Holiness
Posted by Al Coburn on August 08, 2003
1 Pet.1:14-15, “As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy because I am holy.”
When we are baptized, the blood of Christ cleanses us from our sins and makes us holy, set apart as God’s own people. We have been purchased by the blood of Christ.
1 Cor. 6:l9-20, “ Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” We must treat our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. We can no longer be conformed to the things of the world. Col. 3:1FF,
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died , and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” This passage points out that Christ is our life. Gal. 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Since Christ is living in us and is our life, we will live as he lived. Our desires will be what he desires; our will will become what he wills. We will grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. As God’s holy people, we will shun the appearance of evil. We will keep our hearts pure.
As we take on the nature of God, our lives will become the light of the world; the salt of the earth. In a world that is full of sin, the holiness of God’s people will radiate brightly, showing the lost that God is still in control. The example of God’s holy people will have an influence that cannot be defeated by Satan. This is why God said to be holy. If we want to see God and spend eternity with Him, we must be holy as He is holy.