Called to Be Holy: Living Set Apart in an Unholy World

In a world that constantly tells us to please ourselves, follow our passions, and chase what feels good, God calls His people to something radically different, holiness. It's not just about doing the right thing. It's about being set apart. Holy living is more than a concept or a code; like the Code of the West that guides a cowboy’s every move, holiness is a calling on every believer’s life that shapes how we live, act, and stand in the world.

The apostle Paul puts it plainly in 1 Thessalonians: “We instructed you how to live in order to please God.” Then he adds, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.” That word, sanctified, means to be made holy. In other words, holiness isn’t optional. It's not just for pastors or spiritual elites. It's God’s will for every single one of us.

So what is holiness, really? It's not about being perfect. It’s not about pretending we have it all together. Holiness means being set apart, allowing God to shape us, change us, and mark our lives with His presence. It’s about living differently because we belong to Him.

Too often, we think of holiness as a list of dos and don'ts. But true holiness starts in the heart. The Psalmist prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” That’s the heart of holiness: not outward behavior modification, but inward transformation. When God cleanses and renews our hearts, it changes how we live.

Imagine filtering every part of your life through this one question: “Does this please God?” How we speak, how we spend, how we love, how we rest, it all matters. Not because God is keeping score, but because He knows what brings life.

Holiness isn't about impressing God. It's about walking closely with Him. Holiness touches every area of life. Paul specifically calls believers to avoid sexual immorality. In a hyper-sexualized culture, that command feels more countercultural than ever. But it’s not about shame or repression. It’s about honoring God with our bodies and treating others with dignity and respect. Sexual purity matters because our bodies matter. They are temples of the Holy Spirit. Within the bounds of marriage, sexuality is a beautiful gift. Outside of God’s design, it can bring hurt and harm.

But holiness goes far beyond sexuality. It shapes how we treat people, how we use our time and money, how we respond to pressure and temptation. Holiness means asking, in every moment, “Is this honoring to God?” It’s a whole-life response to a holy God.

Living this way isn't easy. It means swimming against the current. The world may not understand or appreciate our choices. But we’re not living for cultural approval, we’re living to please the One who created us, loves us, and calls us His own.

The good news is that God doesn’t just call us to holiness, He equips us for it. Paul reminds us that God gives us His Holy Spirit to empower us to live the life He calls us to.

So where do we start? With a prayer: “Lord, make me holy. Shape me. Cleanse me. Lead me.” I don’t have it all together; some days feel far from holy. But daily Bible reading and prayer help keep me connected to God’s grace and strength. Holiness is a daily choice to surrender and keep walking with Him. We stumble, but He gently transforms us, step by step.

At the end of the day, we all have a choice. Will we blend in with the world around us, or will we embrace the call to be holy, to live set apart for the One who made us? Holiness may not always be easy, but it leads to the kind of life this world can’t offer: full of peace, purpose, and joy.

As Paul writes, "God has not called us to impurity but to live a holy life." Let’s have the courage to answer that call, one step at a time.