Holier Than Thou. Attitude or Commitment?

I think that we've all heard that a "holier than thou" attitude is not a good attitude to have. It might even tend to lose friends and win enemies.

But what exactly is a "holier than thou" attitude? Is is "I'm a more godly person than you so I'm better than you." That certainly wouldn't be a mark of humility, so according to my understanding of the Bible it wouldn't mean you were being holy, which is be like God.

Some "holier than thou" attitudes seem to involve keeping man made rules, like not watching any movies or TV shows unless they are specifically made by Christians. Or not eating certain foods banned in the Old Testament even if we're told in the New Testament that we're allowed to eat them now.

But if we are going to reject having a holier than thou attitude, does that that free us from seeking to be live a holy life?

Well, multiple times in Leviticus we are told to be holy. But what about in the New Testament.

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
(1 Pter 1:13-16) NKJV. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers., 1982,

OK, here we have the command to be holy for God is holy. We're told to be sober. But we're not to depend on our own strength to become holy.

Our hope is to rest fully upon the grace that is brought to us when Jesus Christ is fully revealed to us. That started when we came to believe in Him, and will be completed when we see Him again.

From the time He became our Lord and Savior we are to be obedient children. When we were ignorant and didn't know Jesus, we lived out our lusts on a daily basis. No more. Now we are to be holy in all our conduct.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
(Romans 12:1-2 NKJV Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers., (C)1982)

I agree we should do away with a "holier than thou" attitude. But we should seek by the grace of God that our conduct be as holy as God's holiness. We will, of course, need we'll need His help for that. It is help He is more than willing to give.