God gives this command in 1 Peter 1:16: “Be holy, for I am holy.”

The word “holy” carries the idea of separated, set apart, and cut off.  A “holy” person is someone who has been set apart by God, for God’s glory.  It is someone who has been made righteous by God’s touch upon his or her life.

Do you have a personal relationship with God?  Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?  If so, your sins have been forgiven and you have been adopted into God’s family.

God is your heavenly Father and He is speaking to you.  Ephesians 5:1 tells you to imitate God. 1 Peter 2:9-12 says you are to be God’s ambassador on earth and bring Him glory.

In the New Testament, holiness is often expressed by the words sanctification or transformation.  Holiness is a major theme in Scripture.  It is God’s plan for every believer in Christ. The goal is found in Romans 8:29.

Romans 8:29.  “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (NASB).

Jesus Christ is God.  He is the eternal Son of God, and God the Son.  Without ceasing to be God, He became man and lived a sinless life on earth.  He brought God the Father glory by being completely obedient to His will.

Scripture tells us that Jesus is the exact image of God. We are to become like Jesus, not by taking on His divine attributes, but by becoming like Him in character.

Why would God make holiness – sanctification – transformation such a high priority in the life of a believer?

Consider His original plan for the human race.  He created the first man and woman in His image.  Adam and Eve were created holy and free from sin.  They enjoyed unbroken face-to-face fellowship with God and were not afraid.

This image was marred when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.  Their sin brought spiritual death and separation from God upon themselves and every person born since then.

Scripture describes the desperate plight of the human race: we are guilty of sin, which is self-will and rebellion against God.  Sin is a serious offense against God’s holiness.  The penalty is death.  We are slaves to sin and prisoners in Satan’s Kingdom of Darkness. Helpless.  Without God.  Without hope.

God loves us.  His plan is to restore us back to the original image and to restore the relationship that was lost.  He accomplishes this through His Son, Jesus Christ.

God sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins with His own blood on the cross.  When we accept what Christ has done for us, the process of being made holy begins.  It’s a cooperative effort involving God’s power and our trust and obedience.

Holiness will enable us to enjoy unbroken fellowship with our God, and to reflect His true character to those who don’t know Him.

Holiness will prepare us to spend eternity with our Holy God in a beautiful place where there will be no more sin, sorrow, or pain.

What Do You Think?

Holiness was God’s original blueprint for the human race.  Does knowing this change your thoughts about holiness?  In what way?

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