Private piety along with emotionalism and legalism are true enemies of holiness and pitiful substitutes for holiness . Holiness cannot exist as mere private piety without undergoing a kind of rot and decay. Holiness under the guise of emotionalism is an idol. Holiness as legalism is a dead end, tending to self-righteousness. Holiness is meant to penetrate all human relationships. It is how we relate to God and each other. It is how we love God by loving our fellow humans.
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:8-10 (ESV)
