How We Can Attain a Holy Life (Rewritten)

In our previous post, we explored an important idea: the deepest and most meaningful expressions of spiritual life — those moments when the barriers between God and the human soul seem to fall away — are inseparably linked to holiness of heart. If that’s true, then the next natural question is an urgent one: How do we actually become holy?

How do we move from weak faith to confident faith, from inconsistent love to a love that is whole and mature? How do we experience what Scripture often calls entire sanctification?

In response, we suggest that three essential elements are involved—always in partnership with the work of the Holy Spirit. Without these, holiness will remain more of a theory than a lived reality.

1. We Must Believe That Holiness Is Possible Now

The first and most foundational step is this: we must genuinely believe that holiness is attainable in this life — not just at the moment of death, but here and now.

This isn’t merely a theological issue; it’s deeply connected to how the human mind works.

First, people do not feel morally obligated to do what they believe is impossible. If we accept the common idea that no one can truly be sanctified until death, then holiness becomes, in practice, unreachable. Even if people can’t explain why it’s impossible, they assume there must be some insurmountable obstacle in the way.

And the result? The sense of obligation to be holy becomes weak. It doesn’t press on the conscience. It doesn’t stir the heart. It doesn’t demand action. And according to basic principles of human psychology, it can’t — not as long as people believe holiness is out of reach.

Yet real holiness will never take root in us unless we feel deeply obligated to pursue it.

There’s a second principle at work here as well: no one can firmly decide to do something they believe cannot be done. You might wish for it, hope for it, or talk about it—but you won’t commit yourself to it.

If I believe flying is impossible, I can’t truly decide to fly. In the same way, if I believe holiness is unattainable, I cannot form a settled, unshakable determination to live a holy life. I may decide to improve, to grow, or to do better—but I cannot fully resolve to be holy.

That kind of determination requires belief.

So if both our sense of obligation and our ability to commit depend on believing holiness is possible, then the first great step toward a holy life is clear: we must be fully convinced that God calls us to holiness now — and that He has made it attainable.

For many people, the belief that holiness is impossible weighs on the soul like a heavy chain. It crushes hope. It drains motivation. Over time, effort fades because defeat feels inevitable.

So the invitation is simple and direct: go to Scripture with an open heart. Go humbly. Go prayerfully. Ask whether God truly calls His people to be wholly His — and whether, through Christ, He has already provided everything needed for that life.

2. We Must Fully Consecrate Ourselves to God

The second essential step is an act of full, personal consecration to God.

This is often confused with sanctification itself, but the two are not the same. Consecration is not the final result — it’s the decisive commitment that makes the result possible.

Consecration is a clear, settled decision: a deliberate, lifelong resolve — made with God’s help — to belong entirely to Him. It means choosing to turn away from every known sin and to walk, as faithfully as we can, in obedience to God.

This is not something God asks of unconverted people whose wills are spiritually dead. It is something He rightly asks of believers — people whose hearts have already been awakened by grace and who are capable of responding.

And this kind of consecration is necessary for at least two reasons.

First, without it, real faith is impossible.
Many Christians speak honestly about struggling with faith. But often the root issue is not intellectual doubt — it’s divided loyalty. When we knowingly cling to sin, we cannot fully trust God as a loving Father. Our own conscience stands in the way.

Jesus Himself pointed this out: “How can you believe when you seek honor from one another and not the honor that comes from God alone?” Faith flourishes only where the heart is surrendered.

The same principle applies in everyday life. We cannot expect warmth and trust from someone we have knowingly wronged. And God is no exception to this moral reality.

Scripture captures this simply: “If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.”

Second, consecration is necessary because God does not promise sanctification to spiritual passivity.
God respects our moral agency. He has given us conscience, judgment, and will — and through new life in Christ, access to His strength. Because of this, He calls us to actively surrender ourselves to Him.

And when we do — when we give ourselves fully and sincerely, relying on His grace — that is the moment God meets us. Consecration and divine assistance go hand in hand.

“Come out from among them and be separate,” the Lord says, “and I will receive you… and I will be your Father.”

3. We Must Trust God to Do What He Promised

The third step is often the hardest: believing that God is faithful — and that He accepts us now.

Once we believe holiness is possible and have fully consecrated ourselves, we must then trust God to do His part. That means letting go of self-reliance and resting completely in His promises.

For some, this step is surprisingly easy. For others, it’s a struggle shaped by years of doubt and fear. Old habits of unbelief cling stubbornly to the heart.

Yet this moment — this act of trust — is the turning point. It is where consecration becomes sanctification.

When we abandon every known sin and place ourselves, without reservation, into God’s hands — trusting Him to guide, empower, and keep us — we enter the position where His grace can fully work. At that point, holiness is not earned; it is received.

Ironically, many stumble here because the way is so simple. Surely something this profound must be more complicated? Surely there must be something impressive we must do?

But there isn’t.

The final step is simply believing.

Blessed, indeed, are those who believe.

Perseverance Matters

Finally, this path must be followed with perseverance. Holiness is not for the half‑hearted. Anyone who begins while secretly planning to turn back will find the journey impossible.

What is needed is a steady resolve — a commitment that does not retreat in the face of difficulty. With God’s help, such perseverance will lead us into the narrow but life‑giving way of holiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is a revision of Part 1, Chapter 3 of Thomas C. Upham's book The Interior or Hiddedn Life (2nd edition 1844), written with the assistance of Microslop CoPilot. The original chapter can be found here: Directions to aid in the attainment of Holiness.