beautiful understanding when it all comes together!

The holiness provided us by Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection creates the holiness of lifestyle in us as proof of what He did for us.

So, apply this understanding of holiness back to someone who makes the claim to be a Christian, but whose life doesn’t reflect that they are different or unique from those around them. There’s just no denying it – a heart change MUST mean a life change. A refusal to change points back to a lack of heart change.

Nowhere are we given a license to sin or hang onto certain areas of worldliness at all. Some people call that “grace”, but it’s not! Applying holiness in the way we’ve discussed actually gives us even greater responsibility to make sure our lives meet up to His expectations – and it is possible – by a combination of the Spirit and the fire of God in us, and by an act of our will and discipline.

Given a free will and the ability to choose right from wrong, we certainly have the opportunity to either live “holy” or not. When we supposedly “slip” and curse or get depressed and drink, watch filth, lie, compromise in some way, it’s done totally out of our own free will – we weren’t forced to do it, and we have to take the blame. That being the case, why should he not expect better from us if we have the ability to do it?

In summary:

I. Why do I believe you can lead a holy life (not a legalistic life)?

1. Because God commands it, would He ask something of us that was not possible?
2. Because our High Priest is holy and He is ever interceding for us and praying that we be perfected in holiness.
3. Because the Holy Spirit who is supposedly living in us, is by name and by His very nature holy. He will lead us in ways of righteousness and holiness.

II. Why is it important?

1. (1Peter 1:10-16) Because we are part of the time period which will experience the glories that would follow the sufferings of Christ. Our participation in these glories come at a price – obedience (holiness). Glories = dignity, honor, praise, worship
2. (vs. 11,12) These glories serve to glorify God in the eyes of unsaved men, but only if they can’t accuse us.

I invite everyone to ask God to search your hearts. Does your life prove that you are one of His children? Does your life cause you or others who know you to question your salvation experience? Is He calling you to a deeper relationship with Him?

Do you have His Spirit dwelling in you and does He possess you? Have you experienced Him in a way that Jesus and the apostles spoke of? Has He baptized you and filled you? Do you have the fire of God in you working in you? Do you know Him in a way that compels you to live in such a way that pleases Him? If not, then much of what you do will be done out of legalism. You will find yourself striving and working for something you can’t attain or maintain.