Be holy

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 Peter 1.14-16

The older I get the more I seem to come across the idea of holiness. The more I study the more I am constantly confronted with holiness. Holiness is a tough topic to approach because holiness is not easy to live. Holiness is in total, absolute, and completer conflict with what our flesh wants. 

Salvation, the salvation talked about above, brings changes. We aren’t the same as we used to be. There has been a great change since we were born again. The things we used to do we don’t do them any more. At least that is the goal. 

Peter deals with this clearly. Live as obedient children. Don’t be conformed to the goals and desires and lusts that controlled you before you were saved. God realises that before we were saved we acted in ignorance of how we should live. We didn’t know any better. And it is good for us to remember that we can’t expect the world to do any better than to act in ignorance of God’s way. 

And His way? 

Holiness. The One who called us is holy. Therefore we are to be holy in our thoughts and attitudes and our conduct. God’s standard of holiness is nothing new. Way back in the Law God had said ‘ be holy, for I am holy.’ 

Of course I can’t just ‘be holy.’ I was made holy 41 years ago today in a university library in Pennsylvania when Christ saved and imputed His holiness in my place. So as of today I have enjoyed 41 years of positional holiness. 

One day, probably not 41 years from now, I will know complete holiness as my holiness is perfected in the presence of God. 

But I have to say that I have not enjoyed 41 years of daily practical holiness. My life is far too often marked by disobedience and conformity to my own desires. 

That last bit is what Peter writes about here. 

My life should be focused on seeking after holiness instead of seeking after my own lusts and desires. I have no problem going after all the stuff I want – I find it harder to seek after holiness. 

We must set out every day with a desire to live holily and a dependence on God to give us the strength to do. 

Be holy – what a challenge for me today on my 41st spiritual birthday.