Just like we cannot cleanse ourselves from sin,
but we need Jesus to do the atoning for us,
Holiness is the same.
We cannot be Holy by anything we do in the natural
or even as efforts toward God,
No amount of prayer, bible reading, learning of His word
or any of the good things we know to do will make us holy.
Only God can make us holy. He alone purifies us and cleanses us.
We are to walk in holiness,
but that is not the same as making ourselves holy.
We do our part, He does His.
Holiness is not unto men, but unto God
When we seek to be holy, it is not to show off to men,
but to realize that God is Holy and if we want to be close to Him,
we must put off those things that drag us back towards the world.
We can be holy before men, meaning, they will see it
but if we glory in our holiness or righteousness,
it becomes filthiness because it is filled with pride
which makes anything unholy.
We can be good examples,
allowing God to use us as He will because we are pure in His sight,
keeping ourselves as pure as we are able with the tools He has given us,
always remembering that our righteousness is as filthy rags.
Apart from Him, we can do nothing, including remaining Holy.
Jesus reminded us to cut off our hands
or pluck out our eyes if they cause us to sin. (Matthew 5:30)
This was a strong metaphor to remind us to keep ourselves free from sin,
even so, we cannot do this without God’s help and strength.
If a man therefore purge himself from these,
he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified,
and meet for the master’s use,
and prepared unto every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21
It is a choice. Follow God or not.
Though we cannot make ourselves holy,
if we strive to do all the things we know toward holiness,
God will meet us there
and do the hard work that we are unable to do,
to lift us to the heavenly places
so that we will desire more of His ways.
God sees our hearts and if we desire to be pure and holy,
if that is indeed our desire,
He will definitely honor that.
He will remind us of His word
and help us to be sanctified and pure in His sight.
It is a joint effort as we yield more of our heart and life to Him.
Any purification or newness of life is from God, not from ourselves.
But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16
The holy and the unholy, the profane cannot mix.
It’s impossible.
They will never see eye-to-eye.
They cannot walk on the same path.
They two are not going the same direction.
The holy follow the Lord.
The unholy follow another path.
Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4
If we are close to those in the world,
we risk allowing them to influence us.
This can affect our spiritual growth with Jesus,
if we measure ourselves by the standards of the world.
Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17
Seek God’s Holiness.
Learn of His Holiness.
Let it become a part of you.
True Holiness will make sense to you as you learn more about Jesus.
It is then that you will strive to let Him purify you
from every spot and wrinkle that He may notice,
because you will not want to have a blemish
that might show as ugliness to Him.
Since He looks on and searches our hearts,
there is nothing hidden that He will not see.
Abide in Him and desire holiness and separation from the unholy.
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy,
and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
Leviticus 20:26
Scriptural References:
I am the vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5
I the Lord search the heart,
I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways,
and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:10
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved,
let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1