Be Holy

1 Peter 1:15-16

“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.’”

Introduction

This verse was part of the life group lesson at church tonight, and I wanted to share a short thought on it.

First, we need to understand what “holy” means. The most simple definition is to be “set apart.”

God’s Holiness

God is truly set apart:

  • He is the Almighty.
  • The First and the Last.
  • The Alpha and Omega.
  • The Beginning and the End.

He is the Creator of all things and the only one in whom we can put our trust. These qualities—and so much more—set Him apart.

Struggling with Holiness

For a long time, I struggled with this verse.

  • How am I supposed to be holy when I constantly fail?
  • How can I be holy when I haven’t reached glorification yet?

I am not perfect, nor can I be. I struggle with sin in my life and fight with the desire to conform to the world on so many levels. Sometimes, I look more like the world than I care to admit.

A Different Perspective

Let’s look at this from another angle.

Time is a human constraint. God is not bound by time—only we are.

  • At the moment of salvation, we have victory over sin.
  • While it may take “time” from our perspective to become sanctified, in God’s eternal perspective, we are already there.
  • We are a new creation.

Paul tells us in Romans that we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness.

A Deeper Meaning

1 Peter 1:16 takes on a new meaning for me.

The “be” in “be holy” is not just a call for actions. It’s not solely a call to:

  • Be more patient.
  • Be more kind.
  • Be more loving.

It is that, but it’s also a call for understanding.

  • A call to understand that since He is holy, and He is in us, we too are holy—not because of anything we have done, but because of the blood of Christ.
  • At the moment of salvation, you are immediately seated at His table.

Remember: Time is our constraint, not His.

Conclusion

So be holy and understand that once you are in Him—and only in Him—you already are holy.

Praise the name of Jesus, the only one who can save and set us apart!