If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, then you’re Holy.

The first thing that comes to mind when the word holy is spoken is absolute moral perfection and that would be right. The Bible declares that God is holy. He is 100% holy. There’s no darkness in Him at all. Everything He does is righteous and good. Period.

When we look at our own lives, we know that we’re not holy. We remember all things that we’ve done that were wrong and fall short of God’s glory. The good news is that your being holy is not dependent on your perfection, but the perfection of Jesus.

So let’s look at three things that are true about you in the area of holiness because of your relationship with Jesus Christ.

You are set apart for God

First, a major concept of holiness has to do with being set apart or consecrated to serve God. When Jesus Christ paid the debt for your sins, He paid the price for your freedom. He actually purchased your life with His blood. You are not your own. You are His.

I remember watching one of the many Robin Hood movies. Robin saved the life of a man who was about to be killed. So the man completely dedicated his life to Robin from that day forward. Robin didn’t want him to do it and told him he was free to go. He didn't want him to be his servant.

The man said that in his culture if a person saved your life you owed your life to the one who saved you. You must be his servant for life or until you saved his life, then all things are even and you’re no longer obligated to serve him.

The Apostle Paul understood this concept and said in Romans 12:1-2:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Paul encourages every believer to be a living and holy sacrifice to God. He is speaking of total dedication to God and a giving of your entire life to serve Him.

You’re set apart for the service of God, You’re consecrated by the blood of Jesus Christ and given a new lease on life. You owe your life to Christ and Paul says that the most logical thing to do with your life is to give it 100% in the service of God. Paul believes this is your spiritual service of worship.

You are to walk as a child of God

Second, a major part of holiness is walking in moral and ethical wholeness. God expects us to walk in holiness. He even calls us to do so. We’ve been saved from darkness and brought into the light. Therefore, we should walk as children of light.

When you were saved, you became a child of God. The greatest honor you can pay to your father is to be like him. This seems to be a huge thing, but God expects us to walk in holiness. The Apostle Peter give us this insight in 1 Peter 1:13-16. He says,

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

I remember many years ago sitting in a class with Pastor Jack Hayford at The King’s Seminary in Van Nuys, CA. He told a story about his kids playing outdoors with other kids in the neighborhood. They were being really silly in what they were doing and it disturbed Pastor Jack’s spirit.

He called the kids in and explained what was taking place outside and told the kids what he was feeling. Then he said something that stuck out to me strongly. He said, “We’re Hayfords and we don’t act like that.”

The verse that Peter quotes from Leviticus 19 says the same thing to us today. God’s saying, “You’re My child and we don’t act that way.” When you came to Christ your life was changed forever. You’re a child of God and He wants you to be like Him.

You have help from God

Third, God never expects you to be holy on your own. That’s why Jesus Christ went to the cross to save your life. That’s also why the Holy Spirit comes to live in you. He is the one who empowers you to a life of holiness.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit. The power of God is always available through the Holy Spirit within you.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

May God open the eyes of your heart to understand that you are holy to the Lord. May you receive revelation from God that you are His child and you can walk in His ways. May you understand that you can walk in the newness of life in Christ because of God’s work on your behalf and the ever present help from His Spirit.