It is commanded as God's will for all believers. It is thus a present possibility for me to have a heart full of love for God and others. Holiness is not a new idea in recent history. Some early seekers of holiness figured they might find holiness through self- renunciation. These ascetics denied themselves comforts of life, isolated themselves from the world, practiced daily disciplines of righteousness, and became the long-lasting lay monastic movement.
Monasticism is probably the most organized quest for holiness in history.
The hope was that self-denial and spiritual discipline would produce holiness in this life. For many hundreds of years, the search for holiness and piety sometimes led to a monastery or convent. In the late 1300's, Thomas a' Kempis wrote his Imitation of Christ. Like most reformers in the 1500's, Martin Luther provided no hope for deliverance from sin in this life. The emphasis began to swing closer to everyday living.