What does it mean to be holy?

 

READ 1 Thessalonians & 2 Thessalonians

Throughout the Scriptures, God is called holy and those He calls are commanded to be holy in all that we do, “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ ” (1 Peter 1:15–16)

One Bible dictionary says holy is “the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human” yet that hardly captures it. The Hebrew word is usually translated as purity or consecrated, two ideas with the first being without blemish or flaw and the second being set apart, distinct, sacred. Some dictionaries say exalted, worthy of complete devotion, perfect in goodness and righteousness. While it seems reasonable to describe God that way, how can a person be holy like God is holy?

Most of us like the idea of being set apart or different from other people in a morally superior sort of way, sadly to the point of gaining the status of “holier than thou” and making this a separation from those around us. I realize this is not at all like the holiness of God yet it can be the impression given and drive people away from wanting anything to do with Christianity.

This morning’s readings make a connect between holiness and a lifestyle that I’d not noticed before. This connection is incredibly important for it makes holiness the most sensible way to win others to Christ! It is found in this passage:

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:11–13)

Paul tells his readers that God will increase their love for everyone so that He may establish their hearts blameless in holiness. This is how Christians can grow to be like God — have an increasing and abounding love for one another and for everyone — and in the mind of God this is the way to holiness!

Yes, holiness includes moral purity, but isn’t that just one evidence of loving others? The world has it backwards by thinking that outside of marriage love is best expressed by jumping into bed, but God says otherwise:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. (1 Thessalonians 4:3–7)

My holiness is expressed in considering what is best for others — and God alone defines that perfectly. This means treating others with respect, not taking advantage of anyone, and paying attention to the principles of God for He alone knows what is best. In my fleshy humanness, my ideas are all about what is best for me and all of that me-stuff is sin . . . “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)

How can a person learn to love like God loves — and be holy like God is holy? The Scriptures are filled with descriptions, yet all of those are foreign to sinners because we warp them by that hidden motivation of “what feels good” or “how can I benefit from this?” We need God to teach us how to love and thus be holy:

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. (1 Thessalonians 4:9–12)

Love and holiness involve self-control (see 1 Timothy 2:15) and self-control is a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the secret to being holy is to keep short accounts with God, confessing all known sin and being filled with His Spirit so that I will love (another spiritual fruit) others as He loves others. It is in loving others that I become more like the One who loves me and who sacrificed Himself for my sins.

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5) Herein is the way to be holy!