Level 4: Walk It Out — Obedience and Character
Lesson 2: Growing in Holiness
Holiness means being set apart for God in your thoughts, desires, conduct, and daily lifestyle. It is not religious pride, but a life surrendered to the Lord.
Focus
Learning what it means to be set apart for God in thoughts, desires, conduct, and lifestyle.
In Lesson 1, we learned that obedience is a response of love, trust, and surrender to God. Obedience is not about earning God’s love; it is about responding to His love by living according to His Word.
In this lesson, we focus on growing in holiness. Holiness is one of the most important parts of Christian character. It affects how we think, what we desire, how we speak, how we treat others, and how we live before God.
Holiness is not about pretending to be better than others. It is about belonging to God and allowing Him to shape your life according to His character.
Key Scriptures
“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
1 Peter 1:15, NKJV
“Because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”
1 Peter 1:16, NKJV
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14, NKJV
“For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.”
1 Thessalonians 4:7, NKJV
“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead.”
Romans 6:13, NKJV
Core Teaching
Holiness means being set apart for God. It is not merely outward appearance, religious language, or avoiding certain behaviors. Holiness begins with belonging to the Lord and allowing His character to shape every area of life.
First Peter 1:15 says, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” This verse reminds us that holiness is rooted in the character of God. We are called to be holy because He is holy.
God’s holiness means He is pure, righteous, separate from sin, and perfect in all His ways. When He calls His people to holiness, He is calling them to live in a way that reflects His nature and honors His name.
Holiness is not legalism. Legalism tries to earn acceptance through outward performance. Biblical holiness flows from grace. Because we belong to God, we desire to live in a way that pleases Him.
Holiness is also not spiritual pride. A holy life should produce humility, not superiority. The more we understand God’s holiness, the more we recognize our need for His grace, mercy, and transforming power.
Hebrews 12:14 tells believers to pursue peace with all people and holiness. The word “pursue” shows us that holiness is something we intentionally seek. We do not drift into holiness by accident. We grow in holiness as we surrender to God daily, obey His Word, resist sin, and walk in the Spirit.
First Thessalonians 4:7 says, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” This means holiness is part of God’s calling for every believer. It is not only for pastors, leaders, or mature Christians. Every follower of Christ is called to grow in a life that is set apart for God.
Romans 6:13 gives a practical picture of holiness. It tells us not to present ourselves as instruments of unrighteousness, but to present ourselves to God. This means our bodies, words, thoughts, desires, time, decisions, and actions are to be surrendered to Him.
Growing in holiness involves choices. We may need to turn away from habits that weaken our walk with God. We may need to guard what we watch, hear, desire, or entertain. We may need to repent of attitudes such as pride, bitterness, lust, dishonesty, selfishness, or compromise.
But holiness is not only about what we avoid. It is also about what we pursue. We pursue love, purity, humility, truth, forgiveness, generosity, patience, and obedience. A holy life is a life increasingly shaped by the presence and character of God.
Holiness is a process. God continues to work in us by His Spirit. As we yield to Him, He changes what we desire, how we think, how we respond, and how we live.
Personal Application
Begin by asking God where He wants to set your life apart more fully for Him. Is there an area of compromise? A habit that pulls your heart away from God? A desire that needs surrender? A relationship or influence that weakens your spiritual focus?
Holiness does not grow through denial alone. It grows through surrender. Bring your heart before God honestly and ask Him to show you what needs to be cleansed, corrected, strengthened, or redirected.
Remember that God calls you to holiness because He loves you. His commands are not meant to rob you of life; they are meant to lead you into spiritual health, freedom, and deeper fellowship with Him.
Remember This Truth
Holiness is not about religious pride. It is about belonging to God and living in a way that reflects His character.
A Simple Pattern for Growing in Holiness
Use this pattern as you ask God to shape your life more fully for Him.
The H.O.L.Y. Pattern
- Humble your heart: Come before God honestly and admit your need for His grace and help.
- Observe your life: Pay attention to thoughts, desires, habits, and influences that may not honor God.
- Let God’s Word correct you: Allow Scripture to shape your convictions, choices, and conduct.
- Yield daily: Surrender your body, mind, emotions, and decisions to God one day at a time.
Areas Where Holiness Becomes Practical
Holiness touches every area of life. It is not limited to one part of your spiritual walk.
Daily Areas of Surrender
- Your thoughts: Are your thoughts being shaped by God’s truth or by sinful desires, fear, pride, or comparison?
- Your words: Do your words reflect truth, grace, purity, and love?
- Your desires: Are your desires being surrendered to God’s will?
- Your conduct: Does your behavior honor Christ in private and public?
- Your relationships: Are you treating others with humility, purity, forgiveness, and love?
- Your media and influences: Are the things you consume strengthening or weakening your walk with God?
- Your body: Are you presenting yourself to God as someone who belongs to Him?
Holiness Check
Use these questions to examine where God may be calling you to deeper surrender.
Ask Yourself:
- Is there an area of my life that I have not fully surrendered to God?
- What habit, thought pattern, or influence may be weakening my walk with Him?
- Am I pursuing holiness with humility or trying to appear spiritual outwardly?
- Where do I need to repent and return to God?
- What godly desire or habit should I pursue instead?
- How can my conduct better reflect the character of Christ?
Bible Reflection Questions
- What does 1 Peter 1:15–16 teach you about the reason believers are called to holiness?
- How is biblical holiness different from legalism or religious pride?
- What does it mean to be set apart for God in daily life?
- What area of your thoughts, desires, or conduct needs deeper surrender?
- What is one practical step you can take this week to pursue holiness?
Action Step
Identify one area where God is calling you to grow in holiness. Ask Him for grace, repent where needed, and take one practical step of surrender this week.
Complete these statements:
- One area where God is calling me to holiness is: __________________________
- One habit, thought, or influence I need to surrender is: __________________________
- God’s Word says: __________________________
- One practical step I will take this week is: __________________________
This week, pray each morning, “Lord, set my heart apart for You and help my life reflect Your holiness.”
Prayer
Father, thank You for calling me to belong to You. Help me grow in holiness with humility, not pride. Search my heart and show me any area that needs surrender, cleansing, or correction. Teach me to turn away from what dishonors You and pursue what reflects Your character. I set my thoughts, desires, words, actions, and relationships apart for Your glory. Help me walk in holiness by Your grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.