"Be Holy As I AM Holy"

Introduction

Peter wrote to Christians who recognize that they are stranger, pilgrims, and exiles on the earth.

Those Christians are suffering for their good behavior and the sake of righteousness, only because they are Christians.

The key to 1 Peter is the living hope that we have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the key to that is it is a “living” hope.

For Peter, the next critical issue is the character of the life we are living.

He clearly sets the standard high—by God Himself and His character -

Is holiness something we understand and can attain? Let’s consider the way for us to be holy.

Take Care of Your Mind

Holiness may seem ambitious to many of us. It may seem impossible some times. Yet, we are expected to be holy.

First, the path of holiness requires that we take care of our mind -

Preparing your minds for action

Some translations say “girding up the loins of your mind” — this is a call to arms.

You don’t enter a battle without a plan and preparation.

Soldiers train for war and they anticipate their enemy’s moves -

The mind can become the agent for evil -

Yet, it is to be controlled and focused on spiritual things -

Being sober-minded

This conveys the idea of not being spiritually drunk, to be well-balanced and self-controlled.

Soberness is equivalent to alertness and awareness, especially against the devil -

Soberness will strengthen our prayers -

Setting your goal

Taking care of our mind requires that we give attention to what is motivating us. We have to have a goal and an aim!

We have to “set [y]our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

The moment that Jesus is revealed will give us clarity and understanding for why we are living in this world as those who do not belong, as aliens and strangers and exiles.

Jesus’ revelation at the end of the age should help us focus our minds on what He has prepared for us in heaven -

For holiness to be accomplished in our lives we must first take care of our minds...

We Must Become Like Our Father

We Must Become Like Our Father

Peter develops the picture that we are children of our Father and God - 7

“Obedient children” - v. 14

“Father” is the judge - v. 17

God is our Father; we are His children. Children take after their parents in their life and behavior. God is holy -

We are commanded to be holy -

This was the purpose of the law of Moses -

Obedience to God’s law is what brings us into conformity with His nature and holiness!

That is why Peter says “as obedient children...” -

Becoming like God is two-fold:

First, we are not to be conformed to the passions of the former lives we lived - ;

This involves the mind, “Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking...” -

Second, we must be holy -

Holiness often is associated with “holier than thou” kinds of attitudes where we feel we are superior to other people.

The biblical idea of holiness is that we are dedicated to the service of God. It is that we are reserved for God and His service. This might be clear when we think of “holy prophets” () or “holy apostles” ().

Being holy means that we are servants of God who are concerned with doing the will of God.

The plural form of holy is “holy ones” or “saints” -

Holiness is not the mistaken idea of being a super Christian that no one could ever hope to attain. Holiness is being God’s treasured possession, dedicated for the work of God -

Holiness means we are ready for work

Holiness means we are valuable to God

Holiness means we are putting away evil and pursuing what is pure and good

Since holiness is a call to service, obedience, and action then we must see what Peter is emphasizing to us—act! Holiness is not passivity; it is being active for the Lord.

Prepare your minds for action -

Sober-minded -

Obedient children -

Be holy -

Conduct - ,

At the heart of holiness is the question: am I conducting myself in a way that is pleasing to God? - ;

Having prepared our minds and become like God as His children, we will live holy and we will be prepared for God’s judgment.

Prepared for God’s Judgment

Third, we must prepare ourself for God’s judgment -

Since we will call upon God and He will be our judge, we must be prepared for His judgment.

Judgment will begin with us as God’s household -

We have hope, but those who are not saved have no hope.

The book of 1 Peter is reminding us to live with hope even in the midst of suffering and trials.

God will judge us in this way:

He is an impartial judge — fair, just, and based on a standard of His will and character, holiness

God judges based on our actions and lives — the Lord will judge us based on what we have done, not what we have intended to do. If we fail to do what is good and right, that is sin as well. We must do what is good and right.

He judges us individually — we will not give an account for what our family, our spouse, or anyone else.

Holiness is the character of God and His people

Holiness allows us to live with hope and anticipation -

Holiness will not happen by accident. It is purposeful, planned, and prepared for.

Holiness is the reason that Jesus died -

“knowing that you were ransomed...” - v. 18

Precious blood of Jesus Christ

Conclusion:

If we focus our mind, become obedient children of God, and prepare ourself for the judgment then we are on the pathway of holiness!

Holiness is something we can become and we must become.

Holiness is what unites us with God; it is the bridge between us and God.

Jesus died so we could be holy as God is holy…don’t let His death be in vain!