What does "holiness of heart and life" mean to you?

[contriteheart]

The subtitle of Wesley's Parish is "holiness of heart and life."

I'm curious - what does holiness of heart and life mean to you personally? How do you experience/live it in your daily life?

[GraceSeeker]

Holiness of heart -- to seek to know and express the love of God fully in my relationship both with God and neighbor.

Holiness of life -- to express the character of God with my life.

[sinner/SAVED]

holiness of heart = love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.

holiness of life = doing holiness of heart

[cristianna]

Holiness of heart -- to seek to know and express the love of God fully in my relationship both with God and neighbor.

Holiness of life -- to express the character of God with my life.

It's kind of hard to chime in and follow GraceSeeker's eloquent way with words on the answer. :D

I'd agree, just my words would have been less fancy. :thumbsup:

[Redheadedstepchild]

I'd only add to GS that for me it's a goal. By no means am I there yet.

[GraceSeeker]

Hey, I want to hear your words. Sometimes the way something is stated is important, but often the "more eloquent" versions communicate less because they are just words. Personally, I learn more from people who are "plain spoken". So, please, if not for someone else, then for just me alone, can you express what you are feeling in your own words? I would really like to hear where it is that you come from.

[contriteheart]

I'm going to give a stab at writing my own definitions for these. There is no "right" answer, here, so I'd really like to hear what some of the rest of you think. I agree with GraceSeeker, sometimes the least-complicated, simplest definitions are the best! Here are mine:

Holiness of heart - with my whole heart, being set apart for the purpose of loving God and fully accomplishing His will

Holiness of life - by God's grace, living in such a way that I do not offend Him by sin in my thoughts, words, or deeds; living in such a way that consistently demonstrates true love for Him and for my neighbor.

[Redheadedstepchild]

Well....

Holiness of heart has to do with what we feel and think, and speaks to our motivations for the things we do and say.

Holiness of life is how we actually behave. The fruits of the spirit if you will...

Holiness of life is futile without holiness of heart, but holiness of heart should result in some change in how we behave.

I actually think a change of heart may be harder than a change of behavior. You can fake holiness of life for a little while. You can't make a change of heart without completely giving it over to God. At least I can't.

IMHO. :)

[contriteheart]

Well....

Holiness of heart has to do with what we feel and think, and speaks to our motivations for the things we do and say.

Holiness of life is how we actually behave. The fruits of the spirit if you will...

Holiness of life is futile without holiness of heart, but holiness of heart should result in some change in how we behave.

I actually think a change of heart may be harder than a change of behavior. You can fake holiness of life for a little while. You can't make a change of heart without completely giving it over to God. At least I can't.

IMHO. :)

I think that's a GREAT definition! :)

[mont974x4]

Assuming that we're talking about a saved person since no unsaved person can be holy..let alone understand Scripture.....

Scripture talks about the washing of Word and having the Word in our mouths. When we know His Word and His standards and we know who we are in Christ then our heart is changed and will continue to change as we grow. This affords us the power to die to ourself.

Did I babble enough?


How about this? It is the power, through the Holy Spirit because of us in Christ and Christ in us to be holy of heart and holy in life----which is how we love God and love people.


Did that make sense? LOL

[sinner/SAVED]

holiness of heart = love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.

holiness of life = doing holiness of heart

[cristianna]

For me holiness of heart is have a true heart. A heart willing to stake everything I do based on God's teaching.

For me holiness of life would be taking what's in my heart and putting it into action.

I think it's easier to have it in your heart than it is to apply it to life based on my repentance needs.

[cristianna]

Hi HolyRoller! :wave:

[Holyroller125]

The subtitle of Wesley's Parish is "holiness of heart and life."

I'm curious - what does holiness of heart and life mean to you personally? How do you experience/live it in your daily life?
Holiness of Heart - Holiness of heart is being sanctifed, devoted, and set apart for God. Holiness of heart is acknowledging that God is a jealous God, and He does not want to share me with any other little god in this life. Holiness of heart also means that I do have convictions. Convictions is having my will, conscious, and judgments aligned with God's will, conscious, and judgments. This means knowing my weaknesses, faults, and shortcomings, and making sure that we are earnest at changing our habits. This also means using the integrity and the Baptism of the Holy GHost that God gave me to be sensitive towards God and how He feels about how I live. Holiness of heart is loving God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Holiness of heart is hearing God, listening to God, understanding what the Spirit has to say, and having the desire to look at the world like He does.

Holiness of Life - Holiness of life is incarnating Christ towards my neighbor. Holiness of life is loving my neighbor as myself. Holiness of life is being ethical on the job, at school, in my community, in the ministry, and in the service. Holiness of life is giving God every corner of my life. This means using the Baptism of the HOly Ghost to be incarnational, compassionate, and caring towards others. If one is really spirit-filled, they will be very outgoing, thoughtful, and caring towards others in their community.

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and tongues that God gave me should make one a better Christian towards others and not a monopolist in the church.

God Bless,

Gregory Paul Norton

[GraceSeeker]

Holiness of life is incarnating Christ towards my neighbor.

I especially like this line.

[cristianna]

Hi HolyRoller! :wave:

[Redheadedstepchild]

Reps for HR!!! Great post. :thumbsup:

[dayhiker]

I think its loving God with my whole heart soul and strength and my neighbor as my self.

[Holyroller125]

I think its loving God with my whole heart soul and strength and my neighbor as my self.

I can sume up the two commmands by stating the incorrect theological belief, practice, and attitude with this one statement.

God is a Holy God and a missionary God involved in the lives of others. He is not a remote and distant God afar off. He is immiment and incarnational in the world today.

Holiness is nor for parade or a banner that one puts up; holiness is missional.

Blessings,

Apostle Gregory Paul Norton

[gal4God]

i've read the purpose diven life and i'd say that book descibes it welll. i'd reconmend you to read this book.

[GraceSeeker]

I can sume up the two commmands by stating the incorrect theological belief, practice, and attitude with this one statement.



Did you really mean to say "incorrect"?

[Holyroller125]

Did you really mean to say "incorrect"?

Yes, I meant just to say correct. Sorry about the typo. This goes on to say that grace covers us when it comes to human error. There is a difference between human error and outright negligence, snubbing nose at God, and knowingly doing something you know is wrong. Jesus mentioned grace, mercy, and judgment in that order. First, Grace is unmerited favor where one's slate is wiped clean never to be brought up again. Grace is where one should receive judgment but does not get judged. Second, Mercy is when one deserves judgment and punishment, and however, the person receives judgment and should go to hell. Now, by the mercy of God, we enter into the kingdom of heaven. Third, Judgment is for the people that exhausted the grace and mercy of God and now need to receive the judgment and punishment of being willingly rebellious, sinful, and negligent.

We are under grace the moment we complete the new birth. We are under grace and should not go back into bondage after conversion. Now, the one's that willingly become negligent, snub nose at God, and knowingly rebel against God operate under the mercy of God. If mercy is exhausted, the person receives the judgment and wrath of God when they could have been safe under the initial grace of God.

When it comes to holiness, I had a skewed view of grace, mercy, and judgment. And, this is all the reason why many ministers preach a skewed view of holiness.

All The Best,

Gregory Paul Norton

[gardyn_gurl]

For me it means to keep your life and your desires in check. You want to do right. You desire to do right. This is holiness of the heart. Holiness of live means that you actually try to always do what is right. You try to walk in a path that will please God.