Holiness Simplified
The Christian life is one of holiness. As those united to Christ by faith, we are called to be holy as God is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). However, in many modern discussions of sanctification, a distinction is often drawn between positional holiness (what we are in Christ) and practical holiness (how we live in obedience).
While this distinction may seem helpful at first glance, it creates unnecessary confusion and risks undermining the unity of God’s work in sanctifying His people.
What Is the Problem?
The issue with this language is that separating positional and practical holiness implies a division between our identity in Christ and our daily lives. It suggests that there are two distinct types of holiness: positional holiness as what God has declared about us in Christ, and practical holiness as what we achieve through our good works. This can lead to two significant misunderstandings.
First, when we categorize holiness, positional holiness can be treated as static and irrelevant to daily living. Some may view positional holiness as merely a doctrinal reality—something true “on paper”—but unrelated to how they live. Practical holiness, then, can be reduced to moral striving, leading to a works-based mindset. Holiness cannot be divided into neat compartments of positional and practical without distorting the gospel. Instead, we must affirm that holiness is a single reality, grounded in grace, flowing from our union with Christ.
Union With Christ
Rather than dividing holiness into “positional” and “practical,” Scripture presents sanctification as a unified work grounded in our union with Christ. In Christ, we are holy, and through Christ, we grow in holiness. These are not two separate realities but one work of God.
When God calls us to Himself, He sets us apart as holy. This is not merely a declaration about us but a reality established in our union with Christ. Paul writes, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Holiness is a part of our identity in Christ; it is who we are because of Him.
Furthermore, because we are united to Christ, we are being conformed to His image. Paul explains this dynamic in Philippians 2:12-13, where he calls believers to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Our growth in holiness is not an effort to create something new but to live out what God has already worked within us. In this way, we must understand that our sanctification, or our holiness, is a promise, not a threat.
Sanctification isn’t just about personal holiness for its own sake. It’s not about moralistic improvement or striving to be a spiritual Christian. It’s about reflecting Christ and living out His love for God and neighbor. While much of religious thought is self-centered—focused on what we are or are not doing—a biblical understanding of holiness shifts our focus outward. It’s not about us working to achieve holiness; in fact, our holiness is not about us at all, but about God’s help working through us for the sake of others.
A Better Way: Indicative and the Imperative
Rather than forming categories like positional and practical, we need to understand the biblical distinction between the indicative and the imperative. These aren’t artificial categories we impose on the text, but biblical distinctions.
The indicative is a statement of fact—it tells us who we are in Christ. For example, when Paul says, “We have died to sin” (Rom. 6:2), he’s making an objective declaration about the believer’s new identity in Christ. This identity doesn’t come from our works or efforts, but from what Christ has already done for us.
In contrast, the imperative is a command—an instruction on how we should live based on who we are in Christ. Paul often writes, “Therefore, do this…” after explaining our identity in Christ. For example, in Romans 6, he urges believers to “not let sin reign in your mortal body” because they have been made alive in Christ. The imperative always follows the indicative, and we must never separate the two.
Too often, by creating these other categories, we confuse the indicative and the imperative. One common mistake is thinking we must obey the imperatives (commands) to gain the status indicated in the Scriptures as if our works contribute to our holiness. This error creates a constant cycle of striving, never resting in Christ’s finished work. But the biblical pattern is clear: first, the indicative—who we are in Christ—and then, the imperative—how we should be because of who we are. The misconception that holiness or sanctification is attained through personal effort or yielding misses the point of the gospel. He sanctifies us, and we live in that sanctification out of gratitude for His finished work.
Rather than dividing holiness into categories of “positional” and “practical,” we should embrace the biblical understanding of sanctification as a unified work of God’s grace. Our holiness is rooted in our union with Christ and flows from our identity as His redeemed people. This approach guards us against the twin errors of passivity and moralism, keeping our focus on Christ as both the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). In Him, we are holy, and through Him, we are becoming holy. There is no dichotomy, only the glorious work of a faithful God.