To Be Holy

In my various Bible reading plans, one verse has stood out to me recently: Hebrews 12:14.

In the 2011 NIV translation, it reads:

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

The first part of this verse sounds awfully like Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” 

Certainly, Christ followers should strive for their life relationships to prosper and thrive in the biblical sense of the Hebrew word shalom (the NT word on these verses is eirene). Flourish is not a bad adjective to use here too. Of course, this isn’t always possible. We too often fail and others don’t respond favorably even to our best efforts. But we’re to keep striving, making every effort.

It’s the little phrase that comes next in Hebrews 12:14 that stopped me in my tracks: “and to be holy”. Holiness is one of those stained-glass words. It sounds churchy. We associate it with certain types of people. We erroneously tie it to the practice of certain extra-biblical activities or the abstaining from some. Think women only wearing dresses for the first part or consuming alcohol as a sin for the second.

One of my seminary professors used to say there’s both a worldly godliness and godly worldliness. In other words, what we consider holy or godly, God may not. On the contrary, God values things we don’t. Read Luke 16:15.

At its root, holiness is about being separate or different. God is absolutely morally perfect and holy as exemplified by the seraphim’s threefold “holy, holy, holy” in Isaiah 6:3. And we’re to strive to be like God, like Christ (cf. 1 Cor.11:1). There are plenty of admonitions, prohibitions, and commands we’re to obey (of course with the empowering Holy Spirit!).

It’s this desire to be holy that demonstrates our belonging to God. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” It’s maturing into Christlikeness that allows a greater personal knowledge of God.

As Christians, we’re positionally in Christ seen as holy and blameless in God’s sight (see Ephesians 1:4,5) because of Jesus’s finished work. We could never earn God’s favor by our holiness. But where we stand positionally provides practically the assurance and motivation to be holy.

I grew up spiritually in an intense (looking back, a little too intense and controlling) collegiate discipleship ministry. We talked about holiness a lot. Spiritual disciplines occupied much of our conversations. Evangelism was a priority (as it should be).

My first exposure to a local church came in graduate school. The environment there was a little more relaxed. The priorities so prominent in my college ministry were talked about but often put on the back burner.

But everywhere I’ve been, I’ve found people who want to be holy. Often far more than I want to be holy! I tend to seek them out because I know I need them and perhaps they need me.

Holiness is not an individual sport. Like much of the NT writing, the writer of Hebrews 12:14 writes in the plural, not singular. Holiness is a team sport. We need everyone in the body of Christ to seek holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.