The How & When of Holiness

Introduction

What is Holiness?

Some synonyms may help:

Dedication

Piety

Consecration

Devotion

Holiness is the product of a life given in Bible study, Scriptural worship, and Christian living.

Most have at least some idea of what holiness means.

In this lesson we’ll discuss how and when a person becomes holy.

How and When Does One Become Holy

We become partakers of God’s holiness when we are born again (; ; ; ).

1 Peter 1:15–16 NKJV

but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:22–23 NKJV

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

Leviticus 11:44 NKJV

For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

Leviticus 19:2 NKJV

“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

1:15-16; 22-23; ; ).

Christians are the offspring of God ().

John 3:3–7 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Christ, the Christians elder Brother (), is called the Holy One ().

Hebrews 2:11–12 NKJV

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

Acts 2:27 NKJV

For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

To see God:

One must be pure in heart and become a citizen of the kingdom of God (; ; ).

Hebrews 12:14 NKJV

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

Matthew 5:8 NKJV

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

John 3:5 NKJV

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Holiness comes when we put on the new man (; ).

Ephesians 4:24 NKJV

and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 1:21–22 NKJV

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

Holiness continues as we walk in newness of life (, ).

Romans 6:3–4 NKJV

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:17–19 NKJV

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.