Holiness has to do with being set-apart and recognizably different. Being holy means people will notice you. Being holy means you will stand out in a crowd. It may be something as simple as not laughing at that dirty joke at work. It may be as simple as choosing your words carefully so they are a gift. It may show up when you go out on a date, but don't do what your date expects at the end of the night because that is reserved for marriage. Holiness get's people's attention.
So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the LORD your God. Keep all My decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the LORD who makes you holy. (Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT)
Israel was called to be holy. God had set them apart as God's chosen people. As they lived a life doing what God said was right, they were being righteous. As this separated them from the lifestyle of the world around them, they were becoming holy. Holiness is the result of righteousness.
Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. (Ephesians 1:4 NLT)
In the same way that righteousness is given to us as a gift, God also gives us holiness has a gift, too. God sets us apart from the pack. God says we are special. God sees us a perfectly righteous. Perfect righteousness is holiness.
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. (Romans 6:18-19 NIV)
Choosing to live a life or righteousness, then, also leads to a life of holiness. This is really important to understand because we are learning to lead people to God. We are learning how to empower people to walk together with God. These opportunities open up to us when people notice that we are walking together with God. This happens when we are holy.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:13-17 NIV)
God is perfectly, "Holy, Holy, Holy." The angels are singing it right now. Everyone in heaven knows it. Everyone on earth will eventually recognize it. We have the benefit of knowing it now. Since we are going to face a perfectly Holy God someday, we should strive to live a life worthy of being in the same room with God. We should strive to live holy.
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV)
We do this by removing sin from our lives and replacing it with righteousness. We do this by not giving in when we are tempted to stray. We do this by not backing down when people ask for reasons for our faith. Since the one who saved and called us is Holy, we should be holy in all that we say and do.
You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 NIV)
The Apostle Paul understood how important holiness and righteousness are in empowering others to walk together with God. They need to see something different in our lives as a result of God being in our lives. They need to know that we can live right with God, not just receive a gift of righteousness from God. They need to know that walking together with God is achievable, worthwhile, and good. They will see these things in us when we live a life that is holy.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14 NIV)
How about you? Are you holy as He is Holy? Through you, do people see the Lord?
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