What Holiness Is and What It Isn’t

I am reading and studying the Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. I am struck by the brutally honest nature with which Bridges explains our responsibility to be holy.

I will be writing a series of blogs based on my studies and my personal pursuit of holiness. All Bible verses will be in the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This first blog is about what Bridges says holiness is and what it isn’t.

Holiness is not a list of do’s and don’ts. We are not to be like the self-righteous Pharisees with their long lists of laws. Unfortunately, many with this attitude have given holiness a negative connotation to the nonbeliever and are called “holy rollers,” “Bible thumpers,” or “holier than thou.”

Holiness is to be morally blameless, separated from sin and consecrated to God. It is conforming to the character of God as seen in His Word. Holiness is contrasted to immorality, impurity, and evil desires.

Holiness is a command and a birthright of every Christian.

1 Thess. 4:3-7 God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor–not in lustful passion as the pagans do, in their ignorance of God and his ways.

1 Peter 1:14-16 Obey God because you are his children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God–who chose you to be his children–is holy. or he himself has said, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Revelation 22:11 Let the one who is doing wrong continue to do wrong; the one who is vile, continue to be vile; the one who is good, continue to do good; and the one who is holy, continue in holiness.”

Romans 6:14 Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God’s grace.

I must analyze my every action: Am I being holy as God commanded? I am no longer a slave to sin. I must choose to do good. I must not give in to lustful passions. I pray that I will recognize a temptation, before I fall into sin. I have all the power I need to resist that temptation, and to resist any lustful passions I may have.

My next blog will be about the reasons so many Christians fail to be holy.

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