How is it possible that an imperfect human could be viewed by the omnipotent God as holy? What does it take for plain ordinary people living in a sin filled world, prone to sinful conduct... to be holy?
In 1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter wrote to believers, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" Peter was quoting from Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2.
You, me, we can be “holy”? I really doubt many of us feel very holy as we go about our daily lives, yet Scripture says “we shall be holy,” or we can be. To understand this concept of imperfect humans attaining to holiness, we need to first look at God's holiness. What does it mean that God is holy?
In Exodus 15:11, we read, “Who is like you among the gods, O LORD? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?” The clear and logical answer to that question... no one is like the God. In 1 Samuel 2:2, it is written, “There is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.” David said in a psalm concerning God, “Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy hill, for holy is the LORD our God.” God is the only one ever to be acclaimed as the fullness of holiness (Psalm 99:9; 111:9; Isaiah 6:3). In awe and reverence we are to recognize God as holy, for, “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come up and worship before you,for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:4).
These are but a few of many passages about God’s holiness. Holiness is at the core of His being... God is absolute perfection. God is unlike any other (Hosea 11:9), and His holiness is the essence of His “separateness” His “otherness.” Nothing created can attain to the level of His holiness. His very being is completely absent of even a trace of sin (James 1:13; Hebrews 6:18). He is high above any other, and no one can compare to Him (Psalm 40:5). God’s holiness pervades His entire being and shapes all His attributes. His love is a holy love, His mercy is holy mercy, and even His anger and wrath are holy anger and holy wrath. These concepts are difficult for humans to grasp, just as God is difficult for us to understand in the totality of His being.
So... what does it mean for feeble humans to be holy? When God told Israel to be holy in Leviticus 11 and 19, He was instructing them to be distinct, different in every aspect of life, from the other nations by giving them specific regulations that would govern their lives. During the period of the Old Covenant, Israel was God's chosen nation and He set them apart from all other people groups. They were His special people, and consequently they were given standards that God wanted them to live by so the world would know they belonged to Him. No other [holy] God like Him... no other people like His chosen [holy] people.
When Peter repeats the Lord's words in 1 Peter 1:16, he is talking specifically to believers. He is talking to and about the Church... the body of Christ. As believers, we need to be "set apart" from the world, consecrated to the Lord. We are bound to him, tied to His goals and purposes... fellow workers in accomplishing His mission. We need to be living by God's standards, not the world's.
Holy for believers does not mean perfect like God. God isn't calling us to be perfect, but to be unique in our nature and character and distinct from the world. First Peter 2:9 describes believers as "a holy nation." God’s Church is to be known as a body of believers who are separated from the world. We need to live out that reality in our day-to-day lives, which Peter tells us how to do in 1 Peter 1:13-16.
Finally, how can we become holy? Holiness only results from a right relationship with God by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior, committing your life to Him, confessing your belief and commitment before other believers, and demonstrating obedience by being baptized for forgiveness of your sins and beginning a life-long walking with Him, unique, different, distinct... in awe and reverence. (Acts 2:38)
If you have not placed your faith in God's Son alone to rescue you from your sins, following the Biblical plan of salvation, then your distinction as “a holy one of God” will be impossible.
Ephesians 4:22-24 reminds us that the main step towards holiness is to obey the gospel, and put on “the new man.” Paul wrote... “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in {the likeness of} God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” First, one’s sins are washed away in baptism (Acts 22:16) then and only then can the indwelling Holy Spirit assist you in transformation... putting on the new man that leads one to a life of holiness (Romans 6:1-8).
The Apostle Peter said of those who have been sanctified, “…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 2:5). It is after we are sanctified that we continue to perfect holiness. Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth with the exhortation, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1).
To all people who yearn for a deeper relationship with God, you must first make certain you are a born-again believer (John 3). If we truly are believers living according to God’s will and purposes, then we recognize that our position “in Christ” automatically sets us apart from the world (1 Peter 2:9). Set apart... living each day as if separate from the misguided passions, corruptions and pursuits of this world.
Christians have a relationship with the living God! WE... represent the interests and purposes of the Living God. The body of Christ... His Church, has an awesome responsibility! Therefore, we must daily live a set-apart life, not trying to "blend in" with the world, but instead living according to God's Word as we study the Bible and grow in and by its counsel. It takes total uncompromising commitment, unshakable faith, and precise exacting obedience to “be Holy” in a relationship with the Holy God.
