by Lewis J. Willis
Holiness is the theme of Holy Scriptures. Because the Bible is the revelation of a holy God, the doctrine of holiness appears, at least by implication, on every page of the Word of God. The Scriptures, therefore, reveal the essential nature of God to be holy, and all attributes of God issue forth from His holiness.
God’s relationship with His created beings, both men and angels, clearly reveals that they were framed in the essential holiness of God and were intended to remain so. Satan, an archangel, with a third part of the angel population, was thrust from heaven for violating that holiness. Man, who was created in the very image of God, violated that holiness by sinning and suffered alienation from God.
Enmity between God and Satan continues and will not cease until Satan is cast finally into hell forever. Because Satan knows the eternal purpose of God is to restore man to a state of true holiness through Jesus Christ, Satan has made man a pawn in a deadly battle. The constant tension man suffers between good and evil, right and wrong, holiness and carnality, is the result of this warfare.
God remains faithful in His quest to restore man. It is God, the Holy Spirit, who enables sinful man to find repentance, to grasp saving faith, to realize regeneration, to experience new birth, and to enter into a life-experience of holiness. There is also that added spiritual dimension of the baptism of the Holy Spirit which enhances man constantly to reveal in his behavior the permeating holiness of God.
This chapter seeks to develop, briefly, (1) that holiness constitutes the absolute nature of God and, therefore, essentially, becomes the standard for God’s people; (2) that holiness reveals the infamy, defect, and reproach of Satan and therefore the eternal enemy of Satan; (3) that holiness is the consequence of the regenerated and sanctified life through the Holy Spirit and inevitably becomes the identification of Spirit-filled believers and is reflected in their behavior.
Holiness, God’s Nature
If we are to understand the holiness available to man, we first must learn what the Bible says about the holiness of God. The biblical record certainly reveals God to be holy. In Exodus 15:11 we read, ““Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? God Himself declares that He is holy: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2).
How does man become holy? Originally, he was created that way. Genesis 1:26 records, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” Paul, speaking in Ephesians 4:24, describes the result of God’s work in man as being “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Thus, man was created by a holy God, in His own image of “true righteousness and holiness.” It was God’s will that man should maintain this splendid state of holiness forever. But man; exercising his own will, violated God’s commandment, thereby marring the image of God and forfeiting his estate of righteousness and holiness.
Satan was the agent of deception by which man fell into transgression. Jesus described him thus: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44).
Indeed, that which robbed man of the image of God, consisting of “true righteousness and holiness,” was his response to the lust after fleshly desires. Man became the victim of his fleshly or carnal self. Paul described it as, “but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.”; and, again, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 7:14; 8:6-8).
The Apostle John characterized the evil tendencies of man as being identified with worldly things or evil pursuits. He said, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17).
Let us understand, therefore, that God, in essence and being, is holy. By creating man in His own image, God fashioned man in righteousness and true holiness. God intended for man always to maintain that holy image. This was the basis of a distinct identity and relationship that God the Father would have with His specially created son. The son, however, yielded to fleshly (carnal) desires, and this relationship was broken.
Holiness, Satan’s Enemy
By nature and intent, Satan is diametrically opposed to the holiness of God and will be identified with it only for the purpose of frustrating or violating it. The majestic holiness of God is engaged in awesome conflict with the horrid evil of Satan. “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other,” (Galatians 5:17). The rebellious Lucifer is constantly challenged and condemned by the Holy God whom he defied, while he, Satan, constantly seeks to controvert the graces of God in the life-experiences of men and women.
Note that the two irreconcilable modes of living sharply contrasted in Galatians 5:17 are “Spirit” and “flesh.” The word Spirit refers not to Paul’s spirit, of course, but to the Holy Spirit of God. The word flesh means much more than the physical body. It involves or connotes “evil tendencies, dubious inclinations, sinful desires, or wicked impulses.” It is the picture of civil war, where the Spirit seeks to expel evil and the flesh is seeking to evict the good.
The enemy of man, then, is his fleshly or carnal nature. By carnal we mean “unspiritual traits,” and by nature we mean “identifying qualities.” By drawing these two concepts together, we are able to identify carnal nature as evidencing “traits which are unspiritual.” When we apply this definition to human behavior, we immediately differentiate between those who glorify Christ and those who do not. The man who is rebellious against God is fulfilling the lust of the flesh, while the person who seeks to please God is walking in the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16).
The carnal nature, then, is the true enemy of man in his pursuit of a spiritual life. This is particularly true because the carnal nature holds captive the affections, the ego or self, and the mind of a person.
Let us first consider the matter of affections. Basic to all behavior is desire. We should differentiate, however, between desire as a physical compulsion and desire as an affectional goal. Such physiological processes as eating, drinking, resting, or procreation are proper within moral and spiritual guidelines. The affectional goals, however, are quite more demanding and command a thorough involvement of the emotional aspects of the personality. It is apparent that individual affectional objectives must be spiritually geared if spiritually acceptable behavior is to ensue. Any affectional system that delays spiritual pursuits, dislikes proper standards, or defaults in stewardship is helpless to nurture Christian maturity.
A second rule relevant to behavior is the value a person assigns to the suggested stimulus. Some basis of choice other than the emotional or affectional choice must evolve before a volitional activity can occur. There is, therefore, the need for a value judgment. It is at this point that the second element of the carnal nature, that is the carnal self, appears. The interpretation of self in relationship to any project is the value-fixing mechanism of the personality.
Unfortunately, self-considerations are the only frame of reference at the disposal of a carnal individual. Such a person has a preconditioned value-making mechanism working against his spiritual choices-a tyrannical, carnal self. This is usually reflected in an attitude of self-justification, self-evaluation, self-indulgence, self-exaltation, and self-exoneration.
The third aspect of the carnal nature, as it impacts upon behavior, is that of the carnal mind. Once a decision has been reached as a result of the combined influence of affection and self, the project must be implemented. This is where the will or mind assumes command. The mind is judged to be the center of, and the source of, volitional activity. The spiritual implications are clear. Paul observed that the carnal mind was not subject to the law of God. Thus, man is confronted with the militant force in himself that possesses the power to sabotage any spiritual pursuit that may be attempted.
In verses 19-21 of Galatians 5, Paul lists the horrible “works of the flesh” as manifested in human behavior. It is the picture of those persons who seemingly have almost a worshipful attitude toward physical hungers, particularly as they relate to food and sex. We should note that the legitimate hungers of the flesh are not sinful. It is only when the flesh assumes command and becomes the master over life that it becomes sinful. It is at this point that the hidden works of evil and darkness resident in the carnal nature flaunt themselves openly, arrogantly, and unashamedly in defiance of God and in disregard for men.
We conclude, then, that Satan is the irreconcilable enemy of God and remains in complete disdain of His holiness. Satan also is dedicated to frustrating God’s purpose of restoring man to his holy estate. Satan would accomplish his disruption of God’s plans by deceiving man so that a carnal nature controls him. This carnal nature consists of (1) a carnal affection, (2) a carnal self, and (3) a carnal mind. These aspects of the carnal nature affect the essential behavior of persons and eventually lead them into varying dimensions of the disastrous “works of the flesh.”
Holiness, The Christian’s Identity
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16). But how does a person get in the Spirit so that he may walk therein? How does a person escape or avoid the “desires of the flesh”? Paul, writing to the Corinthians, describes those who practice the “works of the flesh” and said, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1Corinthians 6:9-11).
Again, Paul, speaking of the redeeming and regenerating experience of the believers, said, “not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5). Also, Paul declared, “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5).
Dramatically and triumphantly, Paul shouted, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus[fn] from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11). We conclude, therefore, that it is the Holy Spirit who begins the nurture by which repentance, faith, justification, regeneration, new birth, adoption, and sanctification take place. At that point a believer is a new creation in Christ, walking in Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22, 23.
At this point, according to Paul, the carnal nature has been crucified (Romans 6:6; Galatians 5:24); and the believer has become a new creation in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:17). In describing this new condition and experience, Paul exulted, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20). We should note that Paul now lived a life “in the flesh” but not a fleshly life!
We should note that it is the Holy Spirit who does the works of regeneration and sanctification. At this point in the believer’s spiritual experience, he should be “walking in the Spirit” and bearing the “fruit of the Spirit” because the carnal nature has been crucified and he is fully grafted into the Vine (Christ) and will naturally bear fruit (Romans 11:23; John 15:5).
Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make a believer more holy; nor does it commence his fruit-bearing. Because of the ministrations (John 15:26; 16:7-15; Romans 8:26, 27) and empowerment (Acts 1:8; 4:31) received in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, however, the life-experiences of the recipient should be greatly enhanced in both holy living and fruit-bearing.
Paul, after reminding the Ephesians of their old life (Ephesians 2:1-3) and their salvation (Ephesians 2:4-10), addressed them in 4:1 with a ringing challenge: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,” He also charged the believers to “you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” (4:17), but to “walk in love” (5:2) and to “walk carefully” (5:15).
All Pentecostals, should “walk in the spirit, and . . . not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” As Paul charged, we should” walk worthy.” He characterized this as ministering “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2, 3). God has placed the unity of the Spirit in the Church and clothed it with His righteousness and holiness. Believers are to keep that unity of righteousness and holiness by “walking in Love,” and they are to protect the Christian testimony of holiness in the marketplace by “walking circumspectly”; that is, with all ethical and moral exactness.
Conclusion
Let us reflect that God is a holy God and requires His children to be holy. Satan, God’s enemy, fulminates against God’s holiness and seeks, particularly, to frustrate God’s purpose of righteousness for His children. Man, because of sin, is possessed by a carnal nature that inclines him toward evil choices. Left to this debauching nature, man debilitates into the “fleshly works.” However, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, man is nurtured into repentance, faith, new birth, and a sanctified life. Holiness and righteousness are natural results of believing in God through Jesus Christ. The baptism of the Holy Spirit graciously enhances the ability of the believer to show forth the works of righteousness and the fruit of the Spirit.
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Personal Application
- God has revealed to me certain fleshly weaknesses that I have. To gain victory over these areas of weakness, I pledge to God to do the following:
- Read Galatians 5:16-25. Make a list of the sins of the flesh and define each sin. Make a list of the fruit of the Spirit. Define each.
- Using your concordance, read at least ten verses that relate to holiness or sanctification.
- I am committed to the doctrine of holiness. During the next month I am going to do the following three things as a witness of my spiritual walk with Christ:
- Memorize Romans 8:1. Repeat this verse out loud each day for one week.