Be holy
by Mark Schubert
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But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’ (1 Peter 1:15,16).
Be holy! That’s a tough order!
Or is it? Perhaps it’s not an order at all, but a gift! Peter said, ‘You were cleansed from your sins’ (1 Peter 1:22), ‘You are his holy priests’ (1 Peter 2:5), ‘a holy nation’ (1 Peter 2:9).
He explained how this gift was given: ‘You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world’ (1 Peter 1:19,20).
We, too, were chosen then – to be holy.
‘Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This was his pleasure and purpose (Ephesians 1:4,5).
So you are holy. You are obedient children (1 Peter 1:14), with the same DNA as our brother Jesus, and like him, we are foreigners here (1 Peter 1:17) who do not fit into this world of selfishness and sin. This world is not your home, so you ‘do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance’ (1 Peter 1:14).
But, as well as being holy, you are also 100% sinners, who with Paul, can say, ‘I want to do what is right, but I can’t … I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway’ (Romans 7:18,19).
We do not yet see our holiness but hold it by faith and hope. Peter said, ‘with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming’ (1 Peter 1:13).
And again, ‘Through him [Christ] you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God’ (1 Peter 1:21).
Where the Holy Spirit gives faith and hope, he also gives love (1 Corinthians 13:13). ‘Now that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart’ (1 Peter 1:22).
Thank you that you have given us your holiness. Help us to believe that and live it in love. Amen.
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