Upon hearing the word “holy,” what pops into your mind? Holy Bible? Holy God? Do you mentally search for a synonym—sacred, pure, sinless, perfect, pious, or religious—thinking one of those exposes its depths of meaning?

In the original Hebrew and Greek, the word “holy” is most often defined as simply “set apart.” God claimed this distinction for himself early on: “I am the Lord your God… I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44–45).

God alone is completely holy. He is set apart in every facet of his being. He calls us, his people, to be holy (II Peter 3:11–12). We can only learn to partake of his holiness by knowing what he is like so we can imitate him and access whatever part of his holiness we are able to grasp. This should be a focus of every Christian because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

Here are some of the areas that Linda addresses where holiness must be a vital motivation in a life dedicated to God:

• Meditation • Peace • Patience • Goodness • Faithfulness • Gentleness • Self-Control • Jealousy • Joy

Compassion • Humility • Submission • Mercy • Grace • Wisdom • Truth • Justice • Knowledge