Holiness

First then, let me try to show what true practical holiness is—what sort of persons are those whom God calls holy.

a) Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God’s judgment—hating what He hates, loving what He loves—and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word. He who most entirely agrees with God, he is the most holy man.

b) A holy man will endeavour to shun every known sin, and to keep every known commandment. He will have a decided bent of mind toward God, a hearty desire to do His will, a greater fear of displeasing Him than of displeasing the world, and a love to all His ways.

c) A holy man will strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ.…Much time would be saved, and much sin prevented, if men would oftener ask themselves the question, “What would Christ have said or done, if He were in my place?”

d) A holy man will follow after meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, patience, kind tempers, government of his tongue. He will bear much, forbear much, overlook much, and be slow to talk of standing on his rights.

e) A holy man will follow after temperance and self-denial. He will labour to mortify the desires of his body, to crucify his flesh with his affections and lusts, to curb his passions, to restrains carnal inclinations, lest at any time they break loose.…(Luke 21:34) (1 Cor. 9:27)

f) A holy man will follow after charity and brotherly kindness. He will endeavour to observe the golden rule of doing as he would have men do to him, and speaking as he would have men speak to him.

g) A holy man will follow after a spirit of mercy and benevolence towards others. He will not stand all the day idle. He will not be content with doing no harm—he will try to do good.

h) A holy man will follow after purity of heart. He will dread all filthiness and uncleanness of spirit, and seek to avoid all things that might draw him into it. He knows his own heart is like tinder, and will diligently keep clear of the sparks of temptation.

i) A holy man will follow after the fear of God. I do not mean the fear of a slave, who only works because he is afraid of punishment, and would be idle if he did not dread discovery. I mean rather the fear of a child, who wishes to live and move as if he was always before his father’s face, because he loves him.

j) A holy man will follow after humility. He will desire, in lowliness of mind, to esteem all others better than himself.

k) A holy man will follow after faithfulness in all the duties and relations in life.…Holy persons should aim at doing everything well, and should be ashamed of allowing themselves to do anything ill if they can help it.

l) Last, but not least, a holy man will follow after spiritual-mindedness. He will endeavour to set his affections entirely on things above, and to hold things on earth with a very loose hand.

J. C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindernaces, Difficulties, and Roots, 1879 (Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishers, 2001).— p.p. 42-46