Positive Holiness
I was raised in what is called a ‘holiness’ denomination (of the Pentecostal variety) which meant that our church took seriously the Bible’s commands to live distinctive lives (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Peter 1:16). While I am genuinely thankful for this emphasis and the character-shaping effect it had on me, unfortunately the form of holiness that was taught and modeled was primarily negative, not in the sense of damaging but in the sense of denial – staying away from what is harmful. Of course, this is wise and biblical counsel, as far as it goes. The Bible says, for example, “Flee … evil desires” (2 Timothy 2:22) and “Avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). But biblical holiness is not only or even mostly what we stay away from, but in what we pursue.
Biblical holiness is not only or even mostly what we stay away from, but in what we pursue.
Positive Holiness and Rules
Eight of the Ten Commandments are stated negatively, “Thou shalt not …”. But Jesus made clear that the things we avoid are because of what we are seeking to accomplish; the negative is a means to achieve the positive:
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
Notice that Jesus quoted two positive commands as encompassing the whole of the Law, including the negative commands. “Love God” covers the first four of the Ten Commandments (no other gods, no images, no misuses of His name, no work on the Sabbath), and “Love neighbor” covers the last six (don’t steal, lie, murder, covet, etc.).
The things we avoid are because of what we are seeking to accomplish; the negative is a means to achieve the positive.
Positive Holiness and Reasons
Although the Bible does not directly address every issue we face, it does cover all issues either in precept or principle (“Scripture equips … for every good work” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17). However, when we face an issue we often ask, “What’s wrong with it?” The idea is that if it doesn’t violate any direct command, then it’s okay since that means there’s nothing “wrong with it.” But positive holiness requires that we take an action because it is right, not merely to avoid wrong. For instance, Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10 deal with the issue of whether one should eat particular foods. It is important to note that Paul says directly that the food itself is not inherently evil (1 Corinthians 8:8) or, put another way, “there’s nothing wrong with it.” However, that does not settle the issue. One must engage in the activity in question (in this case, eating a particular food) only if it is right, that is, if it “leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19) or is “beneficial” and “constructive” (1 Corinthians 10:23). Therefore, one must ask “What is right with it?” rather than “What is wrong with it?” This is why Romans 14:23 concludes with, Whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. The Bible Knowledge Commentary summarizes the teaching of this concluding verse of Romans 14: “The principle is, ‘When in doubt, don’t.’” We only do it if it’s right.
Positive holiness requires that we take an action because it is right, not merely to avoid wrong.
Positive Holiness and Righteousness
Hundreds of years before Jesus gave the Golden Rule (“Do to others what you would have them do to you” – Matthew 7:12), Confucius gave the so-called ‘Silver Rule’ – “Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.” Many misunderstand these to be the same, making Jesus in effect a plagiarist. But in fact the Golden and Silver Rules are very different. One can fulfill Confucius’s dictum by doing nothing – do no harm. But Jesus requires more than simple restraint. He demands that we affirmatively act on behalf of others.
Jesus requires more than simple restraint. He demands that we affirmatively act on behalf of others.
You see, God requires that we not only have no sin to our account, He demands that we have complete righteousness before Him – Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). That is why our salvation requires Christ’s death to pay the penalty for our sin AND His perfect life to give us the righteousness we cannot achieve. When we come to Christ we receive the benefit of His death and of His life, so that we can and should not only say “Jesus died for me” but also “Jesus lived for me.” As theologian Wayne Grudem says …
If Christ had only earned forgiveness of sins for us, then we would not merit heaven. Our guilt would have been removed, but we would simply be in the position of Adam and Eve before they had done anything good or bad and before they had passed a time of probation successfully. To be established in righteousness forever and to have their fellowship with God made sure forever, Adam and Eve had to obey God perfectly over a period of time. Then God would have looked on their faithful obedience with pleasure and delight, and they would have lived with him in fellowship forever.
For this reason, Christ had to live a life of perfect obedience to God in order to earn righteousness for us. He had to obey the law for his whole life on our behalf so that the positive merits of his perfect obedience would be counted for us. Sometimes this is called Christ’s “active obedience,” while his suffering and dying for our sins is called his “passive obedience.” Paul says his goal is that he may be found in Christ, “not having a righteousness of [his] own based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 3:9). It is not just moral neutrality that Paul knows he needs from Christ (that is, a clean slate with sins forgiven), but a positive moral righteousness. And he knows that that cannot come from himself, but must come through faith in Christ. Similarly, Paul says that Christ has been made “our righteousness” (1 Corinthians 1:30). And he quite explicitly says, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19) – see here.
We say “no” because we have a greater “yes.” Our holiness is negative primarily so that it can be positive:
The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. (Titus 2:11-12)
Ken Brown is the pastor of Community Bible Church in Trenton, MI. We republish his article by permission.
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