practical holiness

The most common definition of holiness I hear today has to do with being set apart to God. It's a good definition, but it doesn't apply to God in the same way, i.e. we don't say God is separated unto God. Holiness is defined a bit differently when applied to Him.

Some years ago a definition for holiness occurred to me that works both for God and for us: holiness is absolute integrity of character. The phrase I use to remember it by is: "no compromise".

In terms of who God is, holiness means He will not compromise His character in any way. He will not compromise His righteousness, justice, love, faithfulness, etc. He will not break His promises. He will always remain true to who He says He is. Holiness is the overarching trait that all His other character attributes operate under.

In terms of ourselves, we are to be uncompromisingly like Him in character (...impossible without the Holy Spirit). And as set apart to God, we are not to compromise our devotion to Him. If we are bought with a price, we are not to serve the world or our own self-interests... ever. (Again, impossible without the Holy Spirit's work.)

Holiness is lived out in day-to-day practical ways. This is not done religiously like the Pharisees and their nit-picky rules and separation from sinners. It is like Job regularly interceding for his family, helping the widows and orphans, seeking justice for the stranger, etc. It is living like our Savior: being in the world, but not of it.
 
Jesus made the whip, called them Vipers, and even pushed the money changers out of the Temple....because he is God. He said " Vengeance is MINE I shall repay saith the Lord".. He owns every soul, The cattle on a thousand hills, He also said in one verse " Follow peace with all men IF POSSIBLE" hello?
 
Jesus made the whip, called them Vipers, and even pushed the money changers out of the Temple....because he is God. He said " Vengeance is MINE I shall repay saith the Lord".. He owns every soul, The cattle on a thousand hills, He also said in one verse " Follow peace with all men IF POSSIBLE" hello?

Romans 12:18
King James Version (KJV)
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
God honors our efforts..... God will do for us what we can't or could never do for ouselves. But, God WILL NOT do for us what we can do for ourselves. If a person has a made-up mind to live for Jesus and are determined to make heaven their home someday, they can be all things to all men..... They can love the un-lovable.
I believe we MUST be like David and say: "My heart is fixed"
 
We can disagree with anyone we choose as long as it is done with the right Spirit. We cannot exact vengeance on anyone. God tells us plainly, all vengeance belongs to him. When for example; Someone does something wrong to us. We do not pull a gun on them, or go over to their house screaming and threatening them. That is the Spirit of Satan. Depending on the situation it always should be handled with kindness if possible. That subject alone is about a two hour bible study.
 
Jesus is coming back for HIS people.....
Ephesians 5:27
King James Version (KJV)
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
 
Jesus is a holy God ! He has a holy people(who were created in His image and likeness).....Who live according to His holy book (Word)....And shall spend eternity in a holy place called heaven !
 
I think I missed it: what is practical holiness?
Like Brother David said, practical holiness is being in the world but not of it. If you want to see how this plays out in real life, take a look at how Jesus, the Holy One, lived, and then follow Him.

The religious leaders thought Jesus was anything but holy. He was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He allowed a prostitute to wash His feet. He healed on the Sabbath, and also allowed His disciples to pick grain on that day. By their standards, Jesus was very unholy. And yet, Jesus was sinless, and His Father said He was well pleased with Him! What we learn from this is that we can't rely on our own idea of what holiness is. We have to see how God defines it.

Jesus wasn't at all concerned with what others thought of Him. He didn't try to make Himself look holy in the eyes of men. He didn't seek His own will. Instead He was concerned only with pleasing His Father in heaven by doing His will. This involved being baptized (Matthew 3:15), presenting the gospel and healing the sick (Luke 4:18-21), and eventually giving His life to save us (Luke 22:42).

Holiness involves finding God's will for you and then doing it. The New Testament is full of guidance for all believers in this area. It never involves making yourself look holy before the world (or even before God). It is simply living the way God intends you to life by doing His whole will from your heart.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
- James 1:27

Of course, the only way to live a practical holy life is by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, and the Spirit is only present in those who have been born from above. It is the Holy Spirit that enables us to live as Jesus lived. Without the Spirit, all we will be doing is play-acting holy rather than being holy.
 
Like Brother David said, practical holiness is being in the world but not of it. If you want to see how this plays out in real life, take a look at how Jesus, the Holy One, lived, and then follow Him.

The religious leaders thought Jesus was anything but holy. He was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He allowed a prostitute to wash His feet. He healed on the Sabbath, and also allowed His disciples to pick grain on that day. By their standards, Jesus was very unholy. And yet, Jesus was sinless, and His Father said He was well pleased with Him! What we learn from this is that we can't rely on our own idea of what holiness is. We have to see how God defines it.

Jesus wasn't at all concerned with what others thought of Him. He didn't try to make Himself look holy in the eyes of men. He didn't seek His own will. Instead He was concerned only with pleasing His Father in heaven by doing His will. This involved being baptized (Matthew 3:15), presenting the gospel and healing the sick (Luke 4:18-21), and eventually giving His life to save us (Luke 22:42).

Holiness involves finding God's will for you and then doing it. The New Testament is full of guidance for all believers in this area. It never involves making yourself look holy before the world (or even before God). It is simply living the way God intends you to life by doing His whole will from your heart.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
- James 1:27

Of course, the only way to live a practical holy life is by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, and the Spirit is only present in those who have been born from above. It is the Holy Spirit that enables us to live as Jesus lived. Without the Spirit, all we will be doing is play-acting holy rather than being holy.
Amen and Amen Brother...I live as you stated. Those who think they can have one foot in The World, as far as participating in Ungodly, Un Holy worldly thinking and taking part in those things are fooling themselves, not God. Jesus taught..
SEPERATION and HOLINESS to us, not party on, do whatever " feels good". No Ungodly, Perverse, or followers of God' s Holiness Standards, will enter The Kingdom either in The Kingdom in heaven nor The Kingdom in our heart on Earth.
 
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