There are many roles that Christians play in their day-to-day lives. Some of those roles include parent, employee, student, and friend. One of the most important things to do as a Christian is to keep yourself holy. In order to be holy, we need to understand what holiness is and how it can help us live out our faith more fully.
How Can A Christian Be Holy
1. Sanctification is a process whereby one who has been saved becomes more and more Christ-like
Sanctification is a process whereby one who has been saved becomes more and more Christ-like. This process is referred to in Scripture as the new birth (John 3:3-5) and being born again (1 Peter 1:3). It is through this new birth that we are given access to all of God’s blessings here on earth, including forgiveness of sins, justification before God through faith alone, adoption into His family as sons (Galatians 4:4), sanctification by the Holy Spirit, and our glorification when we receive our resurrected bodies.
The Holy Spirit works in us to cleanse us and make us more like Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). The Scriptures promise that He gives us everything we need in order for us to grow into His image (2 Peter 1:3-11).
2. The word “sanctification” comes from the Latin word sanctum which means “holy.”
The word “sanctification” comes from the Latin word sanctum which means “holy.” The process whereby one who has been saved becomes more and more Christ-like is called sanctification.
The writer of Hebrews said, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (2:10) Christians are not just saved but they are also being transformed into something more than they were before they came to Christ.
3. The Saints – God’s saints are those holy persons who have been set apart for a special purpose.
God’s saints are those holy persons who have been set apart for a special purpose. God’s saints are those who have been made holy by God. They have been set apart, separated from the world and all that is evil, to be dedicated to the service of God.
God’s saints are those whom He has called out of this world into His kingdom, for their salvation, and for His glory.
A saint is one who is set apart by God for a special purpose: To live in holiness and serve Him faithfully throughout his or her life.
The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:2: “To the church of God which is at Corinth,” and he began his letter with these words because he wanted them to know how precious they were to him.
4. Man’s sanctification – Those of us who are set apart by God for special purposes are in the process of becoming holy.
It is God’s plan that we are holy, as He is holy. The Scripture says in 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy for I am holy.'” The apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:9-10 that “you must put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice . . . Now put off falsehood and speak truthfully so that your words may give grace.” And then he concludes with a beautiful verse that shows us how we can do this: “Let each one of you learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable.”
What does sanctification look like? It means becoming more like Jesus. It means becoming more loving and forgiving just like Him was (see Hebrews 12). It means growing closer to God every day through prayer and Bible study (see 2 Timothy 2:15).
5. God is at work in our lives to make us holy.
God is at work in our lives to make us holy. God is at work in our lives to make us more Christ-like. God is at work in our lives to make us more like Jesus Christ.
We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and he has a purpose for each of us; his goal for your life is that you become more like Christ himself.
6. We must yield to the work of God and follow His plan for our lives.
In order to be holy, we must yield to the work of God and follow His plan for our lives. To do this, we must know exactly what that plan is. There are two ways you can do this:
- Ask God for clarity about His calling for your life. Remember that He has called each person by name (Isaiah 43:1). So when you ask Him to make His calling known, He will answer!
- Notice how God is working in other people’s lives. Just because you haven’t been called into ministry doesn’t mean there isn’t a ministry in which He wants you involved! Look at the way other Christians are living out their faith—you may find yourself being drawn toward something similar or realizing that whatever they have been doing closely matches what God wants from your life as well!
7. The Bible tells us that we can be holy, even as God is holy.
We should be holy, just as God is holy. The Bible tells us this—that we can be like God and Jesus. We may not have the same power that they have, but we can love like they love and serve others in the same way they do. As redeemed people who are made new by Christ’s blood shed on the cross for our sins (1 John 1:7-9), we’ve been given an opportunity to change our lives for good. Unlike those who don’t know about Jesus or choose not to follow Him, we’re expected to live differently because of what He has done for us!
Closing
If you look at the Bible, you will see that God’s people were always seeking to be holy, and He was helping them do it. They were happy people who were following God’s plan for their lives. The Bible says that those who are saved by Jesus Christ are now partakers of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). What this means is that we can also become holy just like Jesus was before He died on the cross for our sins!