BE YE HOLY
Text: 1 Peter 1:15-16 –“[15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;[16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
INTRODUCTION
1. The apostle Peter addressed his letter definitely to believers in persecution as the trial of their faith; so much so that they were scattered abroad throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Truly, persecution is the very hall mark of being a follower or disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 5:10-12
2. In the midst of the trial of their faith- persecutions- Peter challenged them: “Be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” Persecutions can not be a reason or excuse to be slackening in our standards as Christians. The more persecutions and difficulties will arise- the more the challenge to be holy in all manner of conversation. This is the greatest challenge to all who are true and genuine believers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Even in the 2nd letter of apostle Peter, he reiterated the challenge in chapter 3: 11: “Seeing then all theses things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” Peter, in the light of his understanding of the coming of the Lord like a thief in the night- hurled this challenge to the persecuted Christians with clarity and seriousness in life. He made it again very clear with the same impression and deeper meaning:
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”
4. The challenge is an exhortation to holiness, and is given to deal this challenge deep in our minds- to understand and meditate on this thing in view of the LORD’S revelation and second coming. 1:13
5. The meaning and the need of holy living- KJV- 468 times the word holy or sanctify is being mentioned according to scholars- qodesh or qadesh-382 times;
hagios and related words – 86 times.
O.T. Leviticus-70; Exodus 53; Numbers 48 – the word- holy in all these places -all meant to be separated, consecrated, or dedicated or devoted unto God. Dr. O.T. Spence mentioned the primary meaning of holiness as to be related with
“beautiful, splendid, pure, and uncontaminated and is rooted in the thought of brilliant, effulgent, etc, God is absolutely holy- as the Absolute Pure.”
N.T. Hagiasmos– state of being pure ;
Hagaizo – to purify in relation to God ; Hagios- defined as dedicated to God; separated to God.
b. Holy living then means to be pure and to stay pure by pursuing it because we are dedicated , separated to our holy living Lord and God. “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament….For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens…” Hebrew 7:22-27
DISCUSSION
What is the significance or importance of this challenge which is actually a command of the Lord? Why challenge in the midst of trials instead of comfort and consolation? How is this possible and be applied to the way of life today? These are questions we need to answer carefully so that we can really be able to understand and connect with God and apply His words in our life.
1. First, this is to be understood as a challenge only to those who are the genuinely saved and truly born from above or born-again.
a. Peter mentioned the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father 1: 2
b. He emphasized those only begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1:3
c. He was dealing with people who obtained an inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. 1:4
d. He was concerned with people who are kept by the power of God 1:5 e. Peter dealt with people who loved the Lord with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 1:8
f. Also the apostle Peter specified the true recipient of this challenge: those “receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1:9 g. The apostle declared this challenge to those who experienced the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven1:12
2. Second, this challenge demands obedience from God’s people. 1:14
a. Peter in his letters uses contrast about obedience and disobedience .
1:14-15 “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: Bt as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”
1: 22 “ Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love another with a pure heart fervently.”
3: 6 “even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.”
3:20 “which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
b. Obedience to apostle Peter is the mark truly of a child of God. This obedience to God is based on knowledge that self is full of lusts contrary to God’s nature. Thus failure to obey God directly means that we yield and fashion our lives by the directing and prompting of the sinful lusts of the flesh.
c. The purification of our lives is only through obedience of the truth because this is how the Holy Spirit of God uses His word of truth to make us holy.
d. Obedience means simply doing it because we believe in the words of God and that the word of God is truth.
3. Third, the challenge to be holy is God’s call upon His people. 1:15
What then is the call to holy living according to Apostle Peter? a. It is the call to remember the believers’ election by the heavenly Father through sanctification of the Spirit – I Peter 1:2
b. It is the call unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ- know the preciousness of Christ and His blood.
I Peter I:18-19
c. It is the call to laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking.
1 Peter 2:1
d. It is a call to suffer patiently and with rejoicing and with humility in the midst of trials and afflictions for Christ’ sake.
I Peter 2:20; I Peter 4:13 ; I Peter 5:6-7 e. It is the call to be mindful of the words which were spoken by the holy prophets and the commandments of the apostles.
2 Peter 3:2 f. It is the call to diligence in living a peaceful, spotless and blameless life in this corrupt world.
2 Peter 3:14 – 2 Peter 1:10
g. It is a call to beware lest ye fall from steadfastness to the error of the wicked and to grow spiritually in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through the word of God.
2 Peter 3:17-18
Warnings are given to the following spiritual concerns:
* False prophets, false teachers and their damnable heresies . 2 Peter 2: 1-22
* The ecumenical movement of the liberal protestant churches, the false Roman catholic ecumenical movement and the
neo-evangelicals’ compromise and dialogue with Roman Catholicism.
* The doctrine of scriptural separation has the emphasis on the purity of the Gospel.
4. Fourth, the challenge is to regard and to acknowledge that God is holy God. 1:16
What is the call to holy living based on the teachings of the prophets and apostles other than apostle Peter?
a. The God of the Bible is the true living God who commands and desires His people to practice holy living because He is holy ONE. Leviticus 20;1-27; Isaiah 43:8-13 44:8
a.) God instructed His people through Moses to be holy. V7-8
b.) God had severed His people from others for His own. V26
c.) God abhorred those people outside His choosing because they committed things that were abhorrent in His
sight. v23
d.) God commanded His people to be holy as a witness to the unbelieving, surrounding His people.
e.) God specifically desired His people to be holy in this sense: positively– to live as His people being separate from the unbelieving world in sin and
wickedness; to be living in contrast to that of the world; it is to be different and
be peculiar in all manner of conduct or aspect from those that in the world; to
follow God’s commandments statutes and instructions rather their own feelings
or lusts. Ephesians 3:21; 4:24 ; -5:26-27; 6
negatively– to put off concerning the former conversation the old man-corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts and the rest of the instructions of
Paul in Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5 ;3-5
ii) Revelation 4:8
iii) Hebrews 7:22-28
iv) 2 Corinthians 6:14-18- “Come out from among them, Be ye separate and touch
not the unclean thing…” b. God is to be worshiped in the beauty of holiness.
a.) True worship is in the beauty of holiness. Psalm 96:9
i) Acknowledging the beauty of holiness of Christ in our lives.
ii) The beauty of our spiritual lives is the beauty of Christ’s holiness in us.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God
is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption :that , according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. “
ii) It is a manifestation of quest of perfection to be holy in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 This is reverential fear. Think of Moses on the burning bush
account in Exodus 3:1-6; Paul trembling in his conversion at Damascus road
Acts 26; and John in the book of
Revelation 1:13-17
b.) The spirit of worship is the Spirit of holiness and truth . John 4:23-24
c.) True worship is to the glory the Father by the holiness in our lives to be the best and effective witness to a
dying world, and to fight the enemy.
J.C. Ryle said: “True holiness is much more than tears and sighs…A holy violence, a conflict, a warfare, a fight, a soldier’s life, a wrestling are spoken of as a characteristic of the true Christian.” Paul’s testimony is noted in Acts 20:17-27; 1 Timothy 1:18-19; 1 Timothy 4:9-10; 2Timothy 4:6-8; Ephesians 6:12-18
c. God of the Bible absolutely requires holiness without which no man can see the Lord.
Hebrews 12: 14- “Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”
a. Man needs peace with God and of God because of our being sinful in God’s holy presence. Isaiah 1:2-17; Isaiah 26:3, 12 ; Isaiah 53:6; Ephesians 2: 1-18; John 16:33; John 14:27; Romans 5:1
b. Christ is our holiness- 1 Corinthians 1:30 ; 1 Corinthians 6:11
c.To be Christ-like is to be holy. II Corinthians 3:18 “But we all , with open face beholding, as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into his image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
II Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light To shine in our hearts To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 12: 2 “ Looking unto Jesus , the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before him Endured the cross, despising the shame, And is sit down at the right hand of the throne God.”
Romans 8: 13 “For if you live after the flesh, Ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit Do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”
5. Fifth. the challenge is focused on the conversation -our conduct, behavior, lifestyle in life in all aspects whether time , effort, imaginations , speech, mood, emotions the totality of our personality or being. 1:15
a. The holy life is holiness- devotedness, separateness from any form of evil at all times and in all situations. There is no split-level Christianity, like we behave or conduct a lifestyle that is different every day . Whether at home, in the work place or in the park, mall or driving in the car- our life in all manner of conversation must be geared to holiness and the holy life. There is the challenge to be consistent, and practice consistency of holiness day by day, moment after moment; and this involves diligence on our part to arm ourselves and fight the battle because we are battling against sinful flesh daily. As Peter said: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which warreth against the soul;” 1 Peter2:11
Remember what Peter said: 2 Peter 1:5, 10;
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 2:13; 3:14
b. Diligence is the word that apostle Peter emphasized because this fighting the lusts of the flesh is hard work and difficult warfare spiritually and physically. Remember I Peter 2: 1, 11,16,18; I Peter 3:1-11
c. Humility is the virtue that must characterize our way of living as true believers. 1 Peter 5:5,6
d. Fervent charity is the foremost to possess in the holy life: 1 Peter 1: 22; 4:8
6. Sixth, the challenge is scriptural- it is recorded and preserved by God because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy. 1:16.
a. Peter is appealing to the recorded words of the Lord. It is not his sharpness
or wit that he arrives at this instruction: “Be ye holy for I am holy.”
b. It is with authority that every true believer must adhere to- the words being preserved by the Lord to preserve His people. To follow God’s will as recorded is the way to holy life, a life of holiness unto God. As the apostle declared in 1 Peter 1:24-25 “For all flesh is as grass, and all glory of man as the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
c. What is written is sure word of prophecy and needed to be heeded:
2 Peter 1:19-21 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy;whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts; Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of men: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
7. Seventh, the challenge is that our heavenly Father will give judgment to the people. 1:17
a. God is our Judge in life. Holiness is definitely be considered by the Judge as He will evaluate individually our way of serving and living for Him.
b. A holy life is a life that shows our genuine faith and hope in God. 1:16-21
c. There can be no holiness or purification of lives without the word of truth preserved by the Lord and for God’s people to obey. 1:22
CONCLUSION
To be holy is to come to Christ in genuine repentance because we are sinners; and to be converted in Him because He died for our sins and is alive being risen from the dead to forgive our sins and to give us eternal life. For Christ in God is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9; John 10:27-29; 1 Corinthians 1: 30.
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” 1 Peter 1:15
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