The believer has an obligation to put off the sinful nature and to put on the new self, created in Christ. If we wait for God to put off the sinful nature, then we do not have any responsibility toward holiness. Christ has armed us with full power to overcome every obstacle, every trial, every tribulation, and every difficulty.

Rom 8:12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. (NIV)

In the book of Exodus we see the word holy for the first time in Chapter 3:5. Here in this particular verse God makes a distinction between himself and Moses, by telling Moses to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. The shoes that Moses wore were man made, by this we see that anything that is man made cannot stand before the presence of God. We must be recreated in his likeness in order to stand in his glory.

Holiness is a by-product of being with God. We see the word holiness for the first time in the book of Exodus Chapter 15:11, and this reference has the word fear associated with it.

Exod 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (KJV)

THE HEBREW WORD FOR HOLINESS
6944 qodesh (ko'-desh);
from 6942; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity:
KJV-- consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.

THE HEBREW WORD FOR FEAR
3372 yare' (yaw-ray');
a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten:
KJV-- affright, be (make) afraid, dread (-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

If God has called us to be like Him, then it's up to God to make us like Him. In our position we are perfect, blameless, faultless before God, because he has redeemed us with the blood of Jesus from all unrighteousness. But in our practical walk we must take full responsibility for our actions. The very reason God called us onto himself is to be holy just like he is Holy.

1Thes 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. (KJV)

THE GREEK WORD FOR HOLINESS
38 hagiasmos (hag-ee-as-mos');
from 37; properly, purification, i.e. (the state) purity; concretely (by Hebraism) a purifier:
KJV-- holiness, sanctification.
40 hagios (hag'-ee-os);
from hagos (an awful thing) [compare 53, 2282]; sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):
KJV-- (most) holy (one, thing), saint.

The Lord instructs us to give glory to his name, and bring an offering before him, as we worship him in the beauty of holiness. Only those who are redeemed can come before him and worship him in the beauty of holiness.

THE HEBREW WORD FOR BEAUTY
1927 hadarah (had-aw-raw');
feminine of 1926; decoration:
KJV-- beauty, honour.
1926 hadar (haw-dawr');
from 1921; magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor: -beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty.

PRAISING THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS
In the book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 20:21, we have the incident of an army coming against King Jehoshaphat and his people. After he was told about this vast army that was approaching him, he gathered everyone together and he proclaim a fast, and inquired of the Lord. The Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel and he prophesied to the King and the people that they should not be afraid of the enemy because God was going to fight their battle. The Lord told Jehoshaphat to March against the enemy, so Jehoshaphat appointed the singers to sing and to praise the splendor of God's holiness.
2 Chr 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. (KJV)

MARY PRAISES GOD
Praise opens our hearts so that we can see the holiness of God. It was this very thing that Mary did in the New Testament. Luke 1:46-49 "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name". (KJV)

Here in this verse of Scripture, we see that Mary becomes so flooded with the goodness of God that she sees the holiness of God in his name. It's by the name of Jesus that we are set apart unto holiness and service. So we see that praise is a channel that opens our hearts to see God's holiness, as we magnify God in our soul, he enlightens our spirit with his holiness.

KING HEZEKIAH BRINGS REVIVAL
In the year that Hezekiah became King, he reopened the doors of the house of God, and began to clean the temple from all defilement, unfortunately there were many who did not sanctify themselves. Hezekiah gathered the priests and the Levites together into the east street. Look at what King Hezekiah said to the Levites In 2 Chr 29:5, "And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." The east always represents in Scripture, revival, because the sun always rises in the east. The Levites and the priests consecrated themselves before serving in the temple. They had to kill the Passover lamb, and then bring the burnt offering into the house of the Lord. The priest then took the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkle the people who were unclean so that they too could be sanctified according to the law of the Lord. (2 Chr 30:16-17) And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. We also must cleanse ourselves from all defilement before we can enter the service of God, we too must carry forth everything that defiles our lives and submit totally to the Spirit of God. The results was tremendous, everyone from the Levites to the priests and even the whole congregation consecrated themselves unto the Lord for holiness.

2 Chr 31:17-18
Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses; 18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:

WORSHIPPING IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS
Ps 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

One of the beautiful things that set us apart from every other religion is our worship. All other religions worship, but there's nothing more extravagant then worshipping the true and living God. God clothed us with his righteousness so that we could be clean before him. The angels worship God constantly without ceasing, one of the things that they say in heaven about God is that he is (Holy), and it's on the basis of his holiness that they worshipping him. To worship God in the splendor or the beauty of holiness is to give God the magnificence, honor, glory, excellence, and the eminence of our worship. Who may dwell in God's holy hill? Only those who have clean hands and a pure heart. We see God's standard of holiness in his word, in order to perfect holiness we must know God is in his word.

PAUL ADMONISHES THE BELIEVER TO PUT OFF THE SINFUL NATURE
Paul tells us in the third chapter of Colossians to put off certain things that belong to the flesh. One of the key words in this particular passage is, (put to death), this is a specific challenge to us to get rid of that which hinders our spiritual walk. Paul urges the Christian to die to these things.

Col 3:5-10 Therefore put to death your members, which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one to another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, (NKJ)

JOHN ADMONISHES US NOT TO LOVE THE WORLD
All who claim to walk in the faith of the Son of God must turn their back to the world. The enemy will tempt us with the things of the world because he is of the world. All that pertains to the carnal man, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; if not kept under the blood of Christ will cause us to fall. The devil will claim everything that is not under the control of the Spirit of God. Satan tempted the Lord Jesus Christ in these very areas, but Jesus defeated the enemy by the word of God that was hidden in his heart.

1 Jn 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world-- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-- is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (NKJ)

JESUS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL
One of the most dynamic fights ever presented in the Bible is in the gospel of Matthew. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ being led by the Spirit of God into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The Son of God was tested in every area of life, in order that he would be able to identify with us and with our weakness. This is why the book of Hebrews tells us that we have a high priest who could identify with our weakness, because he himself was tempted in every way yet without sin. The reason that Jesus defeated and conquered the enemy was because he was dead to the pleasure of this world and to himself.

Matt 4:1-11
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

We should never attempt to go and do battle with the enemy without the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you're not led, then the light is red. All who engage in warfare must have a command from the general. The Spirit of God leads us because we are the children of God.

THE LUST OF THE FLESH
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

The enemy will not attack you when you're on your guard and at your best, but he waits for an opportunity when you're at your weakest point to strike at you with his poisonous venom.

3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

The devil will always try to challenge your authority as a child of God just as he tempted Eve in the garden by saying, "Did God really say?" The right that we have as children of God is based on the fact that we believed and received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. There is no question when it comes to the blood.

4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
Here Christ gives us the complete solution on how to dispatch all darkness and wickedness, and that is the word of God. Christ defeated the devil by saying it is written; Christ would rather break the devil, then to break the law of the Father.

5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone." 7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

When the enemy fails at one point he will try again at another point. With each temptation we become stronger and more durable. With every difficulty that bends us and molds us we become refined until the image of Christ is complete in us. This is the Father's good pleasure that we become like his Son.

THE LUST OF THE EYE
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

Satan will stop at nothing to get your soul, his tactics never change, and they are the same temptations that he used with Eve. They, who are not under the dominion of the Holy Spirit, are subject to the evil spirits that lurk around in the world. If Satan cannot win you over by thought, he will try to gain control over you by tempting you with the material things of this world. Distraction is one of his tools. We must focus our thoughts and our eyes on Jesus.

THE PRIDE OF LIVE
9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."
10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Here is the final and most important aspect of the Christian life, and that is worship. Satan from the beginning has been trying to get people to worship him. He knows what happens to a person when they worship God, they become like God.

In the book of psalms 115 we have comparison between the real God and fake idols.

Ps 115:1-18
1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth.
2 Why should the Gentiles say, "So where is their God?"
3 But our God is in heaven; he does whatever He pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see;
6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell;
7 They have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat.
8 Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.
9 O Israel, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield.
12 The LORD has been mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great.
14 May the LORD give you increase more and more, you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S; but the earth He has given to the children of men.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
(NKJ)

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE PERTAINING TO THE HOLINESS OF GOD
Ps 30:4
Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. (KJV)

Ps 47:8
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. (KJV)

Ps 48:1
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. (KJV)

Ps 60:6
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. (KJV)

Ps 89:35
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (KJV)

Ps 93:5
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever. (KJV)

Ps 96:9
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. (KJV)

Ps 97:12
Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. (KJV)

Ps 108:7
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. (KJV)

Ps 110:3
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. (KJV)