The letter to the Hebrews remembers to us that holiness is a spiritual gift according to the new testament: "He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:14. That is holiness is a perfection of the Holy Spirit. Something is perfect when it cannot be improved or overcome like mercy or piety. Holiness is the fullness of wisdom among men, god is wise.
But the holiness of which the letter to the Hebrews speaks is something new. The letter the Hebrews tells us about the difference between the old covenant that comes from the law of Moses and the new covenant that comes from the sermon on the mount, the beatitudes.
Moses' Law does not produce holiness as a result or as a fruit: "For the law made nothing perfect, and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God" Hebrews 7:19 , also: "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming - not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship." Hebrews 10:14.
Holiness is the concretion of the fruits of the spirit in our life, that is, of the ultimate goals of spiritual life: "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law", Galatians 5:22-23.
The moses law is impossible to be fulfilled in its entirety, there are situations in which these imperatives cannot be fulfilled, just as there are situations in which one virtue opposes another. For this reason the path to holiness and the kingdom of God is a life of righteousness (the golden rule, Matthew 7:12: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"). The spiritual gift of righteousness is lived because we grow, we all have a ranking of righteousness (the spiritual gifts are progressive). An example of righteousness is the good samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), like him we are all called to holiness. Holiness is one of the greatest gifts: "But eagerly desire the greater gifts" 1 Corinthians 12:31.
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