God

Holy, Holy, Holy

People use the word holy​ in lots of ways, often unrelated to God, to express surprise or digust. They just add "holy" to another word. Think: holy cow, holy moly, holy smoke, holy mackerel. “Holy (fill in the blank)” even has its own Wikipedia entry that's all about Robin from the 1960s TV show, Batman. He was a pro at "holy" phrases.

The world doesn’t really understand holy.

Neither do many Christians, even though holy is in lots of the songs and sayings. Have you ever thought of holy as “really, really good” or maybe even “one-hundred-percent perfect”? Most of us have. But the true meaning of holy is much different and deeper.

The idea of being holy runs throughout the whole Bible, from the first pages when God declares the seventh day holy (Genesis 2:3), all the way to the last pages when four strange creatures repeatedly sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8).

From beginning to end, the Bible declares that God is holy, Jesus is holy, and the Spirit is holy. But the Bible also says this surprising thing: God’s people are holy.​ If you follow Jesus, you. are. holy. What does that even mean? How can that even be possible? None of us is perfect. Far from it. What does it mean that God's children and followers of Jesus are holy?

The Bible says this to followers of Jesus:

"Some of you were once like that [living in worldly, sinful ways]. But [when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and started following him] you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11, NLT)

Talk about the questions below, watch the video, and read the Bible passages to learn more about holiness.

Warm-Up

  • What are some ways you’ve heard "holy"​ used that have nothing to do with Jesus or God?
  • What do you think "holy" means?
  • Do you think people can be holy? If so, what do you think that means?

Watch

"Holiness"​ [6:35] *This video mentions Moses, Leviticus, Isaiah, Ezekiel, the Temple, and Revelation.

Read

Psalm 99 (about God's holiness)

Colossians 3:12-15 (about our call to be holy)

Respond

  • After watching the video and reading Psalm 99, what do you think it means that God is holy?
  • What are some words you could use to describe holiness?
  • How do you think God's holiness and his Holy Spirit change us into holy people? What do you think it means to be God's holy people?

Engage

Here are some more verses about followers of Jesus being holy. Read some of these out loud. Being holy is a common theme.

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:2
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:30
  3. 1 Corinthians 6:11
  4. Ephesians 4:24
  5. Philippians 1:1
  6. Colossians 1:2
  7. Colossians 1:22

End

It seems unbelievable that human beings are called holy. When we follow Jesus and surrender to him, his Spirit fills us and begins changing us into holy people. Will you let God work in your life to make you the person he wants you to be?

P.S.

  • The modern English word "holiday"​ started as "holyday." It referred both to religious sacred days and also to non-religious days of festivity, recreation, or break from work.
  • Maybe you learned the Lord’s Prayer like this: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." Hallowed​ is an old-fashioned word for holy.
  • You can read about Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3:1-6, the prophet Isaiah and the burning coal in Isaiah 6:1-7, and the “burning” man in Revelation 1:9-18.