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The Pursuit of Holiness

By James Austin on February 12, 2026 in Theology

Having completed The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, the book presents biblically grounded principles showing that Christians pursue holiness only because they are already united to Christ and strengthened by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Bridges makes clear that God does not command holiness and then abandon His people to self-effort; rather, Christ shares His resurrected life with believers, and the Spirit abides in them, granting power, guidance, and rightly ordered desires for obedience. Because of this union, Christians are called to fight sin and practice obedience—not to earn salvation, but because they have been transferred into a new kingdom and now live under Christ’s lordship. Holiness, then, is a life of humble dependence upon God’s active grace: trusting Christ, submitting to the Spirit, and choosing obedience even when it is costly. Bridges teaches that growth in holiness requires real effort, but it is achieved through continual dependence on the Spirit and through conscious, persistent personal obedience rather than self-confidence.

Introduction

The Pursuit of Holiness is written under the weight of a simple reality: God is holy, and those who belong to Him do not remain unchanged. Jerry Bridges begins with God Himself—His holiness, His rule, His claim upon His people—and places the reader beneath that claim. Holiness is not presented as a special calling for the few, but as the proper life of those who have been brought into Christ’s kingdom. The book moves steadily from who God is to what life before Him must become, keeping grace primary and obedience necessary, never allowing one to be set against the other.

As the book progresses, attention turns to the long obedience of ordinary days: resisting sin, cultivating discipline, and continuing in faith when progress is slow and costly. Bridges writes with clear-eyed realism about the struggle, yet without despair, insisting that effort belongs to the Christian life precisely because the Spirit is present and active. Holiness is shown as a walk of repentance, dependence, and persistent obedience in a world that remains resistant to God.

Review

In The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges sets in place a steady and clear appeal that holiness is neither optional for the believer nor achievable by unaided human effort. The book moves in clear sequence, first setting God’s holiness before the reader, then pressing the believer toward obedience: God is holy, and those who belong to Him are called to reflect His character through obedient lives empowered by the Holy Spirit. Bridges does not treat holiness as advanced spirituality for the mature few. He grounds it in the plain command of Scripture: “Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The call is universal, binding, and rooted in the character of God Himself.

The Holiness of God as Foundation

Drawing attention to passages such as Isaiah 6:1–5, where the prophet is undone before the overwhelmingly holy Lord, Bridges establishes that holiness is first an attribute of God before it is a requirement for man. The summons of 1 Peter 1:15–16—“Be holy, for I am holy,” echoing Leviticus 11:44—links the believer’s conduct directly to the moral purity of God. Holiness is not cultural separation nor religious severity. It is moral likeness to God’s character. Because God is holy in all His works, those who bear His name must not treat sin lightly.

Bridges emphasizes that this foundation protects holiness from distortion. If holiness begins with human resolve, it becomes legalism. If it is detached from God’s character, it becomes vague spirituality. It must be anchored in who God is.

Holiness Is Not Optional

From that foundation, Bridges confronts the modern tendency to treat holiness as secondary. He points again to Hebrews 12:14 and to 2 Corinthians 7:1, which calls believers to “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Holiness is commanded. It is not an enhancement to the Christian life but its necessary fruit.

At the same time, Bridges is careful to root obedience in grace. The command to pursue holiness is addressed to those already redeemed. He consistently resists any suggestion that effort earns acceptance. The order remains clear: justification first, then sanctification.

The Holiness of Christ

Bridges moves from the holiness of God to the holiness of Christ. The believer’s pattern is not abstract morality but the incarnate Son. Christ’s perfect obedience provides both the ground of acceptance and the example to follow. Yet Bridges’ argument does not rest in imitation alone. He turns decisively to union with Christ and the believer’s new position.

Romans 6:6–14 forms a structural center. Believers have died with Christ; they have been raised with Him; sin is no longer their master. The imperative to “consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11) rests on an accomplished reality. Colossians 1:13 speaks of transfer into “the kingdom of His beloved Son.” The Christian life begins with a change of dominion. Holiness flows from this transfer. The believer does not fight for entry into the kingdom but because he already belongs to it.

The Battle for Holiness

With identity established, Bridges addresses the daily conflict. Galatians 5:17 describes the flesh and the Spirit set against one another. 1 Peter 2:11 warns that sinful desires wage war against the soul. Holiness, therefore, is not passive. It requires vigilance.

Bridges distinguishes between seeking “victory” as an emotional experience and practicing obedience as a deliberate choice. He emphasizes that Scripture calls believers to obedience, not to a constant feeling of triumph. This correction guards against discouragement. The measure is not intensity but faithfulness.

Romans 8:13 states plainly: “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Colossians 3:5 commands, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.” Mortification is active. The language of warfare is explicit. Sin is not tolerated.

Help in the Daily Battle

Though the struggle is real, Bridges repeatedly anchors effort in dependence. Galatians 5:16—“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh”—links obedience to the Spirit’s enabling power. Romans 8 does not merely command resistance; it promises the Spirit’s presence.

John 15:4–5 provides the pattern of abiding. Without Christ, nothing can be accomplished; in Him, fruit is borne. This balance prevents holiness from becoming self-reliance. The Spirit is not an optional assistant but the agent of transformation.

Personal Discipline and Habit

Bridges then offers the principle of structured effort. 1 Timothy 4:7 calls believers to discipline themselves for godliness. Hebrews 12:10–11 shows that discipline yields “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Holiness grows where deliberate practices replace negligence.

He addresses practical areas: bodily purity (1 Corinthians 6:18–20), renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1–2), guarding desire (James 1:14–15). Habits either reinforce sin or cultivate obedience. The Christian must make conscious choices concerning environment, thoughts, speech, and conduct.

Philippians 2:12–13 offers the balance: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.” Effort is required because God is at work. Divine operation does not cancel human responsibility; it grounds it.

Holiness in Body and Spirit

Bridges expands holiness beyond visible conduct. 2 Corinthians 7:1 speaks of cleansing “body and spirit.” External morality without inward transformation is insufficient. The will, the desires, the inner disposition must align with God.

Yet the body is not neglected. Scripture links sanctification to concrete behavior: fleeing immorality (2 Timothy 2:22), controlling the tongue (James 3), resisting conformity to the world (Romans 12:2). Holiness encompasses thought, motive, and action.

Faith in the Pursuit of Holiness

Toward the latter chapters, Bridges makes explicit that faith remains central. Holiness does not advance through anxiety but through trust in God’s promises. Romans 14:23 warns that whatever is not from faith is sin. The pursuit of obedience is sustained through confidence in God’s character and promises.

Dependence on the Spirit is not vague feeling but active reliance upon what God has said. Scripture, prayer, and obedience function together. The believer trusts, acts, repents, and continues.

Holiness in an Unholy World

Bridges acknowledges external resistance. Romans 12:2 commands nonconformity to the world. 1 John 2:15–17 warns against love for the world’s desires. The Christian remains situated within society but lives according to different priorities. Holiness creates distinction without withdrawal.

The world’s standards shift; God’s character does not. Persistent obedience in such a context requires conviction grounded in revelation.

The Joy of Holiness

The book does not conclude in strain. Psalm 16:11 speaks of fullness of joy in God’s presence. Hebrews 12:11 promises peaceable fruit following discipline. Bridges argues that obedience yields stability and peace. Joy is not emotional excess but settled alignment with God’s will.

Holiness leads not to deprivation but to freedom. Sin enslaves; obedience liberates. Romans 6 presents this contrast clearly: slavery to sin results in death; slavery to righteousness leads to sanctification and life.

Balance and Endurance

Throughout the book, Bridges maintains several essential tensions:

Holiness is commanded (Hebrews 12:14) yet enabled by the Spirit (Romans 8:13).
Effort is required (1 Timothy 4:7) yet grounded in God’s prior work (Philippians 2:13).
The believer has died to sin (Romans 6:6) yet must still put sin to death (Colossians 3:5).
The Christian lives in the world yet must resist conformity (Romans 12:2).

These tensions are not resolved by dissolving one side. They are held together under the authority of Scripture. So The Pursuit of Holiness endures because it refuses two errors: passivity that hides behind grace, and legalism that trusts discipline. Its thesis remains clear: growth in holiness requires real effort, but only as it is carried out in continual dependence on the Spirit through conscious and persistent personal obedience rather than self-confidence.

The book presents a clear and orderly treatment of biblical sanctification, grounded in Scripture throughout. It begins with the holiness of God, then moves to the believer’s union with Christ and the new life that follows. From there, it addresses the continuing struggle with sin and the need for disciplined obedience carried out in dependence on the Spirit. It concludes by showing that a life aligned with God’s will leads not to strain, but to steady and lasting joy.

Conclusion

Throughout the book, Bridges returns again and again to the necessity of abiding in Scripture. Holiness is not sustained by impulse or resolve alone, but by a mind continually renewed according to the Word (Romans 12:2). The Scriptures expose what lies hidden in the heart (Hebrews 4:12), preserve the way from corruption (Psalm 119:9–11), and supply promises sufficient for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3–4). They are not treated as occasional counsel, but as daily bread. In this light, the pursuit of holiness stands upon God’s ongoing work: He has united His people to Christ (Romans 6:4–11), given them His Spirit (Romans 8:9–13), and set His Word before them as light for the path. What follows is obedience formed under that light—steady, deliberate, and dependent upon the One who first acted.

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Consider the Lilies

By James Austin on November 7, 2025 in Theology

Reading “Consider the Lilies” from beginning to end, the reader quickly senses that it is meant to be more than a book about anxiety—it is an invitation to reorient the heart toward Christ. Ardavanis writes not merely to inform the mind, but to shepherd the soul into quiet confidence in the One who holds all things together. Each page draws the reader from reflection to worship, teaching that true peace is found not by mastering fear but by fixing one’s gaze on the sufficiency of God. This is not a book to rush through; it is meant to be dwelt in, allowing its truths to shape prayer, thought, and perspective until trust in God becomes the reader’s natural posture before every care.

Book Review

What lingers most is the book’s call to keep one’s gaze fixed on Christ through every uncertainty, hardship, anxiety, and care that marks our pilgrimage. Ardavanis shows that peace is not achieved by escaping the world’s pressure but by abiding in the presence of the One who has overcome it. When the believer turns attention from the turmoil of circumstance to the constancy of Christ, a quiet transformation occurs—the birth of godly detachment. This is not cold withdrawal from life but the freedom of a heart no longer enslaved to its outcomes. In that freedom, the soul discovers the calm of divine governance, the serenity that belongs to those who trust that the Father’s will is both wise and good.

This Christward focus is the book’s enduring gift. It teaches that peace is not found by mastering emotion but by beholding a Person; that serenity is not stoicism, but surrender. To keep one’s eyes on Christ is to find stability that neither success nor suffering can disturb. In this way, Consider the Lilies leads the reader beyond temporary comfort to the permanent rest of faith—the stillness born from knowing that the God who governs all things is also the God who loves without change.

The Burden of the Book

In a culture saturated with anxiety, Jonny Ardavanis turns the reader’s attention away from the fretful interior world toward the face of God Himself. His theme is drawn directly from Christ’s command in Matthew 6: “Consider the lilies of the field.” The Lord’s words there are not sentimental; they are theological. Christ calls His disciples to peace through contemplation of the Father’s providence, not through the management of circumstances. Ardavanis takes this text as both diagnosis and cure, contending that anxiety, at its root, is a failure to remember the character of God. The book’s task is therefore not to soothe emotions but to re-educate faith—to bring the reader’s imagination, mind, and affections under the rule of divine truth.

Tone and Readability

The tone is pastoral, unhurried, and gentle. Ardavanis writes not as a clinician or strategist but as a shepherd who has walked beside anxious souls. He draws from Scripture with steady confidence, quoting entire passages rather than fragments, allowing the reader to linger. Each chapter closes with reflection questions that serve as prompts for prayer rather than academic review. His prose is warm yet doctrinally clear, shaped by a Reformed evangelical heritage that values the sufficiency of Scripture and the sovereignty of God. Readers unfamiliar with theological vocabulary will find his explanations accessible; those seeking substance will find more theology than they might expect in a book marketed for personal growth.

Doctrinal Substance and Use

The book is built upon one unshakable truth: peace is not a mood achieved but a Person trusted. Ardavanis insists that anxiety is displaced only when the believer meditates on God’s unchanging perfections—His wisdom, omniscience, power, goodness, and Fatherly care. This is classical theism in pastoral form: God is not divided into attributes but is wholly Himself in every act, immutable in love as in sovereignty. Such doctrine is not presented abstractly but devotionally: each attribute becomes a doorway into worship.

Pastors will appreciate that Ardavanis refuses therapeutic reductionism. He does not deny the physiological dimension of anxiety but refuses to treat it apart from the soul’s relation to God. His counsel is deeply ecclesial: believers are urged to seek corporate worship, the sacraments, and fellowship as the ordinary instruments of peace. The text thus restores the means of grace to their rightful place as the Spirit’s appointed medicine for fear.

Christ and Spirit in Life

Though the book centers on the Father’s character, its theology is implicitly Christological. The “lilies” passage belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, and Ardavanis often returns to Christ’s own trust in the Father as the model for ours. He might have developed more explicitly the theme of union with Christ—the believer’s participation in the Son’s filial confidence through the Spirit—but what is present points in that direction. He shows that genuine peace is the fruit of adoption, not the result of technique. By meditating on the God who has already loved us in Christ, the heart learns to rest in the same security that sustained the Lord Jesus Himself.

Strengths

Scripture-saturated: every claim is anchored in explicit biblical text; proof-texts are not decorative but structural.
Pastorally realistic: the author knows the weariness of anxiety and writes with compassion rather than condemnation.
Doctrinal integrity: consistent with confessional Protestant theology; no drift into mysticism or self-help moralism.
Practical guidance: provides habits of daily meditation, prayer, and community life without lapsing into rigid formulas.
Suitable for group study: the reflection questions can be used in small groups, family devotions, or counseling settings.

Limitations

The reader should understand that Consider the Lilies is a devotional theology, not a systematic treatise. Those seeking historical or philosophical treatment of divine attributes will need to supplement it with more technical works (for example, Stephen Charnock’s The Existence and Attributes of God or Thomas Watson’s A Body of Divinity). Likewise, the book rarely enters the mystical dimension of union with Christ that grounds the believer’s participation in divine peace. Pastors using it in discipleship may wish to connect it to Pauline texts on union and the Spirit’s indwelling (Romans 8; John 14–17) to complete its trinitarian arc.

Pastoral Intent

This book models a reorientation of care: it restores doctrine to the center of counseling. Where modern approaches often begin with the self, Ardavanis begins with God. The believer’s emotional life is not ignored, but it is healed by truth rather than managed by distraction. The pastoral vision is that peace is not found by mastering circumstances but by beholding the Father’s constancy through the Son’s example and the Spirit’s work.

Concluding Thoughts

Consider the Lilies should be read slowly—perhaps a chapter per week—alongside prayer and Scripture reading. It pairs well with psalms of trust (Pss 23, 62, 91, 121) and with Christ’s own prayer in John 17. For the overwhelmed by uncertainty, it offers a simple yet profound remedy: to know God as He is. In a world that markets peace as a product, Ardavanis reminds the Church that peace is already given—a gift rooted in the immutable character of God, received through faith, and sustained by the Spirit’s indwelling presence.

Author: Jonny Ardavanis; foreword contribution noted by Sinclair B. Ferguson.
Publisher / date: Zondervan, October 8, 2024; c. 256 pp. ISBN: 978-0310368243.
Purpose: freedom from anxiety by lifting the gaze from “problems and pressures” to the changeless character of God; practical counsel, reflection questions.

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Joy Made Full

By James Austin on January 9, 2019 in Theology

The love of Christ for us is so profound that it is the very joy that the Father has in the Son.

Rejoicing in the Father and the Son is essential in glorifying God. Rejoicing in God is glorifying God. And Jesus is committed to making that happen within us. Through our suffering. Through our sacrifice. Through self-denial. Through worship, admiration, and fellowship.

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. ” – Lk 6:22-23

To delight in creation more than the Creator is treason. Jesus’ demand for us to hope in Him with great joy is not unaided by His Spirit within us. We are given his continual presence by the Spirit placed within us. To experience the fullness of his presence and the joy it brings to glorify God the Father and the Son.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Mt 13:44

It is in this joy of the believer that the trauma of sin is removed.

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