You don’t need to earn God’s approval, but you do need to walk like Jesus. This is what real holiness looks like.
Does the thought of being holy seem like an unattainable goal? Is this something that you even aspire to daily or at all? You’re not alone…
Some might feel that the ONLY person who can claim to be holy is God, arguing there is a fine line between trying to be holy vs. trying to be perfect, which could lead to a “working your way into Heaven” mindset. Yet we see God Himself say, “I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44-45, which was a stunning proclamation considering all the laws of purification that were mandated in the book of Leviticus to even approach the Holy of Holies in God’s Tabernacle. God was training them up in how to be holy, not how to approach holiness, ie, “get into Heaven”.
The word holy is defined as “dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred.” When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we dedicated ourselves to the Lord, at which time the Holy Spirit sealed us to our eternal reward. At that moment, we were consecrated to God, set apart for His purpose, declared holy. But our pursuit of holiness doesn’t end there…
Fast forward to the New Testament and Jesus’ time here on earth. He was called Teacher because He taught us how to be His disciples, which is the essence of a call to holiness. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-39 The nature of our conduct showcases our holiness or lack thereof. Holiness is defined as: the state of being holy. “a life of holiness and total devotion to God”.
Now that we have a better understanding of what it means to be holy and what living in holiness actually looks like, let’s see how we can apply that understanding practically to our daily lives.
Holiness vs. Works Righteousness
There is a difference between works that lead to holiness and works to earn a right standing with God…
Recently, through social media, I came upon a man who is chronicling his journey since giving his life to Christ. He begins each segment by stating, for example, “Day 20 since becoming a Christian”. During the reel, he typically shares about the different churches and denominations he has visited that week and his interpretations. After about three months of searching, he settled on a denomination known more for a works righteousness mindset. I found it interesting that he felt so comfortable there. He even said he likes a denomination that “tells him what to do”. I think a works righteousness bent is common for people because even though they are being “told what to do,” they still feel they have a part in their salvation, making them feel in control. Yet the Apostle Paul tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”. Ephesians 2:8-9
Holiness, however, is a life that produces the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is a natural outpouring of constant communion with the Holy Spirit through prayer and time in the word. Certainly, difficult people and circumstances will confront us. Without having the discipline to immediately ask the Holy Spirit for grace in times of need, we won’t produce holy fruit, but will instead respond like the world. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age”. Titus 2:11-13
In prayer, whether in the moment or preemptively, let’s draw upon the unending flow of grace that is ours through Christ Jesus. It is the only way to pursue holiness humbly. Otherwise, by trying to become holy in our strength, we will have turned it into a works righteousness endeavor. The great Martin Luther was in constant torment as he tried to work his way into holiness, which frustrated him. He was freed of this torment when he truly understood the grace that comes through the great gift of Jesus’ sacrificial death. Instead of working, he relied on the Holy Spirit to work through him.
Becoming holy isn’t difficult when we remove our own efforts from the equation and seek the Lord in all that we do.
Imitating Christ
Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:6
The late 1990s and early 2000s, the What Would Jesus Do? movement swept across Christian circles. Believers would wear a rubber bracelet with the inscription “What Would Jesus Do?” as a tangible reminder of how to act or make decisions based on Jesus’ teachings and the example He set in the Bible. This concept originated from Charles Sheldon’s 1896 book, In His Steps, which encourages Christians to conduct themselves according to Christian values and to imitate Christ. I have read the book, and it is indeed an excellent practical guide for pursuing holiness through modeling Christ’s behavior. As for the bracelets, some of us could benefit from a tangible reminder to seek the Lord before speaking or acting.
However, I will ALWAYS point a Believer to the Bible first and foremost. The fact of the matter is, how could you know what Jesus would do if you don’t even know Him? The best practical application for imitating Christ is to know Him through the study of the word and time in contemplative prayer. We are much more open to the Holy Spirit’s prompting when we put both disciplines into action. “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left”. Isaiah 30:21 He will convict you; He will bring Scripture to mind; He will guide you, and He will show you how to respond in certain situations.
Remember, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our “Helper”. Let Him help you in your pursuit of holiness.
Living Sacrifice
I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
We certainly are a fickle people. We constantly struggle between what WE want to do and what we should do. The Apostle Paul was well acquainted with this. “For I do not understand my own actions. I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. If I do what I do not want, I agree with the law that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. I desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:15-20
Let’s face it, for the most part, we think sin is fun because it’s something we selfishly desire. How many of you have been torn between what you should do and what you want to do? I certainly can raise my hand. Choosing to do what we know is right in God’s eyes often feels like a sacrifice because it is going against our desire in the moment. What if I told you that living sacrificially for the Lord IS going against what YOU selfishly desire and doing what you know God is calling you to do?
How does this form of pursuing holiness take shape? Every morning, “Choose this day whom you will serve?’ Joshua 24:15 When you seek the Lord every morning, you will eventually find that your daily desires align more and more with Jesus. It doesn’t mean that all of your selfish desires will magically disappear. Still, it does mean that instead of the sacrifice feeling difficult in the moment, you will joyfully sacrifice what you want, knowing you have chosen the Lord over self, which is the truest form of holiness.
When you choose the Lord every morning, this holy act will produce a sacrificial mindset leading you to walk in holiness.
Holy Spirit, open my eyes and ears to your promptings as I pursue holiness. Move in me to imitate Christ and live sacrificially. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
What will you do this week to learn more about the person of Jesus? What areas of your life will you sacrifice to pursue holiness?
