The question is a remarkably interesting one because the question assumes man’s inability to be completely Holy. It also subtly hints at God’s integrity for expecting from us that which we cannot be or accomplish. This begs the question, why would God ask us to do what we cannot? What does God really mean when He says be holy as I am holy. In answering this question and many others on this platform the goal is to keep it simple and short as Christian theological foundations can be layered, lengthy and may ultimately not communicate the desired solution effectively because of lack of attention, false or thin understanding of Bible concepts.
To be holy simply means to be sacred, set apart, distinct, excellence. To be morally blameless and perfect. Holiness is the quality or state of being holy. To be holy then is to have a divine quality as human beings are not ‘naturally holy’. Ephesians 1:4, says he called us to be holy before creation. Obviously, God does not ask for what He has not given. He gave us salvation in Jesus Christ and asked us to now live like one who is bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). If he called us or asked us to be holy, then it is because he made it possible in Christ.
Let us start with the verse “Be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:16). In the first scripture, the words consecrate, sanctify, and separate yourself gives depth to what God meant to be holy. In the second scripture Peter cites Leviticus and urges the churches in Asia not to fashion themselves according to their former lust but to be holy (set-apart for God, consecrated, sanctified, sacred). In the first instance God was asking the Israelites to separate themselves from neighboring nationalities by doing what He asked them to do. They could not because of their nature. In the second scripture Peter urges the brethren in Asia to set-themselves apart from the world. Now they could because in Christ their sinful nature no longer exists. Can Christians be holy? Yes!
Naturally, no man can achieve perfection or holiness in the eyes of God (note eyes of God not eyes of men) without being supernaturally sanctified (set-apart, enabled) by the Holy Spirit through the new birth in Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:13 CJB) because all men have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Rom 3:23). Thus, the ‘unrecreated’ man who is without Christ can never be holy in action, speech, and thoughts. But the recreated man in Christ is Holy as His Father is Holy. You see, in Christ, holiness is a state first before the actions, deeds of holiness. A holy person who is aware of who they are in Christ should naturally produce perfect acts. Yes they may start small and ultimate become the full status of Christ just as Ephesians 4:13 declares “… full measure of the stature of Christ…”
Indeed, in Christ it is possible because our unholy nature has been dealt with. This is the amazing thing that Christ came to do for the entire world. To pay for all unholy acts (past, present, future and eternity) with his eternal blood, that all those who accept him will benefit and receive his sinless, righteous, consecrated, scared and holy life in exchange. Now that we (those who are born again) have this Holy eternal life, God has called us to be holy because He (as our Father) is holy. In this call, he is saying “I am your Father, I am holy, you are my children, you are holy, now live like me”.
Note that the born-again Christian is holy, not because of deeds but because of what Christ has done (2 Timothy 1:9 CJB). Now the born-again Christian is called to bear the righteous or holy fruits of the new life and status he has received. This is the gospel. Religion says you earn holiness through your deeds, the gospel says by faith in Christ you are born that holy, righteous and called to live the live that you now have. Remarkable!
As I initially said, I went through layers of Christian theology of Justification, Sanctification, Substitution and Salvation to arrive at the conclusion; it is now possible to be Holy in Christ Jesus. God asked us to be Holy because He knew we can because of the provisions He made in Christ Jesus. If you find a Christian acting in an unholy way, that will not be because the Christian lacks the capacity to be holy but because he elected to or is ignoring the ability God gave him or her.
Are there examples of holy people in the Bible? Yes!!! In the book of Hebrews, Paul calls brothers and sisters of the Jewish and Hellenistic church…. holy brothers and sisters (Hebrews 3:1). Paul should know the difference between holiness and ‘unholiness’ as he admonished the Corinthian church differently (1 Corinthians 5:1-8. Finally, I leave you with this prayer in 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 (NIV) “ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
