Holiness Standards

Holiness standards are universal and unchanging. They are built upon Biblical principles that define how we act, look, and sound.

Attitudes

Christians must have a Christ-like attitude toward others.

Galatians 5:19-23  ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  ²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  ²¹ Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 4:23-32  ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  ²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  ²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.  ²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  ²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.  ²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  ²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  ³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  ³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  ³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

We must not harbor evil attitudes. We must bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Thoughts

We must guard our minds from evil thoughts.

Matthew 15:18-20  ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

2 Corinthians 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Keeping evil thoughts in our minds makes it easier for us to fall to temptation and fall away from God. Keeping clean and pure thoughts in our hearts helps us to grow closer to God.

The Tongue

We must have a holy speech that is clean and honest before God and our fellow man.

Mark 10:19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

James 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

James 3:1-2  My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.  ² For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

James 5:12  But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

Christians must sound like Christians. This includes tale-bearing, gossip, lying, cursing, and any other thing that can be considered evil speech.

The Eye

It matters what we see.

Psalm 101:3  I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

Psalm 119:37  Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

Matthew 6:22-23  ²² The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  ²³ But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

The eye is the gate of the soul (Bernard, p. 49). We must be careful with what we watch, read, and see.

Appearance

It matters how we dress and how we look. This includes our hair, makeup, jewelry, and our clothes.

Deuteronomy 22:5  The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

1 Corinthians 11:1-16  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.  ² Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.  ³ But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  ⁴ Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.  ⁵ But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.  ⁶ For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.  ⁷ For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.  ⁸ For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.  ⁹ Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  ¹⁰ For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.  ¹¹ Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.  ¹² For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.  ¹³ Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?  ¹⁴ Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?  ¹⁵ But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.  ¹⁶ But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

1 Timothy 2:8-10  ⁸ I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.  ⁹ In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  ¹⁰ But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Peter 3:1-5  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;  ² While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.  ³ Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;  ⁴ But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  ⁵ For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

Christians should dress modestly. We should not try to look the world or wear anything that portrays carnality.

Stewardship of the Body

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost (Bernard, p. 50). This means we should abstain from things that would harm our bodies.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17  ¹⁶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  ¹⁷ If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:12  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  ¹⁹ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  ²⁰ For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

This means that we should avoid smoking and alcohol. We should avoid anything that can cause us to become addicted.

Marriage

The scriptures proclaim that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Genesis 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

We should remain sexually pure and keep ourselves for marriage.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10  ⁹ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  ¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Colossians 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Hebrews 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Marriage is sanctified of God. God intends on a husband and wife being lifelong companions.

Human Life

Christians should not be violent people. We should not take a human life.

Exodus 20:13  Thou shalt not kill.

Matthew 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Christians should be a peaceful, loving, and kind people, having joy in our lives.

Fellowship

It matters who we fellowship.

Matthew 18:15-18  ¹⁵ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  ¹⁶ But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  ¹⁷ And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.  ¹⁸ Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

1 Corinthians 5:9 – 6:8  ⁹ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:  ¹⁰ Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.  ¹¹ But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  ¹² For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  ¹³ But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.  ^KJV 1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?  ² Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  ³ Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?  ⁴ If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.  ⁵ I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?  ⁶ But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.  ⁷ Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?  ⁸ Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

2 Corinthians 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Christians should not keep company with sinful people. This includes sinners and Christians that refuse to follow God’s rules as shown in the scriptures.

Worldliness

Christians should not be friends of the world.

1 Thessalonians 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Worldly entertainment should be avoided. This includes anything with a worldly atmosphere.

God wants us to imitate Him. Holiness sets us apart from the world, keeping us pure and clean for God’s glory. Holiness is not just a set of rules; it is a way of life. We don’t live holy lives to earn our salvation – salvation is a free gift from God. We live holy lives because we love God and we want to please Him.

References

Bernard, David K. (1983) Practical holiness, a second look

            Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press

David K. Bernard Practical Holiness

Related posts:

1. Introduction to Holiness
2. Principles of Holiness and Christian Living