MEMORY VERSE
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”
– Hebrews 12:14
We are instructed to pursue holiness. Pursue means to chase after in order to catch it, or to strive toward something so that we can attain it. The Greek word used here can also be translated “to practice.” Therefore, to pursue holiness is to practice holiness.
Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. The abstract definition of holiness has to do with purity (being without mixture) and has to do with separation from the world. The concrete definition of holiness is keeping God’s Commandments.
Holiness and sanctification are synonymous terms. Sanctified means, fully devoted to God, or being set apart exclusively for God. Holiness means we are separated from the world and set-apart to God. It speaks of our single-minded devotion to God and purity of life that has no mixture from the world.
How do we pursue holiness? By separating ourselves from the influence of the world and being devoted to prayer, worship, obedience, and meditating on the Word of God.
