Holiness, Day 6
Continuing Holiness in the Holy Spirit
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
1 John 3:2-3
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
John 15:8
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:13-16
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14
But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:20-24
Scripture promises that believers have been made holy in Christ: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). In terms of being able to draw near to the holy God, sanctification is complete in the once-for-all death of Jesus Christ. However, we are definitely not holy in terms of being without sin in our daily experience. There is another aspect of sanctification in which we are continuing to be made holy.
John, in his first epistle, wrote that we are God’s children now, but we do not yet see what we will be. In other words, we aren’t holy in practice. When Jesus Christ returns, we will see Him as He is, and we will be like Him, conformed to His image and without sin. Our hope in this future completion of sanctification in Christ should drive our ongoing growth in holiness now. As we set our hope fully in Christ and behold the glory of the Lord, soaking in His holiness, we are transformed into His image more and more by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The goal of this progressive sanctification is to become more like Christ, which is to restore the family image of God that was given to men and women at creation but then broken by sin. The astounding truth that Jesus taught is that the fruit of our good works glorifies God. God’s holiness is made known to the world when disciples of Jesus Christ bear the family image!
This continuing sanctification is not possible apart from the Spirit’s work in our lives. However, it is also necessary for us to cooperate with His work. Setting our hope fully on the future promises of God is part of what Peter describes as “preparing your minds for action.” Then Peter goes on to say that obedience is the result of prepared minds. Because we are children of God, we willfully choose not to follow ignorant or worldly passions, but instead, we choose obedience to God, which leads to holiness. We are commanded to be holy because as children of God we are not only declared holy, but we have the Spirit and the Scriptures to assist us in holy living. The inner transformation in our hearts accomplished by God leads to increasing outward expressions of holiness. Because we have the promises of being reconciled with God and adopted into His family, let us put off the sin that defiles us physically and spiritually and cooperate with the Holy Spirit in completing our holiness. The author of Hebrews urges us to strive for holiness, reminding us that without the holiness that Christ has already accomplished and our continued pursuit of holiness powered by the grace of God, we will not see Him. If we are not striving for holiness—if sanctification is not important to us—it calls into question whether we have really been transformed by the gospel.
Action Step: One of the ways that the Spirit works to grow our holiness is through discipline. Hebrews 12:10 says, “he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.” God is treating us just like any good father would treat his children—by disciplining us with love to train us in holiness. If you are facing a difficult trial right now, whether it was brought on by your own sin or not, bring it in prayer to God. Submit your will to His so that He can discipline you to share His holiness.