Holiness
Holiness in Scripture describes God's absolute moral purity, uniqueness, and separation from sin, as well as the calling of His people to reflect His character through lives set apart for Him.
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Return to the storyline index when you want to compare the wider canonical movement of Scripture by book.
Why It Matters
Without the theme of holiness, the Bible's teaching about God's character, human sin, and the necessity of redemption becomes unclear. Holiness explains why sin separates humanity from God, why sacrifices and atonement are required, and why believers are called to live transformed lives.
Plain Language
Holiness means that God is perfectly pure and completely different from sin. Because God is holy, He calls His people to live in a way that reflects His character and separates them from sin.
Extended Definition
In Scripture, holiness describes God's absolute moral perfection and His distinctness from all that is sinful or corrupted. God's holiness demands justice against sin but also motivates His redemptive work to restore people into fellowship with Him. Those who belong to God are called to reflect His holiness through lives of obedience, moral purity, and devotion.
- Holiness is not merely external religious behavior but transformation of the heart.
- Holiness does not mean withdrawing from the world but living faithfully within it.
- Holiness is not achieved by human effort alone but through God's work in His people.
Canonical Role
Storyline Function: Holiness reveals God's character and shapes the moral framework of the biblical storyline.
Gospel Connection: Through Christ's sacrifice, sinners are forgiven and made holy so they can stand in God's presence.
Church Formation: The church is called to live as a holy people whose lives reflect God's character before the world.
Biblical Storyline Arc
Creation Root: Humanity was created to live in moral purity and fellowship with a holy God.
Holiness Revealed in God's Character
God reveals His holiness through His actions, commands, and judgments.
Holy People and Holy Practices
Israel is called to be a holy nation set apart to reflect God's character.
Recognition of Human Sinfulness
Prophets and leaders recognize that human sinfulness prevents people from standing before a holy God without redemption.
New Testament Fulfillment: Through Christ's atoning work, believers are forgiven and progressively transformed to live holy lives.
Consummation: In the new creation, God's people will live in perfect holiness and fellowship with Him.
Foundational Passages
Key Terms
Teaching Path
Start Here: Explain that God's holiness means He is perfectly pure and separate from sin.
Next Step: Trace how God's holiness shapes Israel's calling and worship practices.
Deeper Study: Explore how believers are made holy through Christ and called to holy living.
Teaching Warning: Do not present holiness as merely external rule-keeping.
For Those New to Scripture: Begin with the universal human awareness of moral right and wrong.
Canonical Threads
Related Doctrines
Sacrifices and Feasts
Meta-Narrative Arc
Ministry Applications
Confessional Anchors
WCF 13 confesses sanctification: those effectually called are progressively renewed in the whole person after the image of God, increasingly dying to sin and living to righteousness, though the struggle with remaining sin continues in this life.
HC Q32 confesses that all believers are anointed with the Spirit to share in Christ's holiness; Q86 grounds obedience in gratitude for redemption; Q115 affirms that the law shows us our sin and drives us to pray for grace.
Belgic Article 24 affirms that the Holy Spirit kindles in believers a sincere desire to live according to God's will and to mortify their flesh, so that true faith is never without the pursuit of holiness.