HOLINESS

Excerpted and edited from John CharlesRyle, Holiness:Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots
(Evangelical Press, 1979 [first printed 1879])
Part 2 of 2

“Holiness, Without Which No Man Shall Seethe Lord.”
(Hebrews 12:14)

The Importance of Practical Holiness

Can holiness save us? Can holiness put away sin, cover iniquities, makesatisfaction for transgressions, pay our debt to God? No, not a whit. Godforbid that I should ever say so. Holiness can do none of these things. Thebrightest saints are all “unprofitable servants.” Our purest works are notbetter than filthy rags when tried by the light of God’s holy Law. The whiterobe, which Jesus offers and faith puts on, must be our only righteousness, thename of Christ our only confidence, the Lamb’s book of life our only title toheaven. With all our holiness we are no better than sinners. Our best thingsare stained and tainted with imperfection. They are all more or lessincomplete, wrong in the motive or defective in the performance. By the deedsof the law shall no child of Adam ever be justified. “By grace are ye savedthrough faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works,lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8, 9).

Why then is holiness so important? Why does the Apostle say, “Without [it] noman shall see the Lord”? Let me set out in order a few reasons.

Holiness is Commanded

a. For one thing,we must be holy, because the voice of God in Scripture plainly commands it. TheLord Jesus says to His people, “Except your righteousness shall exceed therighteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into thekingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). “Be ye… perfect, even as your Father which is inheaven is perfect” (Mt 5:48). Paul tells the Thessalonians, “This is the willof God, even your sanctification” (1 Thes 4:3). And Peter says, “As he whichhath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; becauseit is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy”(1 Pet 1:15, 16). “In this,” saysLeighton, “law and gospel agree.”

Holiness is a Grand End of our Redemption

b. We must beholy, because this is one grand end and purpose for which Christ came into theworld. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “He died for all, that they which liveshould not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them,and rose again” (2 Cor 5:15); and to the Ephesians, “Christ… loved the church,and gave himself for it, That he might sanctify and cleanse it” (Eph 5:25, 26);and to Titus, “[He] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from alliniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”(Tit 2:14). In short, to talk of men being saved from the guilt of sin, withoutbeing at the same time saved from its dominion in their hearts, is tocontradict the witness of all Scripture. Are believers said to be elect? It is“through sanctification of the Spirit” (1 Pet 1:2). Are they predestinated? Itis “to be conformed to the image of [God’s] Son” (Rom 8:29). Are they chosen?It is “that [they may] be holy” (Eph 1:4). Are they called? It is “with an holycalling” (2 Tim 1:9). Are they afflicted? It is that they may be “partakers ofholiness” (Heb 12:10). Jesus is a complete Saviour. He does not merely takeaway the guilt of a believer’s sin; He does more—He breaks its power.

Holiness is Evidence of Saving Faith

c. We must beholy, because this is the only sound evidence that we have a saving faith inour Lord Jesus Christ.… James warns us that there is such a thing as a deadfaith, a faith which goes no further than the profession of the lips and has noinfluence on a man’s character (Jas 2:17). True saving faith is a verydifferent kind of thing. True faith will always show itself by its fruits; itwill sanctify, it will work by love, it will overcome the world, it will purifythe heart. I know that people are fond of talking about deathbed evidences.They will rest on words spoken in the hours of fear and pain and weakness, asif they might take comfort in them about the friends they lose. But I am afraidin ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, such evidences are not to be dependedon. I suspect that, with rare exceptions, men die just as they have lived. Theonly safe evidence that we are one with Christ, and Christ in us, is holy life.They that live unto the Lord are generally the only people who die in the Lord.If we would die the death of the righteous, let us not rest in slothful desiresonly; let us seek to live His life. It is a true saying of Traill’s: “Thatman’s state is naught, and his faith unsound, that finds not his hopes of glorypurifying to his heart and life.”

Holiness is Proof of True Love for the Lord

d. We must beholy, because this is the only proof that we love the Lord Jesus Christ insincerity. This is a point on which He has spoken most plainly, in thefourteenth and fifteenth chapters of John: “If ye love me, keep mycommandments” (14:15). “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it isthat loveth me” (14:21). “If a man love me he will keep my words” (14:23). “Yeare my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (15:14). Plainer words thanthese it would be difficult to find, and woe to those who neglect them! Surelythat man must be in an unhealthy state of soul, who can think of all that Jesussuffered, and yet cling to those sins for which that suffering was undergone.It was sin that wove the crown of thorns; it was sin that pierced our Lord’shands and feet and side; it was sin that brought Him to Gethsemane and Calvary,to the cross and to the grave. Cold must our hearts be if we do not hate sinand labour to get rid of it, though we may have to cut off the right hand andpluck out the right eye in doing it.

Holiness is Evidence of New Birth

e. We must beholy, because this is the only sound evidence that we are true children of God.Children in this world are generally like their parents. Some, doubtless, aremore so and some less; but it is seldom indeed that you cannot trace a kind offamily likeness. And it is much the same with the children of God. The LordJesus says, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham”(Jn 8:39). “If God were your Father, ye would love me” (Jn 8:42). If men haveno likeness to the Father in heaven, it is vain to talk of their being His“sons.” If we know nothing of holiness, we may flatter ourselves as we please;but we have not got the Holy Spirit dwelling in us; we are dead and must bebrought to life again; we are lost and must be found. “As many as are led bythe Spirit of God, they,” and they only, “are the sons of God” (Rom 8:14). Wemust show by our lives the family we belong to. We must let men see by our goodconversation that we are indeed the children of the Holy One, or our sonship isbut an empty name. “Say not,” says Gurnall, “that thou hast royal blood in thyveins, and art born of God, except thou canst prove thy pedigree by daring tobe holy.”

Holiness does Good by an Excellent Testimony

f. We must beholy, because this is the most likely way to do good to others. We cannot liveto ourselves only in this world. Our lives will always be doing either good orharm to those who see them. They are a silent sermon which all can read. It issad indeed when they are a sermon for the devil’s cause, and not for God’s. Ibelieve that far more is done for Christ’s kingdom by the holy living ofbelievers than we are at all aware of. There is a reality about such livingwhich makes men feel and obliges them to think. It carries a weight andinfluence with it, which nothing else can give. It makes religion beautiful anddraws men to consider it, like a lighthouse seen afar off. The day of judgmentwill prove that many besides husbands have been won “without the word” but by aholy life (1 Pet 3:1). You may talk to persons about the doctrines of the gospel,and few will listen, and still fewer understand. But your life is an argumentthat none can escape. There is a meaning about holiness which not even the mostunlearned can help taking in. They may not understand justification, but theycan understand charity.

I believe there is far more harm done by unholy and inconsistent Christiansthan we are at all aware of. Such men are among Satan’s best allies. They pulldown by their lives what ministers build with their lips. They cause thechariot wheels of the gospel to drive heavily. They supply the children of thisworld with a never-ending excuse for remaining as they are. “I cannot see theuse of so much religion,” said an irreligious tradesman not long ago, “Iobserve that some of my customers are always talking about the gospel and faithand election and the blessed promises and so forth, and yet these very peoplethink nothing of cheating me of pence and halfpence when they have anopportunity. Now, if religious persons can do such things, I do not see whatgood there is in religion.” I grieve to be obliged to write such things, but Ifear that Christ’s name is too often blasphemed because of the lives ofChristians. Let us take heed lest the blood of souls should be required at ourhands. From murder of souls by inconsistency and loose walking, good Lord,deliver us! Oh, for the sake of others, if for no other reason, let us striveto be holy!

Holiness is Essential to our Comfort in this Life

g. We must beholy, because our present comfort depends much upon it. We are sadly apt toforget that there is a close connection between sin and sorrow, holiness andhappiness, sanctification and consolation. God has so wisely ordered it, thatour well-being and our well-doing are linked together. He has mercifullyprovided that even in this world it shall be man’s interest to be holy. Ourjustification is not by works, our calling and election are not according toour works; but it is vain for anyone to suppose that he will have alively sense of his justification, or an assurance ofhis calling, so long as he neglects good works or does not strive to live aholy life. “Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1Jn 2:3). “Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts”(1 Jn 3:19). A believer may as soon expect to feel the sun’s rays upon a darkand cloudy day, as to feel strong consolation in Christ while he does notfollow Him fully. When the disciples forsook the Lord and fled, they escapeddanger; but they were miserable and sad. When, shortly after, they confessedHim boldly before men, they were cast into prison and beaten; but we are told,“They [rejoiced] that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”(Acts 5:41). Oh, for our own sakes, if there were no other reason, let usstrive to be holy! He that follows Jesus most fully will always follow Him mostcomfortably.

Holiness Prepares us for Heaven

h. Lastly, wemust be holy, because without holiness on earth we will never be prepared toenjoy heaven. Heaven is a holy place. The Lord of heaven is a holy Being. Theangels are holy creatures. Holiness is written on everything in heaven. Thebook of Revelation says expressly, “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie”(Rev 21:27).

How will we ever be at home and happy in heaven if we die unholy? Death worksno change. The grave makes no alteration. Each will rise again with the samecharacter in which he breathed his last. Where will our place be if we arestrangers to holiness now?

Suppose for a moment that you were allowed to enter heaven without holiness.What would you do? What possible enjoyment could you feel there? To which ofall the saints would you join yourself, and by whose side would you sit down?Their pleasures are not your pleasures, their tastes not your tastes, theircharacter not your character. How could you possibly be happy if you had notbeen holy on earth?

Now perhaps you love the company ofthe light and the careless, the worldly-minded and the covetous, the revellerand the pleasure-seeker, the ungodly and the profane. There will be none suchin heaven.

Now perhaps you think the saints ofGod too strict and particular and serious. You rather avoid them. You have nodelight in their society. There will be no other company in heaven.

Now perhaps you think praying andScripture reading and psalm singing dull and melancholy and stupid work, athing to be tolerated now and then, but not enjoyed. You reckon the Sabbath aburden and a weariness; you could not possibly spend more than a small part ofit in worshipping God. But remember, heaven is a never-ending Sabbath. Theinhabitants thereof rest not day or night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord GodAlmighty,” and singing the praise of the Lamb. How could an unholy man findpleasure in occupation such as this?

Do you think that such a one would delight to meet David and Paul and John,after a life spent in doing the very things they spoke against? Would he take sweetcounsel with them and find that he and they had much in common? Do you think,above all, that he would rejoice to meet Jesus, the crucified One, face toface, after cleaving to the sins for which He died, after loving His enemiesand despising His friends? Would he stand before Him with confidence and joinin the cry, “This is our God;… we have waited for him, we will be glad andrejoice in his salvation” (Isa 25:9)? Do you not think rather that the tongueof an unholy man would cleave to the roof of his mouth with shame, and his onlydesire would be to be cast out? He would feel a stranger in a land he did notknow, a black sheep amid Christ’s holy flock. The voice of cherubim andseraphim, the song of angels and archangels, and all the company of heavenwould be a language he could not understand. The very air would seem an air hecould not breathe.

I do not know what others may think, but to me it does seem clear that heavenwould be a miserable place to an unholy man. It cannot be otherwise. People maysay in a vague way they “hope to go to heaven,” but they do not consider whatthey say. There must be a certain “[meetness for] the inheritance of the saintsin light” (Col 1:12). Our hearts must be somewhat in tune. To reach the holidayof glory, we must pass through the training school of grace. We must beheavenly-minded and have heavenly tastes in the life that now is, or else wewill never find ourselves in heaven in the life to come.

How to be Holy?

And now, before I go any further, let me say a few words by way of application.

The most pertinent question to ask is this: “Are you holy?” Listen, I pray you,to the question I put to you this day. Do you know anything of the holiness ofwhich I have been speaking?

I do not ask whether you attend your church regularly, whether you have beenbaptised and received the Lord’s Supper, whether you have the name ofChristian. I ask something more than all this: are you holy, or are you not?

I do not ask whether you approve of holiness in others, whether you like toread the lives of holy people and to talk of holy things and to have on yourtable holy books, whether you mean to be holy and hope you will be holy someday. I ask something further: are you yourself holy this very day, or are younot?

And why do I ask so straitly and press the question so strongly? I do itbecause the Scripture says, “Without [holiness] no man shall see the Lord.” Itis written, it is not my fancy; it is the Bible, not my private opinion; it isthe word of God, not of man: “Without [holiness] no man shall see the Lord”(Heb 12:14).

Alas, what searching, sifting words are these! What thoughts come across mymind as I write them down! I look at the world and see the greater part of itlying in wickedness. I look at professing Christians and see the vast majorityhaving nothing of Christianity but the name. I turn to the Bible, and I hearthe Spirit saying, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”

Surely it is a text that ought to make us consider our ways and search our hearts.Surely it should raise within us solemn thoughts and send us to prayer.

You may try to put me off by saying you feel much and think much about thesethings: far more than many suppose. I answer, “This is not the point. The poorlost souls in hell do as much as this. The great question is not what you think,andwhat you feel, but what you do.”

You may say, it was never meant that all Christians should be holy and thatholiness, such as I have described, is only for great saints and people ofuncommon gifts. I answer, “I cannot see that in Scripture. I read that everymanwho hath hope in Christ purifieth himself (1 Jn 3:3).” “Withoutholiness no manshall see the Lord.”

You may say, it is impossible to be so holy and to do our duty in this life atthe same time: the thing cannot be done. I answer, “You are mistaken.” It canbe done. With Christ on your side, nothing is impossible. It has been done bymany. David and Obadiah and Daniel and the servants of Nero’s household are allexamples that go to prove it.

You may say, if you were so holy you would be unlike other people. I answer, “Iknow it well. It is just what you ought to be. Christ’s true servants alwayswere unlike the world around them—a separate nation, a peculiar people, and youmust be so too, if you would be saved!”

You may say, at this rate very few will be saved. I answer, “I know it. It isprecisely what we are told in the sermon on the mount.” The Lord Jesus said soeighteen hundred years ago. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, whichleadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Mt 7:14). Few will be savedbecause few will take the trouble to seek salvation. Men will not denythemselves the pleasures of sin and their own way for a little season. Theyturn their backs on an “inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadethnot away” (1 Pet 1:4). “Ye will not come to me,” says Jesus, “that ye mighthave life” (Jn 5:40).

You may say, these are hard sayings; the way is very narrow. I answer, “I knowit. So says the sermon on the mount.” The Lord Jesus said so eighteen hundredyears ago. He always said that men must take up the cross daily and that theymust be ready to cut off hand or foot, if they would be His disciples. It is inreligion, as it is in other things, there are no gains without pains. Thatwhich costs nothing is worth nothing.

Whatever we may think fit to say, we must be holy if we would see the Lord.Where is our Christianity if we are not? We must not merely have a Christianname and Christian knowledge; we must have a Christian character also. We mustbe saints on earth if ever we mean to be saints in heaven. God has said it, andHe will not go back: “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” “The pope’scalendar,” says Jenkyn, “only makes saints of the dead, but Scripture requiressanctity in the living.” “Let not men deceive themselves,” says Owen,“sanctification is a qualification indispensably necessary unto those who willbe under the conduct of the Lord Christ unto salvation. He leads none to heavenbut whom He sanctifies on the earth. This living Head will not admit of deadmembers.”

Surely we need not wonder that Scripture says, “Ye must be born again” (Jn3:7). Surely it is clear as noonday that many professing Christians need acomplete change, new hearts, new natures, if ever they are to be saved. Oldthings must pass away; they must become new creatures. “Without holiness noman,” be he who he may, “no man shall see the Lord.”

Let me speak a little to believers. I ask you this question, “Do you think youfeel the importance of holiness as much as you should?”

I admit I fear the temper of the times about this subject. I doubt exceedinglywhether it holds that place which it deserves in the thoughts and attention ofsome of the Lord’s people. I would humbly suggest that we are apt to overlookthe doctrine of growth in grace and that we do not sufficiently consider howvery far a person may go in a profession of religion, and yet have no grace andbe dead in God’s sight after all. I believe that Judas Iscariot seemed verylike the other Apostles. When the Lord warned them that one would betray Him,no one said, “Is it Judas?” We had better think more about the churches ofSardis and Laodicea than we do.…

I would say it with all reverence, but say it I must: I sometimes fear ifChrist were on earth now, there are not a few who would think His preachinglegal; and if Paul were writing his Epistles, there are those who would thinkhe had better not write the latter part of most of them as he did. But let usremember that the Lord Jesus did speak the sermon on the mountand that the Epistle to the Ephesians contains six chapters and not four. Igrieve to feel obliged to speak in this way, but I am sure there is a cause.…

Is it not true that we need a higher standard of personal holiness in this day?Where is our patience? Where is our zeal? Where is our love? Where are ourworks? Where is the power of religion to be seen, as it was in times gone by?Where is that unmistakable tone which used to distinguish the saints of old andshake the world? Truly our silver has become dross, our wine mixed with water,and our salt has very little savour. We are all more than half asleep. Thenight is far spent, and the day is at hand. Let us awake and sleep no more. Letus open our eyes more widely than we have done up to this time. “Let us layaside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Heb 12:1). “Letus cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfectholiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1). “Did Christ die,” says Owen, “andshall sin live? Was He crucified in the world, and shall our affections to theworld be quick and lively? Oh, where is the spirit of him, who by the cross ofChrist was crucified to the world, and the world to him?”

Conclusion

Would you be holy? Would you become a new creature? Then you must begin withChrist. You will do just nothing at all and make no progress till you feel yoursin and weakness and flee to Him. He is the root and beginning of all holiness,and the way to be holy is to come to Him by faith and be joined to Him. Christis not wisdom and righteousness only to His people, but sanctification also.Men sometimes try to make themselves holy first of all, and sad work they makeof it. They toil and labour and turn over many new leaves and make manychanges; and yet, like the woman with the issue of blood, before she came toChrist, they feel “nothing bettered, but rather grew worse” (Mk 5:26). They runin vain and labour in vain, and little wonder; for they are beginning at thewrong end. They are building up a wall of sand; their work runs down as fast asthey throw it up. They are baling water out of a leaky vessel; the leak gainson them, not they on the leak. Other foundation of holiness can no man lay thanthat which Paul laid, even Christ Jesus. Without Christ we can do nothing (Jn15:5). It is a strong but true saying of Traill’s: “Wisdom out of Christ isdamning folly; righteousness out of Christ is guilt and condemnation; sanctificationout of Christ is filth and sin; redemption out of Christ is bondage andslavery.”

Do you want to attain holiness? Do you feel this day a real hearty desire to beholy? Would you be a partaker of the divine nature? Then go to Christ. Wait fornothing. Wait for nobody. Linger not. Think not to make yourself ready. Go toHim as you are.

There is not a brick nor a stone laid in the work of our sanctification till wego to Christ. Holiness is His special gift to His believing people. Holiness isthe work He carries on in their hearts by the Spirit whom He puts within them.He is appointed a “Prince and a Saviour… to give repentance” (Acts 5:31), aswell as remission of sins. To as many as receive Him, He gives power to becomesons of God (Jn 1:12, 13). Holiness comes not of blood: parents cannot give itto their children; nor yet of the will of the flesh: man cannot produce it inhimself; nor yet of the will of man: ministers cannot give it to you bybaptism. Holiness comes from Christ. It is the result of vital union with Him.It is the fruit of being a living branch of the true Vine. Go then to Christand say, “Lord, not only save me from the guilt of sin, but send the Spirit,whom Thou didst promise, and save me from its power. Make me holy. Teach me todo Thy will.”

Would you continue holy? Then abide in Christ (Jn 15:4, 5). It pleased theFather that in Him should all fullness dwell, a full supply for all abeliever’s wants. He is the Physician to whom you must daily go if you wouldkeep well. He is the Manna which you must daily eat and the Rock of which youmust daily drink. His arm is the arm on which you must daily lean as you comeup out of the wilderness of this world. You must not only be rooted, you mustalso be built up in Him. Paul was a man of God indeed, a holy man, a growingthriving Christian, and what was the secret of it all? He was one to whomChrist was all in all. He was ever looking unto Jesus (Heb 12:2). “I can do allthings,” he says, “through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil 4:13). “I live;yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live, I live bythe faith of the Son of God” (Gal 2:20). Let us go and do likewise.

—J.J. Lim