Many want to presume holiness will automatically follow salvation. This is in no way true. Salvation is a gift; holiness is a decision. Holiness is lived day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment.
God speaks of this expectation in both the Old and New Testaments. In Leviticus 11:44—45, God tells Israel be holy as He is holy. And why? Well He did just deliver them from Egypt. Afterwhich, He now expects Israel to be His and live lives that honor Him. After granting freedom and fulfilling numerous promises on the behalf of Israel’s forefathers, holiness really was not too much to expect.
Paul tells us in I Corinthians 6:19—20 that upon salvation, we are no longer our own but that we have been bought with a price. This is not to imply we sacrifice free will in accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. He’s just suggesting you live that day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment lifestyle that honors God as a result of your freedom from spiritually bondage.
But the expectation is greater for us. God saved Israel from Egypt, but He saved you from eternal separation from His presence which is the wage of our sin. It should make sense that He would expect more from us who along with our redemption from the law of sin and death have a better covenant and greater and more precious promises. As He dictated the law to Israel, so He dictates to us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to draw nigh to Him so He can draw nigh to us, to study to show ourselves approved, to go into the world and make disciples of men.
An individual who lives holy lives his/her life from within as the Holy Spirit directs that person—from the heart. You do have to decide to follow the Holy Spirit’s instructions, but when you do, holiness is what others will see. Holiness is the behavior of a Holy Spirt-led individual. To get to this point, you have to renew your mind in accordance with His Word. As you study His Word, you will become in-tune to His voice. And the obedience thereof will result in a life of holiness.
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