Holiness

What do you think of when you hear or read the word “holiness”?

I don’t know what you’re thinking, but many people are terrified at the thought of the coming judgment, God’s all-consuming holiness, and human imperfection. Who can be as perfect as God is? After all, it’s impossible to live a holy life here on earth.

But the Bible speaks of this in a completely different way. It does not begin with you, but with God. And it does not present holiness as a burden, but as a natural consequence: When you love the holy God and are one with Him, this fact transforms your life. Not through human effort, but as a divine work. God calls people into His light and His love. The light brings clarity, and the truth sets us free. That is precisely why it is worth talking about holiness—not as a marginal topic, but as the very heartbeat of a healthy relationship with God (Isaiah 6:3; 1 John 1:5).

God is holy

He is holy in His very nature. In heaven, He is worshiped: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). Holiness describes God’s absolute purity, His moral perfection, His divine majesty. When you look at God, there is no shadow, no impurity. You see truth. That is why it sounds so simple and powerful in the Psalms: “For the Lord our God is holy” (Psalm 99:9).

Moses stands before the burning bush, and suddenly the place is no longer ordinary, because God is present. Where God is, it is holy—and at the same time wonderfully evident (Exodus 3:5).

Isaiah experiences something similar. He sees the Lord, and immediately a deep sense of awe comes over him. In his unholiness, he stands before the holiness of God. He sees himself as God sees him. Peter, too, experienced this moment—when his life was illuminated by the light of God’s holiness. He could only sink to his knees at Jesus’ feet and bring his spiritual distress to the Savior (Isaiah 6:1–5; Luke 5:8).

Holiness in Human Beings

When the Word of God speaks of holy people, it means that they are set apart for God and they belong to Him. Not because they are flawless in their own abilities or character, but because God has equipped them for His service (Leviticus 20:26).

The New Testament calls believers “saints.” Not because they are perfect in an absolute sense, but because they are children of God. Scripture speaks of “those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus.” This is first an identity, then a calling. And that is precisely what makes holiness so positive. You do not become holy by laboriously working your way up. God makes you His child. He places you in His light. He says: You belong to Me now. That is where the path to holiness begins (1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Peter 2:9).

The New Testament clearly states: “You have been washed, you have been sanctified.” This is not a “maybe.” God calls it a fact. He does not forgive halfway. He does not cleanse superficially. He truly makes all things new (1 Corinthians 6:11). Holiness, then, begins with grace … and with the love that saved us. God did not say, “Become holy, then you will be right for me.” He said, “Come, and I will make you clean.” That is the Gospel (Hebrews 10:10).

The Bible clearly states: Guilt and sin separate us from God. Darkness and light can never coexist. In God’s holiness, there is no room for sin. In the kingdom of God, there is grace and power to live a holy, victorious life over sin (1 John 3:9).

Through rebirth, we are born into God’s family, into His church; we are children of God. This is not merely a title; it is the place where we stand. It is “holy ground” because we belong to God. And all who are saved belong to His church, to His people. It is a “holy people”—it belongs to God (John 1:12–13; 1 Peter 2:9–10).

Living a Holy Life in Practice

The Bible’s call is clear: “Be holy in all you do.” Holiness isn’t just a feeling you have during worship. It’s a way of life, in your daily routine, in your living room, at work, in your conversations, on your smartphone, and in your thoughts (1 Peter 1:15–16).

God did not save us so that we might remain on the old path. He saved us so that we might live in the light and walk in a holy manner. Our lives are meant to bear witness to the fact that we have been transferred from the slavery of sin to the freedom of the Spirit. In this way, we provide powerful evidence of God’s mighty power, which enables us to remain in Christ, lead a holy life, and triumph over the temptation to sin. For God to preserve us, it is absolutely essential that we choose a holy life, remain faithful to God, and not be drawn away by the world (1 John 5:18).

The holy life does not begin only after entire sanctification, when the fullness of the Holy Spirit fills the heart and life of God’s child. The holy life begins with conversion, at the moment when a person is born again, when a child is born in Zion. Then that person is set on the holy path to live out the truth of God’s Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In many places, the Word of God calls us to focus our lives on the eternal goal. Everything that holds us back, everything that displeases God, everything that seeks to turn our love away from God, must be cast aside. And then we will experience how the Holy Spirit leads us to the experience that was so important to Jesus for His disciples: “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). But even after this experience, the process will continue as we allow ourselves to be led further by God.

God created the Kingdom of God in such a way that a victorious life is the norm, even though we are tempted. But what if you stumble and fall in the face of adversity? What if you grow weak in temptation and sin? Think of Peter. With firm conviction, he stood by his Master that evening. He was ready to go even to death with Him. But then, in the darkness of the night, the test came – and found him weak. Suddenly the rooster crowed – and Peter wept bitterly.

Here you encounter God’s grace and love. The work of the Holy Spirit, who leads you back to repentance and to Jesus Christ, the divine Advocate. God leads you back into the light. You don’t have to sugarcoat anything, hide it, or downplay it as a mere mistake. Stand by your deed and confess to God, just as David prayed: “Against you alone have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4). How loving were the Master’s words: “Peter, do you love me?” “You know that I love you” (1 John 2:1; John 21).

If you seek holiness, don’t start with outward appearances. Start with closeness to God. Remain in the light and flee from the world’s temptations. Take His Word seriously and let the Spirit guide you. In the end, holiness is not your doing. It is God’s signature on a life that belongs to Him. You do not live a holy life in order to become a child of God. You live a holy life because you are God’s child. And because the holy God loves you, He does not leave you to remain in your deficiency. He leads you forward – step by step (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

God invites you: Come closer. Remain in the light. Let Me work within you. And then you will realize: Holiness is life. Holiness is life in its most vibrant and original form—before God, with God, and for God (Psalm 99:9).

Hermann Vogt
Gifhorn, Germany