Holiness in the New Testament

Throughout the Bible, God clearly conveys his intention for his people to be distinct from the ways of the world. However, because Adam succumbed to the temptation and launched his progeny into sin, each human struggles with a nature completely antithetical to God’s nature. While the Old Testament’s version of holiness primarily focuses on ceremonial measures to deal with this issue, the holiness of the New Testament involves not just the consecrating of one’s life to God but the separation of that life from sin (Purkiser, 1961). After an individual receives Christ as his Savior, he will abstain from the associations, actions, and attires of the world as he begins to sanctify himself by the “washing of water of the word” (Ephesians 5:26). Samuel Brengle stated, “Holiness is that perfect renewal of our nature that makes us essentially good.” Unless a Christian subjects himself to this necessary and strenuous process of sanctification, he will remain a babe in Christ and live a vacillating life of defeat and despair, never able to maintain a victorious walk with God.
Holiness Demanded
            The modern day Christian has no excuse for an avoidance of the holy life. The New Testament is fraught with examples and teachings which proclaim the truthfulness of this doctrine. Specifically, Paul used his pen to elaborate upon the need of shunning worldly attractions and allowing God to conform Christians to the “good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). In the sixth chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians, he instructed them to “be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” This expression alludes to the Old Testament prohibition against yoking two unlike animals together and speaks that Christians ought to not entertain unhealthy relationships (Baird, 1966). Furthermore, in the book of Hebrews, Paul communicates the necessity of holiness by stating that without it, “no man shall see the Lord.” Not only does the Christian have the teachings of Paul to follow, but Jesus serves as the epitome of any Christian attempting to live an overcoming life. When Satan tempted him in the wilderness, Christ unsheathed the immutable Word of God and defeated the malicious scheme of Satan, showing that a Christian can live a victorious life by the utilizing the authority of the Bible. The true saint can walk a conquering journey by establishing himself on an unwavering foundation.
Holiness Defined

            The Greek word used for holiness in the New Testament is hagiasmos, which means purification and sanctification (Strong, 1979). The first aspect of sanctification is that it involves a separation. Christians are “to have nothing to do with the soiling, defiling things of the world” (Luck, 1959, p. 66). If a Christian permits alliances to be created between him and worldly peers, a question mark will be placed over his character and a spiritual apathy is imminent (Luck, 1959). Moreover, the process of sanctification consists of the earnest adherence to the commandments of God’s Word (Finney, 1984). A holy man will effectively strive to live up to his comprehension of the Word, realizing that if he fails in one point, he is guilty of all (Ryle, 2012). Furthermore, holiness is a state which the seeking Christian can obtain in which he will love and trust God wholeheartedly (Brengle, 1896). It is an achievement that God grants after the hungry heart passionately pursues him. The result of this pursuit is complete and perfect peace, which can be found only after the acquirement of holiness (Henry, 1961). Christians should place more of an emphasis on sanctification and endeavor to reach this gift of God. If a generation of young Christians would purpose in their heart that they would not settle for tenuous Christianity, but rather seek the higher calling of holiness, God would be pleased with their diligence and reward them accordingly.
References
Baird, William (1966). 1 Corinthians/ 2 Corinthians. Atlanta, Georgia: John Knox Press.
Brengle, Samuel (1896). Helps to Holiness. Avonmore, Pennsylvania: West Publishing Company.
Finney, Charles (1984). Principles of Holiness. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers.
Henry, Matthew (1961). The Matthew Henry Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing Hosue.
Luck, G. Coleman (1959). Second Corinthians. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press.
Purkiser, W. T. (1961). Sanctification and Its Synonyms. Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press.
Ryle, J.C. (2012). Holiness. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Strong, James (1979). Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. 

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