LEARNING DAILY

1 Peter 1:15-16, 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.”

Do you believe personal holiness is important to God? Peter writes that it is. Read the verse again and you just cannot ignore Believers are to be holy. Why? God gives us that answer – it is because He is holy. It is His character and it is His command (Charles Spurgeon).

God gives us a choice in this. In John 6:53-65 taught what it meant to follow Him, to walk the way he demanded (in holiness). His teaching was often misunderstood, especially by those who were more concerned about losing their status and position of influence. Those people chose to no longer follow Him and walked away. Holiness is how he demands Believers walk the narrow way.

The Blue Letter Bible – Search and Study Tools states the words holy and holiness is found over 650 time in the Bible. The words refer to not only the character of God but to the character of angels and what heaven is like. The bible is clear that no unclean thing will be able to enter into heaven. It is a holy place where a holy God is. Read what the writer of Hebrews 12:14 writes, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”.  The Vines Bible dictionary states this about holiness: “holiness is always rendered ‘sanctification’; it signifies separation to God. Sanctification is thus the state predetermined by God for believers, into which in grace He calls them, and in which they begin their Christian course and so pursue it.” Believers are to pursue holiness. It is “moral wholeness or kindness, mercy, purity, moral blamelessness and godliness” according to Charles Spurgeon.

Are you considering your walk with the Lord and comparing it to the above and thinking you do not measure up? Are you looking at yourself and becoming discouraged because you do not seem to meet God’s standard. Don’t do that! No one leads perfect lives – only the Lord Jesus Christ was perfect. Go back and read what Peter has written about Believers – they are saved, being saved, and will be saved. We are instructed “to be holy in all our conduct”. That means we are to do all we can to bring our life (what we think, say and do) in line with God’s will and to live life spiritually as He directs. Because Jesus has saved us and is in the process of changing us to get us ready for eternity in His kingdom, we must live as holy and set apart.

The last page of the blog established there was no true faith in God without Jesus Christ. It is only in Christ that we are holy, set apart. No Believer will be perfectly sinless in their conduct while walking the narrow way. It is in Jesus Christ that we must make right choices and live as holy people do. Believers are saved people; they must live like it. Believers are God’s people; they must live like it. Believers are meant to keep God’s commandments, to be like Him, to be holy because He is holy. That is God’s desire. Do you call yourself a Christian? Change your way of living to fit your identity. Always remember to rely on God’s grace and forgiveness. That is God’s standard, and it should be ours as well!