Q2. Holiness

[SWCLEG]

IN {1:15-16] IN these verses we are told to be like our FAUTHER [GOD] HOLY FOR HE IS HOLY. So we are to be holy. HOLINESS mean being totally devoted or dedicated to GOD-set aside for his use and set apart from sin and it influence. not our way but GOD way for us.===We are holy now because we accepter JESUS as our lord and savor though his flood that cleaned us and with the help of the HOLY SPRIT. We must be obedient to GOD word and the guiding of the HOLY SPIRET which us a new life the old person past away and a new life began. The biggest struggles I have with holiness is My self the flesh and keeping God first by not keeping my eyes on Him as I should.

[freeman3:5-6]

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"?

 

Christ likeness. The inward renewing of our spirit through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that produces an outward behavior and thought pattern that is Christ like. 

 

In what sense are you (by definition) holy now?

 

The Holy Spirit lives in me, working within me to produce Christ likeness. It's a lifelong process, with ups and downs. We are all God's works in progress.

 

In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy?

 

If you are disobedient to the Holy Spirit's inward promptings, and disobedient to God's word, or ignore it completely, you are opposing God and His standard of holiness.

“If you love me, keep my commands." John 14:15

 

What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

 

If you had a dartboard with things that aren't holy written on it, and threw a dart, chances are you would hit something that I struggle with. But if I had to chose one, and its a big one; I would say the thoughts that go on in my mind. Things that I don't do, but think about. Sometimes I don't even know where these thoughts come from (although I have a good idea)

 

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9  One of my favorite verses- helps me with my thought life.

[Joe_Applegarth]

In one of the classes that I took some time ago, holiness was defined as “ethical perfection” the end result of which is perfect happiness and virtue.  To some degree, that’s probably a valid interpretation but to me it's absolutely unrealistic.  In truth, ethical perfection is totally impossible because it’s based solely upon a person’s power of will and that will always give rise to conflicts between concept and moral values.  To me, holiness is a separation from the world and total dedication to God but separation in a physical sense isn’t what God wants or expects.  He set us aside to glorify Him and spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the world.  Because He did, physically separating one’s self from the world is an unrealistic objective.  Holiness is a “spiritual separation” from the works of the world and a total commitment (obedience) to my God.  To be holy I have to live my life as close as I “humanly” can to the way Christ Jesus lived his.  Because I’m human I will never be able to attain that goal so when I fall short I must always put my faith and trust in the Holy Spirit to pick me up, dust me off and put me back on track.  My biggest struggle is with patience and understand but I’m doing the very best that I can.  Just like everyone else though, I’ll always be in need of God’s pardon and grace. 

[Celtic Wanderer]

Q 2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

• In your own words how would you define holiness?: Being Christ like, living like Him. Kingdom Living versus worldly living. Separated, set apart for God, different from the world.

• In what sense are you (by definition) holy now?:  I am justified by faith through in and by Christ. I belong to God, He is my Father and I am an adopted son of His, I am a saint or a called out one that belongs to Him. Jesus has already made us holy. Baptism speaks of us being separated completely unto him. (Heb 12:10,14)

• In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy?: Like an obedient child as I hear the Father's words I must do them and become conformed to His Holy nature. Our focus shifts from guilt to our character; (we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus)

• What is your biggest struggle with holiness ?: Laziness, distractions from the world, flesh, and the devil. Relationships with people, business and pressures of life (These may in fact be taking the rough edges off my life and thereby teaching me holiness!)

[Christopher Olamiji Taiwo]

On 1/30/2004 at 6:29 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

Holiness means separation and consecration, that is totally committed to the service of God in righteousness with pure heart. I am holy now by Jesus Christ's atonement called salvation. The biggest struggle with holiness is the world and itsmaterials, the environments and some of friends around us.

I must be obedient to the words of God hate iniquity,  love righteousness  and resist any kind of temptations in order to become holy.

[Anstey Jeremiah]

God's holiness is defined by the fact that He cannot sin, He does not like sin or to be around sin; He cannot lie , He does not lie, He keeps all covenants and promises, what He says he does; He cannot deny Himself and He cannot go against His will or His nature. He has given us the opportunity to change our ways by bringing us first to a sinless state, sanctified, through Christ, we have to try and maintain that state. But He knows we are flesh so He backed up our inability to be sinless by allowing us to consistently repent and confess our sins. We have to remember to continue to use this "facility", grace if you like, so that the thing that separates us from Him would not be around or a bare minimum, keeping Him in our sphere. 

So holiness or for us to be Holy means, do not sin, keep away from sin. Let your yes be yes and your no be no, no matter the consequences. You are a child of God, live that, do not deny that or by extension Him, live according to how he lived. Let the Spirit of God guide us' choose good over evil, light over darkness, truth over error or truth over lie.

We are sanctified today because we chose to walk in Christ who have given His Spirit as a seal. Christ was able to finish Hiswork before going to heaven, we should be able to hear the still small voice of the Spirit before doing the same, at least this is my wish, through my obedience of course. Christ was also able to finish by doing all that the Father ask Him /told Him go do. We need to heed the word of God and action it o be Holy as He is Holy.

[Tyreek]

I would define holiness as belonging to God. Holiness means to be separated from the normal. I am holy now because I have been separated from this world and now belong to God. Obedience becomes the result of being God’s. I struggle because I fall into sin, frequently and I do not want to belong to this world. I am afraid God has giving me an opportunity and I some how missed it and now looks for someone else whom He can trust to get his work done.

[Ironia]

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"Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?"

Holiness to me is the same as being godly by opening your heart, mind and actions to the direction of God through yielding to Him with the aid of the Holy Spirit.  My heart, mind and actions are open to the direction of God so therefore, I am holy now.  My biggest struggle with holiness is moment by moment keeping my heart, mind and actions open to God.

[blezed]

(1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

"Holiness" is being totally devoted to God.  We are to be different than the crowd.  When we commit our lives to Christ, we should strive to be like our heavenly Father. We are to be holy and morally pure in everything we do.  Biggest struggle, for me, is not being influenced by worldly things.  I rely on the Holy Spirit to help me to be obedient to God's word.

 

[Christopher Olamiji Taiwo]

On 1/30/2004 at 6:29 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

Holiness means separation and consecration, that is totally committed to the service of God in righteousness with pure heart. I am holy now by Jesus Christ's atonement called salvation. The biggest struggle with holiness is the world and itsmaterials, the environments and some of friends around us.

I must be obedient to the words of God because hate iniquity,  love righteousness  and I must resist any kind of temptations in order to become holy. My biggest struggle with holiness is worldly or the society we are living in now.

[bertha]

Holiness is being set apart for God's purpose. Set apart from the worldly passions and the  lusts of the flesh to a life of obedience and submission to the will of God. To be holy is to die to our old ways(to self) and imitate Jesus. Being holy is to hate evil. To be able to meet God's standard of living, I must allow myself to be guided by His Spirit. To be righteous and be merciful. My struggle is sometimes I tend to focus on our shortcomings and forget that we are God's masterpiece and He isn't done with us yet. I see the evil around me and neglect to see the great things God is doing in us. God is still on His throne in control of all things. This I must focus on, in that we are made perfect in Christ. Glory be to God!     

[Cigarshaped]

I suppose I regarded my father as near to holy. He retired from 30 yrs as an Anglican minister and maintained his daily prayer and meditation to the end.

HIs spiritual 'idol' was St Francis, who emulated humility throughout his life. My family benefited from a real Christian upbringing, we still gather together twice a year.

Dad maintained his spiritual life, I try to follow in a minor way with daily reading and silent prayer. I do find it hard to make room for meditation in my busy day, but at least try to appreciate my blessings. See www.frankwords.org.uk for my little site of his writings.

 

[Santhana David]

Q2. (1:15-16)

In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now?

For me the whole form of holiness is 1^st to be set apart by God through prayer and to be cleansed of sinfulness. Here I need God because He Himself is holy, faultless and pure. For me and my household, we have adopted to live unblemished code of lives and ensure we live out the laws of God.

In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy?  

I’d like to think that only if I pay heed to Christ’s gospel call to repentance from sin and turn to active sacrificial faith, I’ll be able to start a whole new holy life – that is simply a life of obedience to God’s laws which he gave us through Moses.

What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

Though I try and most of the time succeed in living a moral Christian life, I sometimes fail by conforming to some self seeking lusts such as money and pleasure. This is my biggest struggle. When I fall, I get up knowing God Who is holy and faultless will forgive me and through His grace will help me not repeat that offence. But before you know it, sadly I'd fall again and the cycle restarts. Now praise be to God when I'm in a sinful situation the Spirit reminds me what I prayed for in my morning prayer and I refrain myself from indulging in the act of sin.

[Happy and in Love]

Being holy to me in complete submission and devotion to God in all areas of your life. Its serving, worshiping and praising Him in spirit and truth at all times.  My struggle in my walk in mostly consistency.  Nevertheless, I pray daily to be holy and honorable unto our Lord Jesus.  I am so happy that He is able to keep from stumbling and He presents me without faults.  It bothers me that I cannot be faithful all the time to the one who is faithful to His word to me.    

[Old Jerry]

Holiness is being sanctified by Jesus. When we follow Jesus we are holy. I am only holy because of Jesus who died on the cross and was resurrected for me. We must be obedient to Jesus in order to become holy. My biggest struggle with holiness is not wandering into this world and wanting to get the things that this world has to offer.

[haar]

Q2. (1:15-16)

Q. In your own words, how would you define "holiness"?

A. It is a state of wholeness without sin as seen in God and also in us sanctified and justified by the blood of Jesus and by baptism.

Q. In what sense are you (by definition) holy now?

A. See the b part of the above answer.

Q. In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy?

A. Although our holiness is from the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to continue in it through obedience to God which makes us righteous. Abraham obedience cause God describe him as righteous.

Q. What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

A. Occasional disobedience and the consequent sin of omission and commission. So have mercy and help me to obey you all the time Lord God Almighty.
 

[Eilen]

Holiness is next to godliness.  To be holy is to be cleansed of all faults and to be set apart by God who is himself faultless and pure.   Believers must be absolutely perfect.  They need to live a life by God’s standards and be in this world but apart from it in their thoughts, words and deeds.

I do not think that I am anywhere near the definition of holy but I am trying to get there.  

To become holy one must forge a relationship with God who is our Savior.  We have to show our faith that Jesus, God’s Son, is the only one who can redeem our sins. We have to live a daily life not trying to blend in with the world, but living according to God’s Word as we study the bible and grow in it.

I find myself often living the life of this world instead that of my Father.   I need to spend more time studying the word of the Lord.

[Sandtoad]

• Holiness is accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and wanting to be more like Him in thoughts and actions. I am attempting to keep in mind what Jesus did for me and try to be more loving. This is a huge challenge when it is towards others who, in my eyes, don't "deserve" my love. I constantly remind myself that I am not deserving of Jesus' love and devotion, but He loves me in spite of this. This is striving to be more like Jesus.

[JanMary]

On 1/30/2004 at 10:29 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

1. Holiness: Being In Christ cleansed by His blood....and set apart for His use. (Romans 6:22):" But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its' end is eternal life."

2. I am in Christ because I'm His child by faith in His sacrifice for me....and therefor my sin nature was crucified with Him and I was raised with Him when He rose from the dead. I am now the righteousness of God in Christ, the great exchange having taken place where He took all of my sin on the cross  in exchange for His Righteousness. The Blood of the Lamb cleanses me from all sin and unrighteousness. By faith and by choice I'm "set apart for His use"

3. My saying "YES" to His gift of Salvation and receiving Him as my Lord and Savior was the only requirement. He causes me by His Spirit to desire to live a life which honors Him. (we are saved by GRACE ALONE, not works, lest any man or woman boast" ) Service unto Him is the outworking of His grace, as I surrender daily and obey Holy Spirit's promptings, and nudges.

4. In times past Satan would "re-mind" me of sins, accompanied by guilt, and I'd forget that I AM HOLY in Christ by the blood of the Lamb. He is seldom successful anymore with that junk, because I've renewed my mind with who I am in Christ, and Whose I am for eternity. How I praise the Lord for His Grace and mercy, and for telling us in 1 John 4:17 that we may have confidence for the day of judgment with assurance and boldness to face Him because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.

P.s This was also helpful to me during the time I was being pummeled with guilt for past sins years ago. I was reminded that the red heifer (type of Jesus crucified) was burned "outside the camp" as Jesus was crucified outside the city and that ashes are the final product of burning. That day as I read  my Bible, a fire was burning in the fireplace. I wrote the sins on a piece of paper and burned it in the edge of the fire, took a spoon and scooped out a bit of the ashes representing the sins and put them in a zip lock bag to remind me they are finished, forgiven, forgotten.  Maybe because it was a visual reminder and I'm a visual learner, Satan lost his power to remind me and has never again tried to taunt me.

[hanks]

Q2. (1:15-16) 
In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? 
In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? 
In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? 
What is your biggest struggle with holiness?
Holiness means separation from sin and devoted to righteousness. God is absolute in holiness, and is, therefore, our pattern of holiness. Although we are to imitate Him, it is only upon our physical death that our soul and spirit are freed from sin and with our resurrection bodies we will come before Christ faultless and spotless. But, before that we have been set apart from the world to belong to Him and to obey Him – we are to be “holy” or “different” in outlook and behaviour. I read once that one of the most hurtful comments we, as Christians, can have are the words “but you are no different from anybody else.”

In my case, holiness means being set apart by God for His purposes. This happened when I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and since then He has set me apart and I belong to Him, body, soul and spirit. My sins have been forgiven, I’m obedient to His Word, I’m in a right relationship with God, I belong to Him - I’m by definition holy. However, there is still much work to be done before meeting my Saviour. Being a sinner saved by grace, I need the Holy Spirit’s help in the daily struggle to become more and more like Jesus. This is achieved by obeying all Jesus’ commands, not loving this world, living a righteous life and loving others. At the same time being holy in my thoughts, words, and deeds.

We must live our lives in obedience to His Word if we are to become holy. Being Christ’s ambassadors, our lives must be holy, otherwise, we are misrepresenting Him. If we are the body of Christ, then our hands are His hands, our eyes are His eyes, and our feet are His feet. It by being obedient that we allow Jesus to speak, love, and serve through us. As we submit to the Holy Spirit we are taught to make holiness a way of life, and as we mature spiritually the more others should be able to recognize the Saviour in us. 

My biggest struggle is being judgmental of others. With all the evil going on in my country it is most difficult not to pass judgment on all the perpetrators of the corruption and evil happening on a daily basis here, but I’m praying and asking my Heavenly Father to change me and to forgive me. 
 

[elaineer]

1    Holiness is being free from sin and to live a Godly life.

2    Listening to the small still voice within me.

3    To pray each day,meditate on the word each day.Surround myself with spiritual people who could assist me.

4     My weaknesses as a human being.

[aliya721]

On 1/30/2004 at 1:29 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

Holiness is the process of being more Christlike. being refined in His image moment by moment. Pushing forward, not conforming, not being condemned but the world but being transformed. I don't consider myself holy as I don't feel that I've met a certain level. I know that this doesn't make sense yet at the same time I feel that the Holy Spirit is living inside of me and it is the prompting to keep me away from dangers and things that would lead me astray. I must be obedient in order to be more Christlike. I must continue to resist temptations and see myself the way He sees me. My biggest struggle is in certain ways of thinking.

[lighthouse2014]

On 1/30/2004 at 0:29 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

Holiness is the changing of our lives from living the worldly ways and changing our hearts and minds to live a holy life as Christ is holy.

In a sense we are holy now because through faith we have accepted Christ as our Savior and we begin to live a holy life as he did.

Becoming believers in Christ we immediately become holy because we are his, purchased by his blood. Now we become obedient to his word which will help in sanctifying our lives.

The biggest struggle with holiness is getting rid of all the old worldly ways in my life which became a habit by nature.      

[Debra Grant]

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness?

1.  Being consecrated from sin and obeying God in every way possible.

2.  I am a follower of God and obeying him, proclaiming his gospel to the world with all my whole heart.

3.  I should put away my former way of living and obey God to make my ways completely his.

4.  Making sure I follow God and learning how to cope when I have been in a dispute or confusion. Making sure I do the right thing.

[Jfpadux7]

Holiness is a state of being characterized  by  purity, perfection ,Integrity, good moral character, sacredness and set apart from their opposites.   Only God is truly holy, and set apart.  Man can act in holy ways at times to the degree that he is consecrated to do so by God.   God renews the man to do His  will in the man’s life  to be more and more holy.   Man cannot boast of his holiness, only God is hallowed.