Holiness is a central theme in the Bible. God calls His people to live holy lives, set apart for Him. Here are some key Bible verses about holiness:
Leviticus 11:44-45
“For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy… For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
This passage in Leviticus reminds the Israelites that God had set them apart from other nations to be His own special people. As God is holy, He calls them to live holy lives in consecration to Him.
1 Peter 1:13-16
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Peter exhorts Christians to live holy lives in anticipation of Jesus’ return. As God is holy, so His people are called to be holy by avoiding sin and pursuing Christlikeness.
Hebrews 12:14
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
The author of Hebrews connects holiness to seeing God. Pursuing holiness is essential for those who want to enter God’s presence.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
Paul urges believers to continue progressing in holiness out of reverence for God, who has promised His people wonderful blessings.
1 Thessalonians 4:7
“For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.”
God’s will for His people is that they would live holy lives, separate from sexual immorality.
Romans 6:19-22
“For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”
Paul reminds believers that sanctification comes through enslavement to righteousness, whereas lawlessness leads to death. As slaves of Christ, Christians experience holiness and eternal life.
Titus 2:11-14
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
God’s grace enables and instructs believers to live godly, upright lives while awaiting Christ’s return. Jesus died to purify a people zealous for good works.
1 Peter 2:9-10
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Through God’s mercy, believers become His holy people. This demands a life set apart for God’s purposes.
2 Timothy 2:19-21
“But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”
Those who belong to Christ must depart from wickedness and cleanse themselves to become holy instruments useful to God.
Hebrews 10:10
“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
It is ultimately through Jesus’ sacrifice that believers can be made holy, set apart for God.
Colossians 3:5-14
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Believers must rid themselves of sin and “put on” godly virtues. Loving others fulfills the law’s command to live holy lives.
Ephesians 5:25-27
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
Jesus sanctifies the church through His sacrificial love, purifying her into a radiant holy bride.
1 Corinthians 1:2
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”
God calls believers in Corinth and everywhere to be sanctified saints in Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
God’s holy people must be separate from spiritual darkness. With God’s promises in mind, believers must progress toward complete holiness.
1 Peter 1:14-19
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
Because God is holy, He requires His people to live holy lives. This was made possible by Christ’s sinless sacrifice.
Romans 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
In view of God’s mercy, Paul urges Christians to live as holy sacrifices to God, discerning His perfect will.
These verses highlight the biblical call to holiness. God Himself is holy and commands His people to live holy lives as well, consecrated to Him. He enables this through Jesus’ sacrifice for sins. Christians are to pursue sanctification and refrain from sin, becoming more Christlike. God promises to make believers holy as they seek Him.