Christian Formation

What is holiness?

Holiness first describes God, yet Scripture also calls people, places, times, practices, and communities holy because they belong to God. Christians agree that human holiness is received by grace and expressed in a changed life, but differ over whether its centre is God’s unique character, consecrated belonging, Christlikeness, participation in divine life, or perfect love.

The question

Where the disagreement lies

This question is broader than “What is sanctification?”, which asks how people are made holy, and “How should holiness be recognised?”, which asks what evidence holiness produces. Here the focus is the meaning of holiness itself. The readings overlap: separation from evil is not isolation from neighbour, belonging to God creates a vocation, and moral transformation depends on God’s prior gift and presence.

Key texts

Summary

This reading resists beginning with a human programme of purity. God is holy in himself: incomparable to creation, entirely faithful and good, opposed to evil, and free to give himself in grace. People do not possess holiness independently; they become holy as God elects, reconciles, and orders them toward worship, witness, and faithful discipleship.

What this contributes

It keeps holiness centred on God rather than spiritual experience, moral achievement, or social respectability. Human holiness becomes a response to God’s saving action and a reflection of his character rather than a self-made status.

Question to keep in view

Language about divine transcendence can become abstract if it is detached from the biblical story of God drawing near in covenant, Christ, and the Spirit. The view must show how God’s holiness creates concrete forms of love, justice, worship, and resistance to evil.

Predicated on

Interpretive commitments this view depends on

Related ideas

TransparencySources, generation and reviewHuman review pending

AI generation record

System
OpenAI Codex AI assistant
Generated
18 August 2026
Review
Human review pending

The AI synthesized the content from the listed biblical, scholarly, and ecclesial sources. Associations describe broad affinities, not formal endorsements by every person or tradition represented.

  1. John Webster, Holiness

    A trinitarian theological account grounding holiness in God’s identity, grace, and election and tracing its echo in church, worship, witness, and discipleship.

  2. Israel Knohl, The Concept of Kedusha (Sanctity)

    A Hebrew Bible study of holiness as derived from God and expressed through consecration, worship, ethics, justice, and Israel’s covenant vocation.

  3. Assemblies of God educators, Holiness: Living Like Christ

    A Pentecostal discussion defining human holiness through Christlikeness, moral purity, covenant love, consecration, and Spirit-formed conduct.

  4. Orthodox Church in America, The Holy Trinity in Christian Life

    An Orthodox account of holiness as Spirit-enabled participation in the life, love, goodness, and holiness of the triune God.

  5. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: Lumen Gentium, Chapter V

    An official Catholic account of the universal call to holiness, participation in Christ, the Spirit’s work, and the perfection of charity.

  6. The United Methodist Church, Our Wesleyan Heritage

    A Methodist account of holiness of heart and life, sanctifying grace, perfect love, accountable fellowship, worship, mercy, and justice.