Let’s talk about holiness. Not the version we’ve picked up from church culture, but what the Bible actually says—especially when it talks about true holiness, like Paul does in Ephesians 4.
“And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:24
We kicked off this conversation in the last blog, where we saw Paul refer to “true righteousness and true holiness.” Now we’re going back—to the origins of holy—to understand how the early church thought about holiness. Why? Because their Bible was the Old Testament. That was their frame of reference, their language, their context.
So if we want to understand what Peter and Paul meant by “holy,” we need to go where they went—to the Torah.
Holy doesn’t mean flawless
The Hebrew word for holy is Kodesh—it means set apartness, sacredness, separateness. Think of it as something that’s been pulled out of the norm and set aside for something different. Not necessarily “perfect,” but set apart.
That right there is a shift in how many of us have been taught to think about holiness. We often assume holy = flawless. But biblically, holy means set apart—unique, sacred, different.
Where Is “Holy” First Mentioned?
If you had to guess where “holy” first shows up in the Bible, you might say Eden. Everything was perfect, right? Surely that was holy.
But it’s not.
Surprisingly, the word “holy” doesn’t appear until Exodus 3—when Moses approaches the burning bush.
“Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Ex. 3:5)
So why was that ground holy? Was it special dirt? No. It was holy because God was there. His presence made it sacred, different, set apart from everything around it.
That was the first time “holy” is used in Scripture.
Holy Starts Showing Up More…
The second time we see it? Exodus 12—during the first Passover:
“On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you…” (Ex. 12:16)
God tells His people to set apart day one and day seven for sacred assembly. Not for business. Not for entertainment. For worship and remembrance. Again, we see the idea of “apartness.”
And then in Exodus 15, during the Song of Moses, Israel sings:
“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness…” (Ex. 15:11)
This is the first time man calls God holy. So far, we’ve seen holy ground, holy days, and now a holy God. We’re beginning to build a pattern.
Then in Exodus 16, God tells them:
“Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.” (Ex. 16:23)
This is before Sinai. No Ten Commandments yet. No Law. But we already see “holy” being used to describe days, places, and practices. Still, there’s no command for people to be holy—yet.
After Sinai, Things Shift
The Ten Commandments hit in Exodus 20, and the covenant changes. Before Sinai, God provides despite complaints. After Sinai, complaining brings consequences. Why? Because Israel chose law over promise. They stopped believing and demanded rules. The Law was added because of transgressions (Gal. 3:19).
And now, holiness starts getting attached to people.
“You shall be holy men to Me…” (Ex. 22:31)
Finally, God calls His people to be holy. What’s the context? Food.
“You shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.”
Holiness here has to do with dietary practices. Being set apart in what you consume.
The next time God says “Be holy, for I am holy”? That’s Leviticus 11, which Peter quotes in the New Testament:
“You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy… You shall not defile yourselves with any creeping thing…” (Lev. 11:44–45)
Again, the context is dietary laws. Don’t eat like the nations around you. Be different. Be distinct.
Holiness, Law, and Identity
So, Old Testament holiness was tied to:
- What you ate
- Where you worshipped
- When you rested
- And the physical space where God showed up
It was about separation—being distinct from the nations around them. Holiness was not primarily about personal piety, but about identity. About being visibly and spiritually set apart.
And in the New Testament, this evolves.
A Shift in the New Covenant
When Peter quotes “Be holy, for I am holy,” he’s not reapplying dietary laws. He’s speaking into a new covenant context—one where holiness is not measured by what goes in your mouth but what has happened in your heart.
As Paul writes:
“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”(Rom. 14:17)
In Christ, you are set apart—not because of what you eat or wear, but because of who you belong to. Holiness is now a gift, not a goal.
So, Are You Holy?
Well, let’s ask it this way:
- Are you set apart in Christ?
- Have you been made righteous by faith?
- Has the Spirit of God made His home in you?
Then yes—you are holy.
Not because of your perfect behavior. Not because you eat kosher or keep a Sabbath.
But because God has called you His own.
Because you are in Christ, and Christ is in you.
That’s what it means to be truly holy.
We’re going to keep unpacking this over the next few posts. There’s more to say about holiness in the New Covenant. But for now, let this sink in:
Holiness isn’t something you earn.
It’s something you receive.
And it all started with a burning bush, a sacred moment, and a God who called ordinary ground “holy” just because He was there.
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