I've been behind. Sorry about this delayed response. What does it mean to live a life of holiness? "Holy" is an adjective. It describes a person's condition. How does one become holy? The only way to become holy is to obey. Obey. It's almost too simple of an answer. "Obey" is a verb. It is an action, which means it is a choice. We either choose to obey, or we choose not to obey. Obey what? Everything. Every command given to us in Scripture and every unction of the Spirit in the present moment.
What does it look like practically? I'm not sure that there's a definitive answer to your question, but it certainly includes a few universal components. "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might . . . and love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and prophets." Our lives should be filled with costly acts of worship, and if we are fulfilling these two commandments, our lives WILL be filled with costly acts of worship. Loving the Lord means obeying His commandments. Sharing our faith, prayer, study of the Word, tithing, fasting, are just a few things that should be universal to all Believers in their walks of faith. I'm not sure if this completely answers your questions, but it is a start.
I saw something in kareyswan's response that made me want to add this: we are positionally holy in God's eyes at all times because He views us through the blood of Christ. Nothing we do saves us or makes us more holy than Christ has already made us. Holiness is acheived upon the moment of salvation. However, as Believers, we should naturally want to do all the things I mentioned above, and as we do them, we allow more of Christ's holiness (which we already possess) to shine through to those around us. I suppose the correct answer to your question (after all this rambling) is we cannot be holy apart from Christ's holiness. Any holiness that comes from us, emanates from Christ in us. And the only way it shows through is through loving Him and obeying Him, which are inseparable.
What does it look like practically? I'm not sure that there's a definitive answer to your question, but it certainly includes a few universal components. "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might . . . and love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and prophets." Our lives should be filled with costly acts of worship, and if we are fulfilling these two commandments, our lives WILL be filled with costly acts of worship. Loving the Lord means obeying His commandments. Sharing our faith, prayer, study of the Word, tithing, fasting, are just a few things that should be universal to all Believers in their walks of faith. I'm not sure if this completely answers your questions, but it is a start.
I saw something in kareyswan's response that made me want to add this: we are positionally holy in God's eyes at all times because He views us through the blood of Christ. Nothing we do saves us or makes us more holy than Christ has already made us. Holiness is acheived upon the moment of salvation. However, as Believers, we should naturally want to do all the things I mentioned above, and as we do them, we allow more of Christ's holiness (which we already possess) to shine through to those around us. I suppose the correct answer to your question (after all this rambling) is we cannot be holy apart from Christ's holiness. Any holiness that comes from us, emanates from Christ in us. And the only way it shows through is through loving Him and obeying Him, which are inseparable.
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