“Holier than thou” may be the perception that the world has of the attitudes of Christians, but without Jesus, Swiss cheese is more holy than we are! Holiness is separation from evil, and in that sense, we understand that God is the only one without sin, without evil. Yet He has called us to be holy!
For I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Leviticus 11:45
Without the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have no chance at holiness. Every Christian continues to sin, regardless of desiring perfection. Yet through our redemption, God looks upon our lives and instead of seeing our sin, sees the perfect life of His Son in our places. He was punished for our transgressions instead of us. Yet God desires for us to demonstrate our love for Him by desiring to resemble Him, rather than resembling the world. We cannot set ourselves apart, but Christ Himself sets us apart!
“Perfect holiness is the aim of the saints on earth, and it is the reward of the saints in heaven.” –Joseph Caryl
In Paul’s letter to Titus, he gives us a reminder of some of the ways that we can be separated from the world:
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Titus 3:1-8
We are to glorify the Lord in body and in spirit. That is accomplished by becoming a living sacrifice to Him. While God gives us new hearts as believers, we retain the old brains, filled with memories of a sinful past. In that transformation from worldliness to holiness, we need to separate ourselves from the hurdles that caused us to stumble. While one drink might not cause drunkenness, that small taste could lead an alcoholic on a stumble of immense proportions. Paul reminds us that the gray areas, not regarded as sin, should also be left behind if there is any potential in causing someone else to stumble.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1 Corinthians 6:12
When the Lord is living inside of us, we always are standing on holy ground. Do you desire to carry Him into the dens of iniquity or would you rather have Him carry You into the Promised Land? Be holy, for He is holy!
And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.
Leviticus 20:26
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2
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