For far too many individuals, the concept of holiness is equated with sanctimonious legalism. This is a dangerous distortion.

If the attainment of holiness were predicated solely upon a person's ability to perfectly adhere to every moral law, maintain impeccable behavior, and never falter in faith, then the words of the Apostle Paul, who declared that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), would render the prerequisite impossible for every human being.

The human condition is inherently flawed; the struggle against temptation and the reality of imperfection are universal experiences. No one, regardless of how dedicated they are to their faith, can reasonably claim to have attained a spotless, self-generated perfection.

This faulty understanding leads to a cycle of guilt, striving, and spiritual exhaustion. When a person believes their ability to “see God”—to experience His presence, favor, and eternal life—rests entirely on their personal achievement of an impossibly high moral standard, they inevitably live in a state of perpetual anxiety.

They mistakenly believe that God’s acceptance is conditional upon their performance, rather than an unmerited gift received through faith. This perspective completely sidelines the foundational work of Christ and shifts the focus from the finished work on the cross back onto the individual’s own fragile will and effort.

The great message of the New Testament is that the barrier between humanity and God has been torn down, not by human effort, but by the ultimate sacrifice.

Therefore, the holiness spoken of in Hebrews 12:14 must be understood not as something we successfully manufacture, but as something we humbly receive and actively live out in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The truth is that the necessary holiness is both a position and a process.

Firstly

Positional holiness: is a gift from God. This holiness is God’s declaration over the believer who has placed their faith in Christ Jesus. Because of what Jesus accomplished, His righteousness is imputed, or credited, to the believer.

When God looks upon the believer, He sees the perfect, complete holiness of Christ.

This is the only basis upon which any human can stand in God’s presence, the only way a person can be declared holy enough to enter into the divine relationship. It is the necessary starting point, received by grace through faith. It is not earned; it is received. Without this foundational, positional holiness—this divine standing—no person has access to the presence of God.

Secondly

Practical holiness: is the lifelong process of sanctification. Having been declared holy, the believer is then called to live a life that reflects that new identity.

This is where the work comes in, but it is a work fueled by grace, not a struggle to earn it. The pursuit of holiness is simply cooperating with the Holy Spirit to allow the nature of Christ to be manifested in one’s daily living.

It is the active purging of those attitudes and actions that are inconsistent with the new self. This pursuit is not a condition for receiving salvation, but an inevitable consequence of it. It is how a life that has seen God, through the eyes of faith, begins to look.

The pursuit of practical holiness is evidence of the positional holiness that has already been granted.

The structure of Hebrews 12:14 is crucial, as it intentionally links the two concepts: "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness..."

The author of Hebrews places the pursuit of peace first, not as a secondary concern, but as an integral and indispensable component of the required holiness. It is here that the popular misinterpretation of the verse truly unravels.

Many assume the text emphasizes private piety, but the author begins with public conduct—specifically, how one interacts with others. The pursuit of peace is not merely the passive avoidance of conflict; it is an active, diligent effort to restore, maintain, and promote right relationships.

The Bible is clear that a person cannot claim to love God, whom he has not seen, if he does not love his brother, whom he has seen:

Relational brokenness acts as a spiritual obstruction. Bitterness, unforgiveness, malice, and resentment create a heavy veil over the spiritual vision. A heart choked by hostility toward others is a heart that is not fully open to the love and presence of God.

The holiness without which no one will see God is, therefore, a holiness defined by righteous relationship. It is the positional righteousness of Christ (faith) evidenced by the practical righteousness of love (action), particularly in the context of human reconciliation.

A life characterized by unforgiveness, division, and an unwillingness to seek harmony is a life that fails to embody the very nature of the God who reconciled the world to Himself.

The pursuit of peace is the tangible evidence that the internal, transformative work of positional holiness has actually taken root. One’s spiritual vision is inextricably linked to one’s relational conduct. In other words, if the is no peace in you it is a sign that you have not yet fully transformed your heart to love and have peace—you still need to go through the transformative work of the positional holiness...!

The pursuit of harmony with others is not an optional extra; it is the practical manifestation of the very holiness required to stand before a God who is Himself the ultimate Peacemaker.

...And that may sound hard for many people to swallow, but nonetheless, it is the will of God and requires obedience....

The ultimate promise contained within this passage is that we "will see the Lord." This does not only refer to a future, eschatological moment of meeting Christ face-to-face in the clouds. It also speaks of a present spiritual reality: an intimate, experiential knowledge of God.

The pure in heart are blessed, for they shall see God, hallelujah! (Matthew 5:8).

The purity mentioned there is not external perfection but singleness of devotion, a heart free from the toxic entanglement of sin, especially the sins that sever the ties of peace and love. The call in Hebrews is an invitation to a transformed perspective. It is an exhortation to lay aside the entangling sin and run the race with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus:

The specific sin the author is addressing is often the sin of drifting away from the core truth of the gospel, slipping back into self-reliance and legalism, which always leads to division and relational strife!

The resulting life of holiness, the one required to see God, is one of total trust in the finished work of Christ—the source of positional holiness—manifested through relentless acts of love and reconciliation—the evidence of practical holiness.

Therefore, the essential element is a holiness rooted in faith and expressed through peace.

Without the foundational gift of Christ's perfect righteousness, no one is positioned to see God!

...And without the active, demonstrable pursuit of peace with all people, no one can claim that positional holiness has genuinely transformed their character—the two are inseparable!

To insist on holding onto bitterness or refusing reconciliation is to willingly blur one's spiritual vision. The only way to clarity, the only way to the presence of the Lord, is through the life of peace that validates the gift of purity.

That single verse from the book of Hebrews packs one serious punch, does it not? For centuries, this simple but profound statement has been a guiding light—and sometimes a heavy burden—for believers everywhere...

...It lays out what feels like a non-negotiable entry requirement to the divine presence. It gives us two things to chase after: actively seeking peace with everyone, and the absolute necessity of holiness.

Now, if you are like most Christians, your eyes likely zero right in on that second word: holiness.

When we hear it, our brains immediately start scrambling to create a massive, overwhelming checklist (haahah). We think of flawless behavior, strict self-discipline, never making a mistake, and basically living a life so perfectly scrubbed that we barely look human anymore!

We imagine that the only way to "see God" is by achieving an immaculate spiritual report card through our own strenuous efforts. It becomes all about performance, right?

But here is the exciting part, the part where we get to pause and take a deep breath: this common understanding is often incomplete, and honestly, it misses the mark on the true, radical beauty of the New Covenant. If seeing God truly depended on our ability to pull off perfect moral adherence, then we would all be out of luck, every single one of us.

The biblical record is pretty clear on the universal human tendency to stumble. When we zoom out and look at the entire context of Hebrews, and the beautiful, overwhelming story of God's grace, we uncover a truth about this prerequisite that is far more freeing, yet simultaneously demands more from our hearts than just rigid rule-keeping.

The essential element is indeed holiness, but it is not the kind you can manufacture on your own. It is a fundamental matter of internal change and relational honesty that actually unlocks our ability to perceive God.

Grasping this distinction is key to moving our faith journey away from fearful compliance and into a genuine, vibrant relationship with the Living God, glory be to God!

So, where does this leave us with the powerful, challenging mandate of Hebrews 12:14?

We have clearly seen that the holiness without which no one will see God is not some unreachable mountain of moral perfection built brick by brick through our own willpower. That path only leads to exhaustion, judgment, and spiritual disappointment.

Instead, the required holiness is a beautiful, two-part reality that flows directly from the heart of the Gospel; it starts with positional holiness, which is the glorious, unearned gift we receive the moment we put our faith in Christ—His perfect righteousness covering us completely. This is the only way we are truly qualified to stand in God's presence, hallelujah!

We are declared holy, not because we are good, but because He is Holy and Good!...

The second part, however, is where the rubber meets the road: practical holiness. This is the lifelong journey of sanctification, the process of allowing that divine gift to transform how we actually live, act, and, most importantly, relate to others.

The author of Hebrews was absolutely brilliant in placing the pursuit of peace with all people right beside the pursuit of holiness. This is the practical, tangible proof that the internal transformation is real. Bitterness, unresolved conflict, holding onto unforgiveness—these are the heavy spiritual blinders that keep us from truly "seeing the Lord" in our daily lives.

Furthermore, they cloud our vision and choke the flow of His love and presence!

Ultimately, the holiness required to see God is a holiness rooted in trusting faith and demonstrated through relentless love and peace. Without the foundational grace of Christ's righteousness, we have no position with God.

And without the active, demonstrable commitment to reconciliation and peace with our neighbors and family, we have no genuine evidence that Christ's transforming holiness has taken root in our hearts. The two are inseparable partners in the Christian life.

To choose to cling to resentment or division is to willingly choose spiritual short-sightedness.

The only way forward, the only way to a clear vision of the Lord, is to embrace the life of peace that serves as the beautiful, unmistakable signature of genuine purity. It is a challenging path, yes, but it is the path that leads directly into the light of His presence, here and forever.

Let us not be weary or tired or faint He loves, will never forsake and He is coming for us as we continue to obey and practice His Word; Let us be holy and righteous because, behold, He is already standing at the door ready to take us home in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen!