Holiness is a general term to indicate sanctity, or separation from everything that is sinful, impure or morally imperfect. It is used to denote moral wholeness with reference to persons, places and things, but rarely to situations and circumstances.
In the OT two Hebrew words: “qodesh” (qadash) and “hagiosune” rendered Greek “hosiotes” in the NT means “separation”, “setting apart”, “sound” and “whole”.
In the OT, the Third Book of the Pentatuech –- Livitius — has “Holiness” as its keynote. And throughout the Book stress or emphesis is ever on holiness. The reason given for the command in Lev. 19:2; 20:7 “ye shall be holy…” is that “… God is holy”. Apostle Peter quotes this in 1 Peter1:15,16.
Holiness of God is one of the essential attributes of the divine nature. It is on one hand entire freedom from moral evil; and, on the other, absolute moral perfection. The Scriptures lay great emphasis on this attribute of God in such passages as 1 Sam. 2:2; Ps. 71:22; 99:9; 111:9; Isa. 6:3; Rev. 15:4.
God’s holy attribute does not imply that He is subject to some kind of law or standard of moral excellence external to His Being. On the contrary it conveys the fact that all moral law and perfection have their eternal and immutable foundation in His nature. These eternal sanctities and perfections reside and emanate from Him, He being the root of them all, hence: “There is none holy as the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:2); “Thou only art holy” (Rev. 15:4). God’s holiness is absolute; its law is in the perfection of His own Being. He is, in the most complete sense, separate from evil. In Him is no possibility of sin. With infinite comprehension, He perfectly measures the enormity of sin and hates it with a perfect hatered.
Holiness in man implies separation from the world and consecrated to Christ and dedicated to holy services. Holiness so far as it appears in man anywhere is an outcome of God’s gracious work in salvation, and yet, not without the proper exertion of one’s own free will and the putting forth of human efforts (Eph. 4:22-24). The Scriptures teach in Heb. 12:14 that we “follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” The NT further teaches that the believer was sanctified positionally when he was saved by virtue of his being presented in Christ. (1 Cor. 1:2, 30), that he is being sanctified experientially as he reckons upon his position in Christ (Rom. 6:11) and that he will be ultimately sanctified in the sense of full conformity to Christ in glorification (Rom. 8:30,31).
It must be realized that sanctification (Greek “hegiasmos” meaning — separation; a setting apart for a sacred purpose, from the secular and the sinful — is a lifetime work, something not accomplished by any single act or at any point in time in this life. Two stages of the Christian life is indicated. The first, is justification meaning the cleansing, the putting on of the new man to the point of perfection (Eph. 4:24). The second, is sanctification impling the continued development of the new man to the point of perfection. The first — justification — God alone can bring about with man’s consent, repentance and acceptance. With the second — sanctification -– God and man cooperate together through out the believer’s lifetime (Phil. 3:12:14).
By way of further explanation –- Justification — is the gateway to holiness. It includes the remission of sins, reconciliation and regeneration. A man must be set right before he can go right and this action can only be effected by God. This means that no man can attain holiness on his own nor by doing or not doing anything, i.e by works. And righteousness by work of the law has been the basis of every false religion including pervesed Christianity and, had become the principle even of the Jewish religion. Works performed in obedience to any law, whether such a law be made known by reason, conscience or revelation cannot justify a sinner before God. So it is, in justification, the primary requirement is faith (Rom. 3;20, 28; Gal. 3:21). This experience occurs at the very threshold of the Christian life, and must be repeated incase of backsliding. The moment a believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and spiritual life is implanted within him (Rom. 6:4) he is obligated to work in active co-operation with God. And this, he can do by availing himself of the divine resources of grace and power – Bible study and meditation upon the word of God, personal and private prayer, private and public worship and spiritual exercise through service to the church and fellow men. These sustain justification as the body is linked with the spirit in the work of sanctification (1 Cor. 1:8; Col. 1:28; 1 Thess. 5:23).
Justification by faith clearly implies that it is no mere impersonal adjustment of a man’s legal status in the sight of God, but involves a personal relationship with Christ, the Redeemer. It implies an attitude of love and gratitude towards the Saviour in response to His love for sinful mankind. It is based on profound admiration of Jesus for all that He is, with a sincere desire to know Him better and become like Him. It means a trust and confidence in Him that is entirely devoid of doubt and reservation, that the believer is willing to accept Him fully at His word, and, to follow His directions wherever He may lead.
Without such faith there can be no justification, and without being justified, one cannot be holy nor possess and exhibit the attributes of holiness. Cooperation with God in the work of sanctification requires unquestioned acceptance of God’s standard of holiness. The original standard is the nature and character of God (Ex. 15:11; Isa. 6:3; Matt. 5:18; 1 Peter 1:15; Rev. 4:8). That man may understand something of God’s holy character, He has given to man His holy law which is a transcript of His character (Ps. 9:7-10; Rom. 7:12) and delineates the kind of character He would have man develop. As the life is measured day by day by His divine standard, the grace and power of God transform the character of man to resemble His perfect character.
The achievement of a Christlike character which includes holiness, is a life-long pursuit. Only when probation closes will the Christian who has conscientiously and consistently aspired to holiness “be holy still” (Rev.22:11, 12). Many professed Christian come for short of holiness and true sanctification because they ignore or lightly esteem God’s standard of holiness. They are satisfied with a mediocre and half hearted obedience and aspire only to a form of Godliness without its power.
True sanctification takes place in the life of the believer who is ever conscious of being in the presence of God. A holy reverence for God is essential to the perfection of holiness. A consciousness of the divine presence leads to true reverence. As the eye of faith beholds God, there is cultivated in the soul, an intense hatred of sin and an earnest desire for righteousness. The holiness which Apostle Paul speaks of in his epistles come only through vital, spiritual contact with God. This contact takes place through communion with God and a study of His word (John 17:17; 1 Peter 1:22) and by the mediation of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26; II Thess. 2:13).
