Introduction

‘Holiness’ means the same as ‘sanctification’. These terms occur 1,000 times in the OT; 300 times in the NT.

To be ‘holy’ means (a) to be set apart for a special (usually religious) purpose; (b) to be morally pure.

‘Holiness has love for its essence, humility for its clothing, the good of others as its employment, and the honor of God as its end.’ (Nathanael Emmons)

Many things are persons are referred to in the Bible as being holy, including:-

1. Times.  Gen 2:3 ‘…God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it…’

2.  Places.  Psa 2:6 ‘…Zion, my holy hill.’

3.  Things.  1 Tim 4:4f ‘…consecrated by the word of God and prayer.’

4.  God.  Isa 6:3 ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.’

5.  People.  Heb 12:10 ‘…that we may share his holiness.’

Words describing the Great Change:-

Regeneration – a change of nature

Justification – a change of standing

Adoption – a change of relationship

Sanctification – a change of character

The necessity of holiness

Lev 20:26  “You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy.”

Eph 1:4  ‘He chose us…that we should be holy and blameless.’

1 Cor 6:11 ‘…you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified…’

Heb 12:14  ‘Strive for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.’

The pattern of holiness – Christ

Rom 8:29  ‘…predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…’

Phil 2:5-11  ‘he humbled himself…’

Cl 3:13  ‘…as the Lord has forgiven you…’

Mk 1:41  ‘…moved with pity…’

Rom 15:3  ‘…Christ did not please himself…’

Mt 23:13-26  “Woe to you…!”

The development of holiness

Heb 10:10  ‘…we have been sanctified…’

Heb 12:14  ‘…strive…for the holiness…’

1 Jn 3:2  ‘….we shall be like him…’

The agent of holiness

1 Thess 5:23  ‘May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly.’

1 Pet 1:2  ‘…sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ…’

Phil 2:12f  ‘…work out you own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.’

The means of holiness

Jn 17:17  ‘sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth.’

Eph 5:18  ‘…be filled with the Spirit…’

1 Pet 3:21  ‘Baptism…now saves you…’

1 Cor 11:28  ‘Let a man examine himself…’

Psa 51:10  ‘Created in me a clean heart, O God.’

1 Tim 4:7  ‘Train yourself in godliness.’

Heb 12:10  ‘…he disciplines us…that we may share his holiness.’