5 Things You Should Know About Holiness
1. God’s holiness matters.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:3; see also Rev. 4:8). These were the words declared in heaven when Isaiah was brought before the Lord on His throne. Heavenly creatures stand in awe of God’s divine nature and incomparable purity. When we meet with the Almighty and perceive Him as He is, we respond in a similar way. Our depravity is exposed by the brightest of light (Isa. 6:5) and we are persuaded of the awful and certain judgment upon sin. Yet marvelously, and surely, a glorious salvation also proceeds from His holiness (Isa. 6:6–7).
Too often, however, God’s holiness seems inconsequential, a subject of little or no interest. When we are blinded by sin, His holiness appears to be of no concern. Nonetheless, God remains holy, and all His works are according to His holiness, including creation, salvation, and judgment. Whether recognized or not, His holiness matters for all because it will affect all, either in the repayment for sin when God brings judgment, or in the grace of His salvation through Jesus Christ, “the Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14).
2. Holiness is essential for salvation.
We need holiness both to walk with God and to prepare for His judgment. Our sinfulness means we cannot attain holiness by ourselves. But there is good news because God wills to share it and works it in us by His Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:16). At the same time, we must “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). This means improving on our holiness. God provides this too, but we are to actively seek God to do this work in us. We must aim to please Him, while He alone provides the will and power to do so (Phil. 2:12–13). This involves confessing our sin, turning away from it, and following the paths of God’s righteousness. In His Fatherly care for us, God has willed for His people to have a personal relationship with Him, where we may freely come to Him for all that we need. Although we often fail Him, we may take heart that He will complete the work He has begun (Phil. 1:6).
3. Holiness is at the heart of salvation.
God’s holiness has a central role in salvation, although this is often overlooked. In Christ, God’s holiness means both the revelation of our sin and salvation from sin. Importantly, God’s Word frequently assures that His holiness secures a Christian’s salvation (Isa. 6:1–7; Zech. 3; Rom. 5:10).
We are further assured that God’s holiness is at the heart of Christian salvation by Scripture’s accounts of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and the new birth. Psalm 16:10 refers to His holiness in life and death: “You will not . . . let your holy one see corruption.” His resurrection was “according to the Spirit of holiness” (Rom. 1:4). We are born again by God’s provision of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5–8). God’s holiness features in each of these vital points—indeed at every point—of our salvation. Through God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ, we may think of His holiness as our salvation.
4. Holiness is not being “holier than thou.”
The English expression “holier than thou” is used to describe a person who behaves in a morally superior fashion toward their neighbor. This is not holiness, but contrary to it. Holiness in a human is a matter of imaging God, who, as Jesus revealed, is “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). Christ, who is perfect in holiness, voluntarily took the lowest of places, being made a curse on the cross. For our sake He bore the shame of our sins. Faithfully following His teaching means taking a low place, not a high place, in relationship to others (Luke 14:10–11; 22:24–30; John 13:14–17; 1 Peter 5:6).
A “holier than thou” attitude is typical of self-righteousness. In Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9–14), the self-righteous Pharisee believed he was near God but considered himself morally superior to his neighbor. He thanked God that he was not like the tax collector, but it was the tax collector who went home justified, having asked God for mercy. Holiness does manifest itself through moral qualities, but it is as Christ exemplifies and taught, always with humility and never with spiritual pride.
5. Providence is designed to make Christians grow in holiness.
Since God’s revealed will is for His children to image Him in holiness, His providence is designed to provide this for us and enable us to grow in it. In His providence, He brings us to faith in Jesus Christ. In providence He chastises us for our sins so that we might share in His holiness. Although sore at the time, it leads to a harvest of righteousness (Heb. 12:10–11). He provides His Holy Spirit, His Holy Bible, and the church, which He calls holy, to provide and teach the way of holiness. God has even designed the week for our growth in holiness: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8). It’s a day He has made holy (Ex. 20:11). By observing what God says about the Lord’s Day, we gain strength for the week ahead and help as we edge nearer to seeing our Savior in the holy city that our heavenly Father is graciously preparing for us.
