The lecture calls the believer to restore the image of God in him through holiness. The speaker reminds of the Lord’s command: “Be holy for I am holy” and explains that holiness is not merely a title but a real spiritual life and practice that must appear in the believer’s conduct and inner being.

The spiritual dimension and Coptic Orthodox teaching
Holiness is linked to the indwelling of the Trinity in the person: baptism, chrismation, and repentance grant purification and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, so the believer becomes a temple of the Spirit. The Church, sacraments and worship are all means to sanctify and guide the believer toward the likeness of Christ.

Practical means of sanctification
The Holy Scripture and the sacraments (baptism, chrismation, confession, repentance), instruction, pastoral care, liturgies and sanctifications are all tools by which God purifies, sanctifies and makes the heart into flesh alive with the Spirit.

The nature of the spiritual struggle
Holiness requires continuous struggle against sin — not just transient remorse but a daily fight “even to blood” against sins — and confessing sin and turning away from it is an essential condition for growth in holiness.

Fruits of holiness
Holiness has a negative meaning (keeping away from defilement and sin) and a positive meaning (the growth of the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, meekness, humility, chastity…). These fruits show that a person draws near to the image of God.

The nature of the Church and its calling
The Church is the community of the saints and its calling is to be holy; liturgical and traditional practice indicate that the Church used to treat the sinner strictly to preserve the sanctity of the community, the goal being the growth of the community in holiness.

A call to everyday reality
The speaker urges believers not to be lax and not to rely only on God’s mercy, but to turn mercy into action: continuous repentance, repeated cleansing, and the operation of God’s grace in daily life until the person bears true holiness.

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