The generations before us, the revivalists, evangelists and pastors preached on holiness and against unrighteousness. Sometimes they would say in their sermons that “holiness is still right”.

The word holy and holiness can make some people feel uncomfortable. This could be due to several reasons. Maybe we have this idea that holiness means perfection, or we think holiness is synonymous with being religious. For some, holiness may not be seen as relevant anymore, an unpopular message to preach and “old-school” concept.

The truth is you can’t talk about God without talking about holiness. It’s who He is. Holiness may sound like a burden but there is a beauty in it. To understand why holiness matters to God and why it should matter to us, we’ll have to read a bit of the Old Testament.

1. We serve a holy God

The word holy means to be consecrated; set apart or separate. The Israelites understood this which was why anything that was declared holy, they were very careful not to mishandle it. There was a weight attached to it, it was to be honoured; revered.

In the book of Leviticus, Moses received instructions from God on how the Israelites were to live, how to fellowship with Him and with one another. He wanted them to be conscious of how they approached God and worshipped Him. God used concepts such as “clean” and “unclean” for different things such as food, animals and even people to make a distinction. This was to illustrate a spiritual principle, that to draw near to God, they needed to cleanse themselves from anything that could defile them.  

Unfortunately, there were instances where the sacred things weren’t treated with honour but as ordinary (Daniel 5:2-6). The opposite of holiness is to be common. When the fear of the Lord is missing, it is easy to become familiar.

The holiness of God brought conviction. One of the characteristics of God is light, and like light, it is pure. Anyone that approached God in the Old Testament, and was unrighteous would face judgement immediately, because sin comes at a price. This was the very reason why people feared and trembled before God and angels. They were aware of their sinful nature, and nothing was hidden. God separated Himself from the people for their protection. The question remained; how can a holy God be in relationship with unholy people?

It was because of God’s mercy that He set aside men to live as priests (the Levites) and declared them to be holy. For them to be able to communicate God’s heart to His people, they needed to be set apart like God. The high priest, on the other hand, was the only one who was able to offer sacrifices for sins committed by people on their behalf.

Despite all of this, people still fell short because of sin. This was the reason why God sent Jesus Christ to make us right with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He is the perfect mediator (middleman) between us and God (1 Timothy 2:6). Sin made us spiritually “unclean” but because of Christ, we are made “clean”.

We can come boldly to God, not from a place of entitlement but from a place of humility and gratitude. If it wasn’t for Jesus’ righteousness and his precious blood, we would not be able come to God with full assurance. Though the veil has been torn, God is still holy. As we draw near, our response is no different to theirs. The right response to a holy God is reverence.

2. We are a holy people

If a person or an object was declared ‘holy’ by God, it meant that it was dedicated to God for a special purpose. When God called the Israelites out of Egypt, it wasn’t for no reason. God calls Moses as a deliverer and explains that He desires for them to be His people, and He would be their God (Exodus 6:7).  Later, in the book of Leviticus, God calls them to be holy just as He is holy,

Leviticus 20:26
“You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord is holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine”

Since God is holy [set apart], it would make sense that His people would also be holy [set apart]. In being set apart, it also meant that they were to be separate. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the Israelites to be surrounded by other nations who worshipped idols, ate different foods and engaged in different practices. Even if a foreigner lived among them, they had to live according to the ways of the Israelites. In being separate, there was no room for compromise.

In the eyes of those around them, they would have been seen as strange people who served a strange god. Yet, in God’s eyes, they were a people that were His prized possession. While other nations had an earthly king, they were under a different government, guided by a heavenly king. He called them out so that they would be a representation of God’s kingdom.

This isn’t an Old Testament concept. It’s in the New Testament as well. The same God who called the Israelites to be holy also calls us to be holy. This also means that we, too, are dedicated unto God for a special purpose.

1 Peter 1:15
‘But just as he who called you is holy [set apart] so be holy [set apart] in all you do.‘

Peter was speaking to his fellow brothers and sisters who were exiles, who have left their homes and livelihood because they were disciples of Jesus Christ. While they’re surrounded by unbelievers and facing persecution, Peter encourages them not to conform the world around them and to live in such a way that brings glory to God.

One of the reasons that God wants us to be holy in all that we do, is because this makes us witnesses in our families, schools, workplaces and everyday lives. Whether we’re at a fuel station, grocery store or going for a walk in the park, God wants us to be conscious of Him in all that we do. You may never know who is silently observing you to see if you really believe in the God that you claim to serve.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

A priest was set apart by God to minister to God. In Christ, we become priests who minister to God. Instead of offering animal sacrifices, we offer up ourselves as living sacrifices unto God (Romans 12:1). In both cases, we are devoted to God and please Him alone. God didn’t bring us out of darkness or deliver us so that we would go back to what kept us in bondage. He delivered us so that we would testify of the goodness and mercy of God.

The same way other nations would have looked at the Israelites as strange. Regardless of their response, God still called them to be holy. And this is no different today. There will be some that will find us ‘strange’ because of the convictions that we have. Even if those around us mock or persecute us, it does not change the word of God.

God isn’t going to rewrite the whole bible to conform to what’s “normal”. This is why the bible tells us to be transformed by renewing our minds (Romans 12:2). Though we are in this world, we are not of it. God still wants us to reach the people in our world without losing our identity.

3. Holiness is a progression.

Holiness is not the same as being holier-than-thou. The latter comes from a place of self-righteousness. God calls us to be holy because He has made us holy through His son.

God knew that we would not be able fulfil every commandment, which was why He sent Jesus Christ. He also gifted us with the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). Another way to look at it, the spirit of holiness. The Holy Spirit is our helper. He convicts of our sin, sanctifies and helps us to please God, if we yield to Him.

Even though salvation is instant, sanctification is a process. Yes, we are made righteous because of Christ, the bible still encourages us to pursue righteousness (1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22). The best way I can explain this is when you wear white clothes.

When we are saved, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sin, and we’re made white as snow. The challenge that comes with wearing white is keeping it white. I’m not saying that we are the source of our own righteousness, but what I am saying is, we have a choice moving forward on whether we submit to God or submit to our flesh.

Holiness doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a process of continual obedience to God. To follow Jesus is not an easy thing. It requires us to deny our flesh and take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). As we keep submitting to God, the Holy Spirit continues to do His work in us. The end goal is to become more like Christ.

Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. Even though we can never repay him back, the least we can do is offer our whole selves to Him. His desire is for us to be a church without spot, wrinkle or blemish (Ephesians 5:27) and that’s the bride that Jesus will be returning for.

Some might say, “God isn’t calling us to be perfect”, but He is calling us to be holy. We won’t reach perfection while we’re still in this earthly body, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t desire to walk in purity. It is the only way we can see God.

God bless,
Susan.