Holiness
Being set apart for God and conformed to His character
Overview
Holiness defines God's essential character and describes the life He calls His people to live. The Hebrew word qadosh and Greek hagios convey the idea of being set apart, separated from the common for sacred purposes. God is supremely holy—utterly distinct from creation, morally perfect, and worthy of absolute reverence. His holiness is not merely one attribute among many but the atmosphere in which all His attributes exist.
Because God is holy, He commands His people: "Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). This call to holiness involves both positional sanctification (being set apart as God's possession through Christ) and progressive sanctification (growing in actual holiness of life). Believers are simultaneously declared holy in Christ and called to become holy in practice—to increasingly reflect the character of the One who saved them.
Practical holiness requires both separation from sin and consecration to God. "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing" (2 Corinthians 6:17). Yet holiness is not merely negative—avoiding evil—but positive: pursuing righteousness, love, purity, and Christlikeness. The Holy Spirit empowers this pursuit, producing fruit that mere human effort cannot generate.
Without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). This sobering truth underscores holiness as essential, not optional. Yet God graciously provides what He demands, sanctifying believers through His Word, His Spirit, and His providential working. The goal is not self-righteous perfection but Christ-centered transformation—becoming like Jesus for the glory of the Father.
Subtopics
God's Holiness
The holy character of God
-
Isaiah 6:3
— Holy, holy, holy is the LORD
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
-
Revelation 4:8
— Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
-
1 Samuel 2:2
— None holy as the LORD
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
-
Psalms 99:9
— The LORD our God is holy
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
Called to Holiness
The command to be holy
-
1 Peter 1:15-16
— Be ye holy; for I am holy
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
-
1 Thessalonians 4:7
— God hath called us unto holiness
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
-
Hebrews 12:14
— Follow peace and holiness
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
-
2 Corinthians 7:1
— Perfecting holiness in the fear of God
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Pursuing Holiness
Growing in sanctification
-
Romans 6:22
— Fruit unto holiness
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
-
2 Timothy 2:21
— Sanctified and meet for the master's use
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
-
1 Thessalonians 5:23
— Sanctify you wholly
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-
Romans 12:1
— Present your bodies a living sacrifice
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Study Guidance
Topical study benefits from reading verses in their broader context. Click any reference above to view the complete passage and surrounding verses. Consider comparing how different biblical authors address the same theme across various contexts and time periods.
Cross-reference study deepens understanding. Many verses listed here connect to other passages—use the cross-references provided on individual verse pages to trace theological themes throughout Scripture.