2 Aspects of Holiness No One Thinks About

I want you to pay attention to what God is asking for. A living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing. When you do this, you are actually offering true and proper worship. We often think of worship as something that comes out of our mouth. What you see here is that true worship that comes from your mouth must be connected to worship that comes from your life. If the life you live does not match the worship that comes from your mouth, then it is not true and proper worship. Look at what God says about this in Isaiah.

What was missing from their worship was the connection to the heart. The reason why this matters is because the heart is the center for what you say and do. True worship therefore begins in the heart. It then proceeds out of the mouth and finally is lived out in your everyday life. This is why your holiness matters, because it allows for true and proper worship. You cannot worship God with your mouth unless you worship him with your life. The two are connected and cannot be separated.

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There are two words that are closely associated with holiness in the Bible. Those two words are consecration and sanctification. Consecration is when you set apart a person, thing, or place as sacred and for God to use. I think you would agree that this sounds like the definition for holiness. The other word is sanctification. The Greek word for sanctification is hagiasmos which means holiness. To sanctify therefore means to make holy. 

A more generic definition for sanctification is to set something apart so it can return to the function that it was intended for by its designer. In other words, your holiness positions you so that you can be what God created you to be. If you reject holiness, then you will never fully become what God has created you to become. You will also never fully do what God has designed you to do. As my old pastor used to say, “you will live beneath your privilege.”

When you live a holy life, that allows you – or at least sets you up – to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Without holiness you may be able to function, but your will not live up to or complete what God has for you in your life. If you want to be all that God desires you to be, and if you want to do all that God has planned for you to do, then holiness is not simply a requirement. It is a must.

I want you to go back to God’s original intention. Be holy because I am holy. I also want you to focus on how this will happen in your life. Holiness will come when you set yourself apart and give more room for the Holy Spirit to operate in your life.

When you come into agreement with the Holy Spirit and the word of God, you are on the path to living a holy life. As you make this commitment, it will allow more of his character to shine through. When that happens, you will make better choices and most importantly he will empower you to live the life that God desires you to live. Remember holiness still matters to God and it should matter to you as well.

More from this author
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What Makes God's Grace So Amazing?
The Other Side of Your Obedience

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Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club.  He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.