Jerry Bridges once shared: “The pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as surely no one will attain it without effort on his own part.”1 Bridges also said: “Jesus said, ‘Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple’ (Luke 14:33). We must honestly face the question, ‘Am I willing to give up a certain practice or habit that is keeping me from holiness?’ It is at this point of commitment that most of us fail. We prefer to dally with sin, to try to play with it a little without getting too deeply involved.2
The pursuit of holiness should be the grand adventure for all Christians because in the words of Oswald Chambers: “Holiness, not happiness, is the chief end of man.”3
I pray that the following quotes on holiness will help you as you strive to be men and women of holiness.4 I believe that holiness is the pathway that leads to true joy and peace as well as helping us to become more conformed to Jesus. These quotes should really challenge us to pursue holiness – I know they challenge me.
“The holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him.” ~ C. S. Lewis
“Holiness is not the way to Christ. Christ is the way to holiness.” ~ Adrian Rogers
“The first step towards attaining a higher standard of holiness is to realize more fully the amazing sinfulness of sin.” ~ J. C. Ryle
“The pursuit of holiness must be anchored in the grace of God; otherwise, it is doomed to failure.” ~ Jerry Bridges
“If you think you can walk in holiness without keeping up perpetual fellowship with Christ, you have made a great mistake. If you would be holy, you must live close to Jesus.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
“Holiness has never been the driving force of the majority. It is, however, mandatory for anyone who wants to enter the kingdom.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot
“Many Christians have what we might call a ‘cultural holiness.’ They adapt to the character and behavior pattern of Christians around them…But God has not called us to be like those around us. He has called us to be like Himself. Holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God.” ~ Jerry Bridges
“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.” ~ J. C. Ryle
“How little people know who think that holiness is dull… When one meets the real thing, it’s irresistible!” ~ C. S. Lewis
“There is no shortcut to holiness; it must be the business of our whole lives.” ~ William Wilberforce
“Obedience is the pathway to holiness.” ~ Jerry Bridges
“God is not going to negotiate His holiness… in order to accommodate us.” ~ R. C. Sproul
“Holiness is not to love Jesus and do whatever you want. Holiness is to love God and do what He wants.” ~ C. Wagner
“No attribute of God is more dreadful to sinners than His holiness.” ~ Matthew Henry
“Holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God.” ~ Jerry Bridges
“If you don’t delight in the fact that your Father is holy, holy, holy, then you are spiritually dead. You may be in a church. You may go to a Christian school. But if there is no delight in your soul for the holiness of God, you don’t know God. You don’t love God. You’re out of touch with God. You’re asleep to his character.” ~ R. C. Sproul
“The gospel is not an announcement that God has relaxed his justice or lowered the standard of His holiness.” ~ Arthur W. Pink
“God has linked holiness and happiness; and what God has joined together we must not think to put asunder.” ~ J. C. Ryle
“We are 100 percent responsible for the pursuit of holiness, but at the same time we are 100 percent dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us in that pursuit. The pursuit of holiness is not a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps approach to the Christian life.” ~ Jerry Bridges
“The pursuit of holiness is always on the path of obedience to the Word, never apart from it.” ~ Steven J Lawson
“We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable… Holy is the way God is. To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard.” ~ Aiden Wilson Tozer
“Happiness comes from holiness. You can’t truly be happy unless you’re hungry for Jesus Christ.” ~ David Jeremiah
“Holiness is nothing else but the habitual and predominant devotion and dedication of soul, and body, and life, and all that we have to God; and esteeming, and loving, and serving, and seeking Him, before all the pleasures and prosperity of the flesh.” ~ Richard Baxter
“Without holiness on earth we shall never be prepared to enjoy heaven. Heaven is a holy place. The Lord of heaven is a holy Being. The angels are holy creatures. Holiness is written on everything in heaven… How shall we ever be at home and happy in heaven if we die unholy?” ~ J. C. Ryle
“Only those who walk in holiness experience true joy.” ~ Jerry Bridges
1 TOP 25 HOLINESS QUOTES (of 676) | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
2 Jerry Bridges Quotes about Holiness – Lib Quotes
3 TOP 25 HOLINESS QUOTES (of 676) | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
4 All of the following quotes are from the website below:
God wants us to confess our sin, not because he needs it to discover our sin, but because the holes in our holiness indicate the dimensions of grace that will be needed to fill them.