Theme · theological
Holiness
'Be holy, for I am holy' — the refrain of Leviticus establishes holiness as both God's nature and his demand. Holiness means separation: Israel is set apart from the nations, the Sabbath from ordinary days, the priests from the laity. Isaiah's vision of the seraphim crying 'Holy, holy, holy' reveals holiness as the defining attribute of God's character. In the New Testament, holiness shifts from ritual purity to moral transformation: believers are temples of the Holy Spirit, called to present their bodies as living sacrifices.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Cor 3:3 — For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
- 1Cor 5:6 — Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
- 1Cor 5:8 — Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
- 1Cor 6:9 — Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
- 1Cor 6:18 — Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
- 1Cor 6:19 — What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
- 1Cor 11:3 — But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
- 1John 3:3 — And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
- 1John 4:12 — No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
- 1John 4:20 — If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
- 1Kgs 22:8 — And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.
- 1Pet 1:15 — But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
- 1Pet 1:16 — Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
- 1Pet 1:17 — And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
- 1Pet 2:1 — Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
- 1Pet 2:17 — Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- 1Pet 3:4 — But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- 1Pet 5:3 — Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
- 1Sam 2:2 — There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
- 1Sam 16:7 — But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,
- 1Thess 3:13 — To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
- 1Thess 4:3 — For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
- 1Thess 4:7 — For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
- 1Thess 5:14 — Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
- 1Tim 2:8 — I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
The Church Fathers on Holiness
By "holiness" he referred to self-control. It is possible even for those in wedlock to achieve it.
No one can doubt that a person like this is holy.
Holiness is an immediate disposition toward wisdom: hence a yearning and a strong desire are the door to wisdom. "Therefore I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her." But the author…
For any powers and rational beings and also human beings on the earth who are holy—only through participation in the holy One by nature and who alone is truly holy are they called holy … and he who is alone holy together with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit has given from his own fullness to those sharing the…
He extends to this queen the staff he holds in his hand when he shows her the power of his rule, or rather the cross of his passion through which he has acquired for himself power in Heaven, on earth, and below the earth; so that "in his name every creature—celestial, terrestrial and infernal—shall bend his knee."…
For Thine is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. [1 Corinthians 7:31] Hosanna to the God (Son) of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maran atha. Amen.