What does it mean to live holy?

Hello everyone

So what does it mean to live holy? Without holiness none shall see the Lord, so we can say that this is something that God is looking for. Is it something we are looking for? How do we go about this? What has God provided for us that we may live in a way that is holy? What say you?

I see it this way

the nations, gentiles, ungodly, seek after worldly wealth.

You can't serve both God and worldly wealth.

Being holy means set apart.

A holy life would mean not seeking worldly wealth.

Definitely! Mammon is to think that everything can be had for money. It is the desire to increase in wealth. And it is incompatible with holy living.

What about the idea of walking as Jesus walked...in God's presence. That would be an active holiness walk. What of that?

Sounds great!

And it reminds me of where David talks about where can I go from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you're there or down to hell, you are there.

The NASB reads - Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14). Those who are sanctified have been set apart/made holy.

If we see holiness from an OT perspective...set apart, peculiar..etc...we must also see that there are a lot of groups that outwardly meet that criteria. The Jews themselves have never stopped being different from the rest of the world. They seek to follow ordinances outwardly that are written of in the bible (mixed in with many TRADITIONS). Then there's the peculiar Amish who are so distinctive that they don't get entangled with the modern world. They do this as worship to God. Motive wise...these would appear outwardly commendable.

So if we are to see holy as something outward...then the Jews and the Amish are the way to go! No evangelical can compete with that.

But in the NT, holiness is about something within us AND among us...if we are truly walking by the Holy Spirit. Holiness becomes power and character.

Holiness in power means we walk as Jesus walked...having authority as He had. It means entering into Zion where fellowship with Jesus keeps us in the presence of God. It is the power of eternal life (a kind of life) which is found by abiding in Christ. Paul exercised that authority when he demonstrated the kingdom life in his ministry. So then LIFE in Christ IS holiness. The power and life that flow from the holy one (saint) spills into the world. This life is without sin...no spot or wrinkle. There is no such thing as a sinful holiness. This is a construct of our times and is very evil. It marks the infiltration into the churches of the great delusion...sent by God to they who love not the truth.

Holiness in character comes about by spending time in the presence of a holy God. It changes our way of thinking...and being! It renews our minds so that we grow into the likeness of Christ. This process involves going in and out of the Spirit. It is like breathing...in and out. As long as we are abiding in Christ we are filled with His life so that no sin can come in. When we come out from abiding IN Him we may yet follow His voice and be led by the Spirit...MY sheep know My voice...since He is also abiding in us. So whether we are presently abiding in Him or not...yet He remains in us. While we are IN Him overcoming sin is easy...His burden is light. But coming out from under His immediate covering is like coming out from behind a semi truck at high speed on the highway....we get the full force of the wind to combat. That is how we develop in maturity.

There is initial sanctification in which we are made holy in standing before God postionally in Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:11 - Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 1:2 - To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified (past tense) in Christ Jesus..

Yet I also see progressive (ongoing) sanctification in which the reality of that holiness becomes more and more evident in our actions, words, thoughts, attitudes, and motives. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, - For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain (present tense) from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. Hebrews 10:14 - For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

So becoming washed, sanctified and justified in Christ is a one time event, yet abstaining from sexual immorality is not a one time event. The believer possess a positional, judicial standing of righteousness in Christ and, second, a remaining need for practical, progressive holiness in our Christian growth.

Be like a saint. Always do good. Forgive all who hurt you. Give to the poor. Help the lame. Care for the sick.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

it means you are not offended to follow the words of God for your good change of character (James 3:2)

for example the Bible says thou shall not commit adultery.

even you found another girl is prettier than your present wife

as an obedient Christian you will not flirt with that girl and be loyal to your wife. you will not commit extramarital affairs.

It is the sin which the hindrance for a man to follow Godly teachings from the Bible because it is easy to do sin because this is what our flesh wants. (Hebrews 3:13)

no wonder why Apostle Paul taught not to live by the works of the flesh as mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21 (read the verses and you'll know what are these)

This is the main reason why to follow Christ then you need to deny yourself (Luke 9:23)

I think James gave us a good look at holiness:

James 1:19-27 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

If you can turn you back on the poor and needy, you are not a doer of the word. The trouble of serving mammon (riches) while walking with God, is you are going to eventually trust it as provider and not God.

Clear the "rubbish thoughts"God doesnt like out of from our minds. Conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

yeah, Jesus Christ did descended into hell before he ascended into heaven.. And King Jesus Christ our King of Kings did that for me.

yes
but i think high blood preasure doesn't agree with that.

peace

13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.


21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.


23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

it's Matthew 5 and :

Yes, the love chapter. 1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. So love is the greater quality of the three because God is love and it outlasts them all. Long after faith and hope are no longer necessary in our glorified state, love will still be the governing principle that controls everything that God and his redeemed people are and do. Believers have received the love of God in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5) when we believed the gospel (Ephesians 1:13). We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).