Holiness & Salvation II

"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called 

The way of holiness"

(Isa. 35: 8)

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour...For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." (I Thess. 4: 3,4,7)

Notice how holiness or sanctification is mentioned three times in these verses. Notice the several things declared to us in regard to it. 

1. God wills that men be holy. Those who have been made holy in conversion are also to continue seeking and striving for greater holiness, increased dedication. Sanctification is unlike justification. The former is continuous and progressive while the latter is not so; It is rather a one time act of acquittal. 

2. God wills that each Christian "know how" to "possess" his "vessel," or human body,* "in sanctification" or "holiness." 

The body and its members are to be "set apart" for use in the service of God and this is what makes them "holy." Thus we read of "holy hands." (I Tim. 2: 8) As an example we may think of the "hands" of the thief that once robbed, before his conversion, but now, after conversion, is seen "working with his hands the thing that is good" (Eph. 4: 28) having hands dedicated to doing good, or doing service to God. Not only the hands, but believers are to "present their bodies a living sacrifice" with all its members, dedicating them to the work of God and thereby becoming "holy." (Rom. 12: 1) 

(*Some think by "his vessel" a man's wife is meant, and though this is plausible I nevertheless think it applies to a person's physical body.)

3. Holiness involves separation as we have seen, and in this sense also it is associated with cleansing and moral cleanliness. In cleansing filth is removed. Cleansing the heart, mind, and soul involves the removal of moral filth.

4. Holiness involves a "calling" and is in fact called a "holy calling" (Heb. 3: 1) It ought to be the regular habit, vocation, or work profession, of "everyone who names the name of Christ." (II Tim. 2: 19) "Calling" is from the Greek word "klesis" and generally means a summons or invitation (Strong, Vine, etc.) but may include also the idea of having been gifted and divinely inclined to a particular work. In the KJV it is translated as "vocation" in Eph. 4: 1, though generally as "calling." 

The calling of the Christian, his vocation, is what the scriptures call "your labor in the Lord" (I Cor. 15: 58). The Lord says to everyone of his servants - "occupy till I come." (Luke 19: 13) Living a life of service to God is the "occupation" or "vocational calling" of every heaven born soul. It becomes his "chosen profession." In the parable the laborers (Matthew 20: 1-16) were "called" (summoned or invited) to "go out and labor in the vineyard." In being converted the believer is called to a life of special work and service, to new activities and fields of labor. A man who is doing no work for the Lord, who is not engaged in regular spiritual activity (work), is no real believer.

Salvation Through Holiness

"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Thess. 2: 13-14)

As mentioned previously, believers are said to have been "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" for the end purpose of making them "holy" and "without blame." (Eph. 1: 4) The above text further enlarges upon the relation of election and salvation to holiness. The salvation to which believers have been chosen involves being "sanctified" or "made holy." If someone dies without experiencing this "sanctification of the Spirit," then he is lost. Further, holiness is joined with "belief (faith) of the truth." Where there is holiness there is belief of the truth; And, where there is not faith in the truth, then there is no holiness of the Spirit.

Not only were believers chosen and called to a salvation that has an unbreakable bond with holiness, but the death of Christ for believers was also in order to their holiness. 

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 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." (Eph. 5: 24-27)

Notice again the coupling of "sanctify" with "cleanse" and "washing." Believers were chosen before the world began to become holy and Christ died to effect it. The end design of having been chosen and called is that each believer may be by the Lord "presented" as "holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." (Col. 1: 21-22) This looks forward to the completion of man's promised salvation. Perfect holiness comes to none in this life. It is begun and is increasing, but its completion awaits the resurrection. 

Progressive Holiness

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (II Cor. 7: 1)

The word translated "perfecting" is from the Greek word ἐπιτελοῦντες (epitelountes) and means "bring to an end, to finish, complete." But, why exhort believers to do what God has said that he will do? Has God not assured the new convert that he is not only saved, but that God will keep him saved and also to save him completely in the end? Has he not promised to perfect him in holiness? Then why command believers to do it? Is it not because the one does not exclude the other, though seeming to do so? Is it not because, as Augustine said, and as the Bible shows, God gives what he commands?

"For 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." (Heb. 12: 10)

In the preceding verse the believer is himself exhorted to perfect holiness but in this passage it is God who is perfecting that holiness. One of God's means for this work is to discipline or correct his erring and rebellious children. What that chastening accomplishes is the progressive sanctification of the believer.

When one is saved he "puts on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. 4: 24) From this verse one might think that conversion brings all the holiness one will ever need. But, the new man is perfectly holy, but the believer does not always "put on" the new man, thus his practical holiness is never perfect in this life. The Christian can truly say that he has been made holy and yet he also may say that he is daily being made holy. In putting on this "new man" each day the Christian is himself being renewed (or made new). 

"...by the "new man" is meant, the new nature, the new principle, or work of grace in the soul, elsewhere called a new creature; and it bears this name in opposition to, and distinction from the old man, or corruption of nature, before spoken of...such who have it, have new hearts and new spirits given unto them; they have new eyes to see with, and new ears to hear with, and new hands to handle and work with, and new feet to walk with; and they live a new life and conversation..." (Gill's Commentary)

Notice too how righteousness is connected with holiness (and holiness with cleansing, as we have seen). Also notice the words "true holiness." Is there a false or fake holiness in contrast to real holiness? Yes, and we all need to beware of it.

Holiness & Power

"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." (Rom. 1: 4)

"And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" (Acts 3: 12)

What these verses have in common, besides the fact of their mention of holiness (particularly the holiness of Christ), is their connecting power with holiness. Those saints who have had the most power to work miracles have been holy men and women. The power of Jesus to do the miracles he did came from his holiness and his being filled with the Spirit. 

Peter was an holy man and yet he testified that the miracle he performed (along with John) was not due to the holiness of Peter or John but was owing to the holiness of Christ. If we would "have power with God" as Jacob (Gen. 32: 28), then we need to partake each day of the holiness of Christ. We must separate ourselves each day from all things that defile.