Topical Bible: Holiness: Saints: Called To

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Topical Encyclopedia

Holiness is a central theme in the Christian faith, reflecting the nature of God and His call for His people to be set apart for His purposes. The concept of holiness is deeply rooted in the character of God, who is described as holy in numerous passages throughout the Bible. For believers, holiness is both a gift and a calling, a state of being and a pursuit.

Biblical Foundation

The call to holiness is explicitly stated in both the Old and New Testaments. In Leviticus 19:2, God commands the Israelites, "Speak to the entire congregation of the Israelites and tell them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’" This call to holiness is reiterated in the New Testament, where the apostle Peter writes, "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’" (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Nature of Holiness

Holiness involves being set apart for God and living in a manner that reflects His character. It encompasses moral purity, spiritual integrity, and a life dedicated to God's service. The apostle Paul emphasizes this in his letters, urging believers to live lives worthy of their calling. In Ephesians 4:1, he writes, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received."

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The pursuit of holiness is not a human endeavor alone but is empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works within believers to transform them into the likeness of Christ. In Galatians 5:16, Paul instructs, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." The fruit of the Spirit, listed in Galatians 5:22-23, reflects the attributes of a holy life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Holiness as a Community Calling

Holiness is not only an individual pursuit but also a communal one. The church, as the body of Christ, is called to be a holy community. In 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul addresses the church in Corinth as "those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy." The community of believers is to encourage one another in the pursuit of holiness, as seen in Hebrews 10:24-25: "And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Practical Aspects of Holiness

The call to holiness involves practical aspects of daily living. Believers are urged to abstain from sinful behaviors and to cultivate virtues that reflect God's character. In Romans 12:1-2, Paul exhorts, "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

The Ultimate Goal

The ultimate goal of holiness is to glorify God and to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul expresses his own pursuit of this goal: "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus."

Holiness is both a present reality and a future hope, as believers anticipate the day when they will be fully sanctified in the presence of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Timothy 1:9
Who has saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Holiness of God
... The saints are called vessels of honour; they are called jewels, for the sparkling
of their holiness, because filled with wine of the Spirit. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/7 the holiness of god.htm

Saints and Faithful
... who tower above their brethren in holiness and manifest ... in Jesus Christ as being,
therein and thereby, saints. ... for a specific purpose would be called, if it ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/saints and faithful.htm

Note A. Holiness as Proprietorship.
... details of the Saviour's life, He was called the Holy ... By calling His people saints,
God declares His will that ... This is the objective holiness of the Church of ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/note a holiness as proprietorship.htm

I Believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the ...
... earth a little holy group and congregation of pure saints, under one head, even
Christ, called together by ... as also there can be no holiness [sanctification ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/the large catechism/i believe in the holy.htm

Holiness
... "Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his ... The aged women likewise, that they be in
behavior as becometh holiness.""Titus 2 ... The church of God is called a mountain ...
//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter ix holiness.htm

In the Work of Ministering
... every member of Christ's body, is called to take ... The perfecting of the saints' prepares
them for the work ... lack of true sainthood, of true holiness, that causes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/working for god/xv in the work of.htm

Perseverance of the Saints Proved.
... also to admonish them that, although called and elected ... growth in grace, and
perseverance in holiness to the ... Again: Christians and saints, and the children and ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlviii perseverance of the.htm

Second Day. God's Provision for Holiness.
... it meaneth that Thou hast not only called them to holiness, but even called them
by ... To this end we pray Thee to reveal to Thy saints what Thy Holiness is. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/murray/holy in christ/second day gods provision for.htm

Privilege and Obligation
... to the 'beloved in God,' the 'called saints' that are ... and that it were not true that
'saints' in the ... filthiness of flesh and spirit; perfecting holiness in the ...
/.../romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/privilege and obligation.htm

Twenty-Fourth Day. Holiness and Cleansing.
... When Hezekiah called the priests to sanctify the temple ... with the perfection which
the saints have in ... We must perfect holiness: holiness must be carried out ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/twenty-fourth day holiness and cleansing.htm