Holiness is being set apart for and because of God. But you can’t just sit around and wait for holiness to catch you. Holiness is something you have to pursue, to chase, to go after. While it is something you certainly cannot achieve without God, there is some work you’re expected to put into it. When you believe in Jesus, God isn’t going to take away your will to make you holy. God gave you a will so you could participate in becoming holy! Your will is meant to be holy, too!
But being holy isn’t acting a certain way as if simply the doing of a thing makes you holy. Holiness is following Jesus Christ! Holiness isn’t just what you do, it’s why and how you’re doing those things. Holiness is about your attitude. If you are doing things just to appear or feel holy and not because they are right and because you’ve been called to do them, then you’re not pursuing holiness.
Being holy isn’t just about avoiding drugs, alcohol, and coarse language either. Yes, those are good things to avoid and are among things that naturally occur as you grow in Christ, but if you are truly pursuing holiness, everything about your life will change, not just generalized behaviors. Holiness changes the way you handle difficulty. Holiness change the way you handle situations that come your way, be they good or bad. Holiness changes the entire way you go about interacting with others and living life.
Just like you won’t get fit by skipping exercise, you won’t be holy if you don’t put in the effort to do what God has called you to do. (See also 1 Peter 1:15-16.)
Related:
Set Apart and Different
Requirements of Others and of Ourselves
Holiness and Happiness
Being Happy, Being Holy
All of the Holy Spirit, All of Me
Clean or Dirty, All or Nothing
Benefit and Consistent Work
The Process of Sanctification