The great apostle of the Gentiles was most emphatic when he wrote, “[Without] holiness . . . no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:1414Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)). The nature of God being immaculate in holiness, none can tread His courts who do not answer morally to that nature. It is impossible that anything defiling should enter there or anyone who works abomination.
Our Lack of Holiness
Holiness may be distinguished from righteousness. Righteousness is consistency in one’s relationships, and holiness is an inherent abhorrence of iniquity and delight in what is excellent and good. Measured by such a standard as this, every member of our fallen race stands disqualified by nature for the presence of God. In this “there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). It would be as reasonable to expect to gather figs of thistles or grapes of thorns as to look for natural holiness in a single offspring of the first man. It is the beginning of good things with a man when he frankly and humbly acknowledges this before God.
Christ Our Holiness
Here Christ comes in as the sinner’s only hope. While Himself the Holy One of God on whom death had no claim, and for whom judgment had no meaning, in His grace He condescended to suffer and die for the sins of others. Risen from the dead, He is presented by God to all as the One who meets every need. To the Corinthian believers the Spirit wrote, “Of [God] are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification [or holiness], and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Every believer has in Christ a new and absolutely holy life and nature which enables him to delight himself in God and which fits him for the divine presence forever.
Holiness in Daily Life
Holiness in daily life flows from the realization of this. The true Christian yearns to be practically consistent with what God has made him in Christ. He does not occupy his mind with himself, but with Christ, to whose image he earnestly longs to be fully conformed. He looks no longer for any good thing in the flesh. Instead, he treats it in faith as a crucified thing and seeks to develop his new man by the power of the Holy Spirit. He keeps before him continually the important exhortation in 1 Peter 1:1516: “As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [or behavior]; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.” In accordance with this, he yields his members “servants to righteousness unto holiness” (Rom. 6:1919I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (Romans 6:19)). Affliction, when it comes, he welcomes as discipline from God, sent for his profit, that he may become a partaker practically of God’s holiness (Heb. 12:1010For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)).
W. W. Fereday