How To Be Holy

The Bible tells us that we are to be holy. What does it mean to be holy and how do we become it?

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” “- 1 Peter 1:15-16

For many, to achieve holiness seems impossible because they think to be holy simply means to be a perfectly moral person. Although morales play a part in holiness it is not the primary aspect of holiness in the Bible.

To be holy means to be set apart for God and for his purposes. This is what He paid for, that we would die to ourselves and become the likeness of Him who is holy. To become holy isn’t something that we can strive to do on our own or something we can achieve by being a “good” person.

Still many people live their entire lives trying to do “good” things in an effort to pay off some debt that has already been paid in full. This just leaves them living sin conscious lives, beating themselves up constantly striving to be a good person. This is not what Christ died to pay for.

He laid down his life to redeem you, to transform you into what you were created to be! The old is gone the new is here!

We become set apart when we turn from our sin and believe in the name of Jesus. His holiness becomes our holiness. In Him, to Him, and through Him, we become like him. He is our inheritance and we are His.

How To Be Holy

Holy In Him

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” – Ephesians 1:4

It’s hard for us to imagine that the God of the universe would send His one and only son to die on a cross for us. Who are we? Why would he trade His life for ours?

He has loved us and knew us before we were even born. Yet as we grow up in the world all we see ourselves as is broken, useless, worthless. We are so much more than we could ever imagine ourselves to be. Yet this true identity of ourselves is only found in Him.

In John chapter 15 Jesus says that if we are to bear fruit that will last we have to remain in Him. By ourselves, we can do nothing. This is because we weren’t created to do anything on our own it’s only when we get connected to the true vine, Jesus, that we can begin to become that which we were created to be.

If we are to become holy as He is holy it starts with true repentance, turning from our sinful broken selves in order to embrace the trueness of who we are in Him. We are Holy in Him.

Holy Through Him

“First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Hebrews 10: 8-10

Because of His great love for us God sent His son into the world to die on a cross, to become a sacrifice in replace of our own lives. He did not send His son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him.

It is through Him that we become holy in Him like Him. Without this sacrifice, we would have been dead in our sins. But through this loving sacrifice, we are transformed by grace into a completely new creation that is set apart from the world for the purposes of God.

God’s plan has been set in place before the creation of the world and you are a part of that plan. To redeem you from the world he sent His son Jesus to live a sinless life, to die on a cross and rise from the grave so that you could become Holy in Him through Him.

Holy To Him

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” – Colossians 1:21-22

If we are in Christ it doesn’t matter who we think we are, who the world thinks we are, or who we used to be. God sees us as Holy, without blemish and free from accusation. This is who we truly are.

When we turn to Him and are transformed by the sanctifying work of the spirit we become an entirely new creation. To Him, we are not a different new but a regenerated version of who He has always seen us as.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,” – Ephesians 1:18

God sees us as His inheritance because he knows the true value we have. We are fully found in Him. When we embrace that fullness we are covered by the blood of Christ and God sees us as Holy in his sight.

When we truly believe in Jesus we are set apart by God for his purposes. As we remain in Christ we begin to produce good fruit that will last. This fruit is not produced by toiling under the sun through our own strength, we are only the branches, but through the vine we become productive.

Holiness isn’t about being an outstanding morale person. It’s about being set apart by God for God. When we embrace the trueness of who we were created to be and let our old selves die, we become transformed by His grace.

Because of this grace, we who believe unto the Lord Jesus Christ become holy in Him, through Him and to Him! Amen!

Nick Lincoln

Hey Friends! I am Nick Lincoln a co-founder here at Abide and Seek. Besides writing articles to spread the light of Jesus throughout the world, I also enjoy playing music, working out, and spending quality time with my family and friends! My prayer is that by sharing my experiences and the struggles I have faced before coming to Christ, the world can see the life-changing power of a life lived in the light of Jesus Christ!