Without Holiness No One Will See God…
Hebrews 12:14 declares, “Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” At first glance, this verse might seem like a warning meant to instill fear or worse it may make you think that you must be holy to be ultimately saved.
But in reality, it is a promise meant to encourage and strengthen believers. It does not set an impossible standard that we must achieve on our own; rather, it assures us that God is at work in us, shaping us into His likeness and preparing us to behold His glory.
Holiness in the Covenant
Holiness is deeply embedded in the covenant relationship between God and His people. It is not merely a moral obligation but a part of the sanctification process, where God fulfills His promise to transform us into the image of Christ. John Owen emphasizes this transformation when he explains that:
“Holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing, and realizing of the gospel in our souls” (Owen, The Holy Spirit, 1674).
In this covenantal framework, holiness is the fruit of the gospel, not its root. It is the law of God written on our hearts, as promised in the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33), where the law moves from external command to internal transformation.
Here, the law-gospel distinction becomes crucial. The law shows us our sinfulness, and our inability to achieve holiness on our own, driving us to despair of self-righteousness. It is the mirror that reveals our need for a Savior. On the other hand, the gospel is the good news of Christ’s perfect obedience and atoning death, which fulfills the law on our behalf. Through faith in this gospel, we are justified and sanctified, empowered to live holy lives.
Holiness is not a threat; it is a promise.
This promise is not conditional upon our legalistic adherence to the law but on the grace of the gospel. The law points out our inadequacy, leading us to the cross where the gospel promises not only forgiveness but also the power to live a new life.
Hebrews 12:1-2 sets the scene for this pursuit:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Our race towards holiness is assured because it is grounded not in our performance but in Christ’s. Our perseverance is a gift of grace, enabled by the Holy Spirit, who applies the benefits of the covenant to us.
For this reason, the biblical understanding of holiness is deeply Christocentric. Jesus, as the Mediator of the New Covenant, is both the source and the goal of our sanctification. By fixing our eyes on Him, we are not looking at a moral example but at the One who has fulfilled all righteousness for us.
Through the lens of the covenant:
- We see our justification—Christ’s righteousness imputed to us.
- We experience our sanctification—Christ’s righteousness worked out in us by the Spirit.
- We anticipate our glorification—the promise of seeing the Lord face to face.
Embracing Holiness
In this personal journey, every step towards holiness is an act of faith in the covenant promises. Every stumble is an opportunity to return to the gospel, the source of our strength. And every victory is a testament to the faithfulness of God in His covenant.
So, let us walk this path with confidence, knowing that holiness is not an uncertain quest but a sure promise within the covenant of grace. Keep your eyes on Jesus, for in His light, we live out the covenantal call to holiness, assured that through this sanctified journey, we will indeed see the Lord.