In 1 Peter 1:15-16, we read something that, at first, is a little hard to swallow:
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 1:15-16)
Hmmm….based on this text, God is calling us to be holy–because He is holy. But here’s the thing–well, no, here’s TWO things:
- What does it mean to be holy?
- How do you become holy?
And I guess a third question to add is:
- Is it even possible to be holy?
The Whole Reality of Holiness
A couple years ago my friend gave me a devotional book called Sons And Daughters of God. In that devotional book, the author, Ellen White, wrote an amazing statement:
Holiness is … an entire surrender of the will to God; it is living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God; it is doing the will of our heavenly Father; it is trusting God in trial, in darkness as well as in light; it is walking by faith and not by sight; it is relying on God with unquestioning confidence, and resting in His love
–Sons and DAUGHTERS of god p. 155 [may 28 devotional]
In the next section below, we’re going to break down this statement, and highlight two key points.
The Whole Reality of Surrender
So, to start off, the first 3 things that the writer defines as “holiness” is:
- Entirely surrendering will to God
- Living by every word from God’s mouth
- Doing God’s will
What can we take from this? How does it apply to our 21st century lives?
I believe David could help us answer those two questions:
I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”
(Psalm 40:8)
How was it that David delighted to do God’s will, and happily submitted to whatever plan God had for his life? How did David find pure joy in following God’s will rather than his own? Could such an experience be ours in our modern age?
I like how The Passion Translation puts Psalm 40:8–
I delight to fulfill your will, my God,
for your living words are written upon the pages of my heart.”
(Psalm 40:8 TPT)
Because David had God’s Word “written on the pages” of his heart, it was easy for David to happily obey God’s will.
But HOW was God’s Word “written” on David’s heart?
Here’s David’s answer:
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
(Psalm 119:11)
When we in our modern lives have God’s Word written and hidden in our hearts, it will become a delight for us to surrender fully to God and to follow His will alone.
BUT THE KEY POINT IS THAT WE MUST FIRST SPEND TIME IN GOD’S WORD AND ABSORB IT INTO OUR HEARTS IN ORDER FOR ALL THIS TO HAPPEN
The Whole Reality of Trust
The second point I wanna highlight is the last 3 things defined by Ellen White as “holiness:”
- Trusting God in good & bad times
- Walking by faith
- Relying on God with confidence and resting in His love
Again, what can we take from this? And how does it apply to our modern lives?
Again, I believe David can answer those two questions for us:
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
(Psalm 34:8)
There’s a connection between tasting and seeing God’s goodness, and the blessing of trusting Him. So, in other words, you must taste and see God–experience God for yourself–before you trust Him.
I mean, it’s all common sense, really. The trust I have toward a police officer isn’t the same trust I have toward my mom. The trust I have toward an airplane pilot isn’t the same trust I have toward my church’s pastor. It’s the same with God. If I view God as just a Being up in the sky watching me with indifference, or worst, as a Being getting ready to destroy me the minute I mess up, will I trust Him?
No! Of course not!
Then HOW can one trust God more?
By spending time with Him, taking time to get to know Him more personally, and experiencing His love on a deep, personal level.
The Whole Foundation of Holiness
Holiness isn’t just about what we do or say; it’s also about what our relationship with God is like. If we have pure, genuine love for God and are consistently spending time with Him, we will ever advance upward to become more and more holy like our Heavenly Best Friend.
But dear reader, is God your Best Friend? Is God the One you delight to be with and follow? Is He the One you solely trust?
If not, then I encourage you to just pray:
I’d like to conclude this post with a statement from the same author of the devotional book. This statement is from her book, The Acts of the Apostles:
“The work of transformation from unholiness to holiness is a continuous one.“
–The Acts of The Apostles p. 532, emphasis added
May each and every one of us find help, strength, comfort, confidence, and grace in God as we continually strive to fulfill 1 Peter 1:15-16 in our lives!
Amen! Maranatha!
Amen!