Holiness: True Practical Holiness
Hebrews 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. The Definition of True, Practical Holiness 1. What a holy person is not. a. Not just knowledge b. Not just a great profession c. Not just doing a lot of things d. Not just morality and outward respectability e. Not just taking pleasure in listening to preachers f. Not just keeping company with godly people 2. What a holy person is. a. They have the habit of being of one mind with God as described in Scripture. Loving what God loves and hating what God hates. b. They endeavor to shun every known sin and to keep every known commandment. c. They strive to be like Jesus. 1 John 2:6 “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 Peter 2:21 “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” d. They strive to be meek, longsuffering, gentle, patient, kind and control their tongue. e. They strive to be self-controlled and self-denying. 1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” f. They strive to be forgiving and to show brotherly kindness. They desire to practice the golden rule and to show the love toward the church mentioned 1 Corinthians 13. g. They strive to be merciful and benevolent towards others. They seek to do good to others not being content with doing no harm. Acts 9:36 “Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” h. They strive for purity of heart. They dread their sin and anything that would draw them into it. The heart is like tinder and a holy person keeps the sparks of temptation away. i. They desire the fear of God. Not the fear of a slave that fears punishment but that of a child who acts out of love toward their father. j. They will desire humility. They will see others better than themselves. Abraham said, “I am dust and ashes.” Jacob said, “I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant.” Job said, “Behold, I am of small account.” Paul says out of sinners he was “the foremost.” k. They strive to be faithful in all duties and relationships. Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Paul in his letters describes the duties and nature of relationships on many levels including social, economic, gender, familial, ethnic and church. l. They desire to be spiritually minded. They hold the things of this earth with a very loose hand. They understand that they are just pilgrims and strangers in this world. Ryle says, “To commune with God in prayer, in the Bible, and in the assembly of His people – these things will be the holy man’s chiefest enjoyments.” They will place a value on everything in relation to how it draws them closer to God.