What is Holiness? 1

(Hebrews 12:14 NKJV) Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

We have seen in God’s word that we need to be holy. We have also studied it to find out how to be holy; but we haven’t yet discussed what a holy person actually looks like. This is enormously important, because it gives us a picture—a vision—on which we can focus our meditation and desire.

Obviously, Jesus is our role model for holiness, so it is essential that we have a clear mental picture of our Lord—his character, values, and actions, etc. Remember, when we see him, we’ll be like him (1 John 3:2).

(2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

So let’s invest some time now to understand holiness in Jesus, and thus we will be able to see what a truly holy person looks like.

First, let’s review the Scriptures that underline the importance of holiness. Then we can proceed to discover what we will look like when we walk in sweatless holiness.

(1 Peter 1:15–16 DKJV) “But as he which has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of conversation (lifestyle); {16} Because it is written (in Lev. 11:44), ‘You be holy; for I am holy.’”

(Ephesians 1:4 DKJV) “According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”

(2 Peter 3:10–11 DKJV) “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are in it shall be burned up. {11} Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy living and godliness,”

(Romans 1:4 KJV) “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

I love this verse from Romans where Scripture calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Holiness,” as this reminds me of his primary character and purpose in our lives. This verse also reveals that it was His power of holiness inside Jesus that enabled his resurrection. Wow! Holiness is truly amazing! We should, therefore, have a very high priority on achieving sweatless holiness in our own lives. So what will we be like when we walk in it? What does a truly holy person look like?

After all, unless we know what the objective is, how will we know when we arrive at it? How could Noah build a huge boat if he didn’t know what one was? The shepherds wouldn’t have been able to find baby Jesus if they didn’t know what a manger looked like, or the location of Bethlehem. If you don’t know what you are looking for, you won’t know when you have found it.

So what does a holy person look like? Is it simply someone who doesn’t swear, smoke, or get drunk? Is it someone so pious that they never have any fun? Perhaps a holy person is a person who can quote the whole King James Bible in old English. Does a holy person have to live in poverty, never being funny, or doing exciting things? Must a holy woman dress drably, lead a boring life, or live at a mission in a remote village?—Or, on the other hand, perhaps Esther is holy: she had the palace, the pampering, the princess clothing, and the prince, etc.; but she still saved her generation.

Holiness may be difficult to define or imagine, but the truth is, our greatest revelation of Holiness has been staring us in the face all the time; the Holy Spirit is holy. If we look at him—who he is, what he does, and his fruit and gifts—we will certainly know what holiness is and what it looks like. Then we will definitely be able to recognise a holy person when we see one.

Holiness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit

(Galatians 5:22–23 KJV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

(Ephesians 5:9 NKJV) “for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.”

These passages list the fruit of the Spirit of Holiness. In other words, if this Spirit is at work anywhere, this is what his legacy will be. We must note that his fruit in our lives is not a result of our self-effort, or it would be the fruit of self. On the contrary, it is His fruit—the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

Therefore, holiness is:

• Love—greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.
• Joy—calm delight.
• Peace—the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God—content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.
• Longsuffering—forbearance, fortitude, patience.
• Gentleness—moral goodness, integrity, benignity, kindness.
• Goodness—uprightness of heart and life, kindness, virtue or beneficence (charity).
• Faith—confidence, trust, reliance, assurance, conviction.
• Meekness—gentleness, mildness; having great power but not using it for evil.
• Temperance—the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites—in dominion, in control.
• (Galatians 5:16 NKJV) “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
• Righteousness.
• Truth.

We all know that fruit grows on trees; the type of fruit depends only on what type of tree it is. If the tree is healthy, and if its roots are established in good soil, good fruit grows. In a similar way, the fruit in a person’s life is generated from whatever entity has its roots established in their heart. For example, if a person is filled with or controlled by a spirit of lying, the fruit will be lying. If they have a spirit of stealing, larceny will automatically be in their lives.

We note here that the “flesh” is similar. It produces the “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:9–21)—simply because it, like a seed, reproduces after its own kind. We are all born with “flesh,” and the only force strong enough to overcome it is the Holy Spirit. For example, children need no special lessons or particular effort to produce the fruit (or works) of the flesh. Parents, on the other hand, have to exert discipline to reduce the works of the flesh in their offspring. The new birth and the Holy Spirit are the only way to remove them permanently.

In fact, whatever is planted and allowed to flourish in a life will produce fruit after its own kind. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, love him, develop close relational intimacy with him, and walk in the spirit, then His fruit will readily grow in our lives without conscious self-effort from us.

Do you have God’s spirit of holiness in you? Are you walking in the spirit? If so, the fruit of holiness will be in your life. What will that look like? You’ll be a person of love, filled with joy and truth. Yet at the same time, you’ll be good, patient, gentle, meek, and temperate—the type of person with whom it is a joy to be. You will be exciting, full of fun and adventure, while being gentle and kind—a person characterised by love and value of others. Anything but boring, you’ll be a person of spark, enthusiasm, and exploits—but not selfish, self-focussed, or greedy.

A truly holy person will attract friends and convict sinners.

I see a day when we’ll put all our trust in the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of holiness will be evident everywhere. Holiness is the fruit of the “Spirit of Holiness.” Today, I encourage you to have a vision for this fruit being in your life, and I exhort you to learn how to recognise this fruit in others:

(Matthew 7:16, 20 NKJV) “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ... {20} Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”