HOLINESS YOU ARE HOLY, YOU ARE GOD’S PEOPLE
I Peter 1:13-21
"Preaching is different from making a speech. It both proclaims the good news and challenges people to live it."
Today , we have a wonderful opportunity to explore what God is asking of us.
Most of us don’t consider ourselves holy, but that’s perhaps because we don’t understand the meaning. This passage emphasizes discipline, being obedient, conduct, love -- all important aspects of our Christian walk.
We tend to think of sin as wickedness and evil, and holiness as perfection and righteousness, when in fact holy living is really living our lives according to God’s standards while evil living is violating those rules of behavior, conduct, and discipline which God wants us to follow.
That is why Peter emphasizes our actions "from the heart" and being born of "imperishable seed" and living the "enduring word of God." Each day we make choices.
Holy living is choosing to obey God. These verses give us wonderful instruction in how we can achieve holy living through simple discipline and obedience, even though we know we are not holy.
Summarized - God expects us to be holy (set apart for service), which means obedience, living a disciplined life.
Evil is an attempt to undermine the good work of God or destroy his image in others as when a terrorist bombs a Church, a person commits murder or otherwise actively opposes good.
Sin is a result of evil, it is separation from God and from God’s creatures.
Holiness, is living in obedience to God’s call to be separate from the cares of the world so as to be of service to Him for the the good of his creation and other creatures.
Remember the words of Peter and act on these words from Peter’s letter as you go forth to serve as God’s own person this week.
(I Peter 2) "You. . .are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a hoy nation, a people he claims for his own to proclaim the glorious works" of the One who called you from darkness into his marvelous light. . . .You have found mercy. . . . .Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cloak for vice. In a word, live as servants of God. You must esteem the person of every man. Foster love for the brothers, reverence for God, respect for the emperor. . . . It was for this you were called since Christ suffered for you in just this way and left you an example, to have you follow in his footsteps. He did no wrong; no deceit was found in his mouth. When he was insulted, he returned no insult. When he was made to suffer, he did not counter with threats. Instead, he delivered himself up to the One who judges justly. In his own body he brought your sins to the cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God’s will. By his wounds you were healed. At one time you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls."
