What Does It Mean to Live a Life?
The subject of holiness is not a popular topic discussed in the church in this day and time for several reasons. Some churches don’t want to talk about it because they are afraid of offending people. Other churches are so steeped in tradition they don’t know the difference between tradition and holiness.
This subject is important to me because my parents took me to a Pentecostal holiness church as a child. I learned a lot of traditions that I thought were holiness. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with tradition, but we need to know the difference between tradition and holiness. When I became an adult, I realized that the traditions I was taught weren’t in the bible. So, in this study, we will explore what the bible really has to say about holiness.
The core scripture for this study is
1 Peter 1:16, KJV, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
We as Christians have so many ideas of what living a holy life means. Some people think it means living with just enough to get by, women not wearing pants, makeup, or jewelry, not participating in sports, going to the movies, or listening to secular music. Everyone has their own ideas. Yes, it is true we need to be set apart from the world. The bible teachers us this. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 KJV,
[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
[2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The Apostle Paul is clearly teaching us in this passage that we are not to live a life conformed to the world. We are not to conform to the way the world thinks or behaves. We are to transform our minds by studying the Word of God.
We Christians call this sanctification. Sanctification and holiness are not the same thing. Sanctification is a result of holiness.
If your not careful you will confuse church traditions for sanctification and sanctification for holiness.
In this study we will see what the bible has to say about holiness. We will discuss the following:
- God commands us to be holy,
- Holiness is not following religious traditions or being self-righteous, and
- Living a Holy life requires you to learn to love God and people.
God Commands Us to Be Holy
First we need to establish that God commands us to be holy. The Apostle Peter teaches us this in 1 Peter 1:14-16 – KJV,
[14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
[15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
[16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
The Passion Translation gives a clearer understanding of these verses.
1 Peter 1:14-16 TPT
[14] As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better.
[15] Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you.
[16] For Scripture says: “You are to be holy, because I am holy.”
Hebrews 12:14 KJV also explains the importance of holiness. It states:
[14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
KJV Life Application Study Bible explains 1 Peter 1:14-16 as follows:
“1:14-16 The God of Israel and of the Christian church is holy. Because he is perfectly moral, good, and just, without any corruption, he sets the standard for morality. Unlike the Roman gods, he is not violent, adulterous, or spiteful. Unlike the gods of the pagan cults popular in the first century, he is not bloodthirsty or promiscuous. God rules with mercy and justice and cares personally for each of his followers. Our holy God expects us to imitate him by following his high moral standards. Like him, we should be both merciful and just; like him, we should sacrifice ourselves for others.”
The Apostles at that time were writing letters to Churches in the Roman Empire. We know the Romans worshiped many idol gods. The Apostles had to explain to these new Christians that God is holy, just, and moral. They are not to worship or follow the example of the idols they formally worshiped but they are to be holy and follow the example of Jesus.
In verse 16 of 1 Peter 1, we are commanded to be holy because God is holy. This doesn’t mean we have to be perfect. Only God is perfect. It’s impossible for humans to be perfect because of the adamic sin nature passed down to all of us from Adam. But we are all made in the image of God. God put his character in all of us and we are to live in his character.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, we become born again. When we become born again God fills us with the gift of his Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit pours even more of God’s character in us. In Galatians 5:22 the Apostle Paul describes it as the fruits of the Spirit.
The passages reads like this in the New Living Translation:
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
[23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
As we grow our relationship with God the more of his character flows through us and the more our lives reflect Jesus.
The KJV Life Application Study Bible explains it like this:
“5:22-23 Newly transformed people produce something special with their lives. Paul calls the new work of the Spirit fruit. The Holy Spirit spontaneously and creatively produces this kind of fruit in us. The Spirit generates these character traits in us because we are becoming more like Jesus, who perfectly modeled them. When Christ controls us, they grow and flow from us naturally. We can’t obtain them by trying to get them without his help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must live in close union with Jesus (see John 15:4-5). We must submit to him, know him, love him, remember him, and imitate him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law—to love God and our neighbors.”
The bible clearly teaches us that we are to be holy. Learning to live in God’s character is the key to living a holy life that is pleasing to him.
Holiness is Not Following Religious Traditions or Being Self-Righteous
Holiness is not living a life of legalistic works. Jesus teaches us this in all four Gospels. He always came against the religious leaders of that day. They thought that by keeping the law and all their traditions they added to the law made them holy and right with God. They failed to realize that God wants and requires that we be right with him in our hearts. An example of this can be found in the Gospel of Mark chapter 7. Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders over his disciples not following the traditions of the elders to wash their hands before eating. The passage reads:
Mark 7:1-9 KJV,
[1] Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
[2] And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
[3] For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
[4] And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
[5] Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
[6] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
[7] Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
[8] For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
[9] And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Jesus goes on to explain in Mark 7:15 KJV,
[15] There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
In other words eating with unclean hands doesn’t defile someone. It’s the person’s words and actions that can defile a person.
The passage clearly illustrates that the religious leaders of the day cared more about their traditions than the Word of God. They even went so far as to teach their traditions as doctorine. Their hearts were not with God to honor and worship him. Their worship was in vain because it was just an outward show to appear holy and pious before men. Jesus uses this parable to warn us not to get caught up in religious traditions thinking by following them they will make us holy and right with God.
Jesus also illustrates in a parable found in Luke 18:9-14 how people think that their own self-righteous makes them holy and right with God. The passage in the Passion Translation reads:
Luke 18:9-14 TPT
[9] Jesus taught this parable to those who were convinced they were morally upright and those who trusted in their own virtue yet looked down on others with disgust:
[10] “Once there were two men who went into the temple to pray. One was a proud religious leader, the other a despised tax collector.
[11-12] The religious leader stood apart from the others and prayed, ‘How I thank you, O God, that I’m not wicked like everyone else. They’re cheaters, swindlers, and crooks-like that tax collector over there. God, you know that I never cheat or commit adultery; I fast from food twice a week and I give you a tenth of all I make.’
[13] “The tax collector stood off alone in the corner, away from the Holy Place, and covered his face in his hands, feeling that he was unworthy to even look up to God. Beating his breast, he sobbed with brokenness and tears saying, ‘God, please, in your mercy and because of the blood sacrifice, forgive me, for I am nothing but the most miserable of all sinners!’
[14] “Which one of them left for home that day made right with God? It was the humble tax collector and not the religious leader! For everyone who praises himself will one day be humiliated before all, and everyone who humbles himself will one day be lifted up and honored before all.”
Jesus strongly warns us in this passage that God does not honor self-righteousness. He honors the humble who sincerely seek him.
God wants us to honor him by honoring his Word in our hearts. When we honor him with our hearts our actions will follow.
Living a Holy Life Requires You to Learn to Love God and People
So how do we learn to live this holy life after we get born again? The first step is to learn to love God which is our first commandment.
Jesus tells us this commandment in Mark 12:30 KJV,
[30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
When we learn to love God, we naturally want to live to please him just like a child who loves their parents.
Jesus teaches us in John 14:21 KJV,
[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Jesus is clearly saying in this scripture that those who love him obey him.
1 John 5:3 KJV says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
We can’t say we love God and do not keep his commandments. As we grow in our relationship with God we lose the desire to live the way we used to live. The Holy Spirit convicts our heart when you are doing something that doesn’t please God.
John 14:26 KJV says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
We need the Holy Spirit to live a holy life. Everyone who is saved has the Holy Spirit living inside them. He is a gift that will help us live a life pleasing to God. He reminds us of God’s Word and he convicts our heart when we do something not pleasing to God. What a wonderful gift from God!!
The second step to learning to honor God and live a holy life is learning to love people which is the second commandment found in Mark 12:31 KJV. It reads:
[31] And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
We are in the world but we cannot live like the world. The world doesn’t care about the things of God. The world gossips, lies, cheats, disrespects people when they disagree with them. In other words the world doesn’t walk in love or care about living by God’s commandments.
The Apostle Paul teaches us how we should treat each other in Colossians 3:12-17. The Passion Translation gives a clear and beautiful translation of this passage. It says,
[12] You are always and dearly loved by God! So robe yourself with virtues of God, since you have been divinely chosen to be holy. Be merciful as you endeavor to understand others, and be compassionate, showing kindness toward all. Be gentle and humble, unoffendable in your patience with others.
[13] Tolerate the weaknesses of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way you have been graciously forgiven by Jesus Christ. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them.
[14] For love is supreme and must flow through each of these virtues. Love becomes the mark of true maturity.
[15] Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.
[16] Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises, and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts!
[17] Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!
Verse 13 of this passage explains the importance of forgiveness. The Apostle John also teaches us the importance of forgiveness in 1 John 4:19-21 KJV,
[19] We love him, because he first loved us.
[20] If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
[21] And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
If we love God we will love people and keep his commandments.
The bible clearly teaches us that holiness is a matter of your heart towards God and a by-product of our relationship with him. Sanctification is a by-product of holiness. Both take time to develop. It is a process learning to renew your mind with the Word of God and learning to allow God change you through his Holy Spirit.
Living a holy life is not about keeping the religious traditions of the Church. As I stated before, there is nothing wrong with traditions. But we can’t confuse them with holiness. Jesus taught us while he was on the Earth that God wants people’s hearts to be right with him. When we get our lives right with God he fills us with his Holy Spirit. Our love for God causes us to seek a deeper relationship with him. As we seek a deeper relationship with him by reading his Word and staying in fellowship with him, his Holy Spirit gives us the power to live a holy life pleasing to him.
Deborah K. Givens, Admin
