Be Holy as I AM Holy!

You Be Holy Because I AM Holy!

This is one of the most not understood at all or misunderstood verses in the Bible.

“…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy for I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV this is quoting Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2 and 20:7; “For I am the LORD your GOD. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy…” Leviticus 11:44 NKJV.

The word holy and the concept that we can be holy like GOD is holy is where we get into trouble. The reason is that most of us have the wrong understanding of what being holy as GOD is holy means. To many Christians being holy is a religious activity of impossible standards that we try to live up to anyway.

What does holy mean? According to The Oxford American Desk Dictionary it means: adj. 1. morally and spiritually excellent or perfect, and to be revered. 2. belonging to, devoted to, or empowered by GOD. 3. consecrated; sacred.

Webster’s New World Thesaurus a. 1. (Sinless) devout, pious, blessed, righteous, moral, just, good, angelic, godly, reverent, venerable, immaculate, pure, spotless, clean, humble, saintly, innocent, godlike, saint-like, perfect, faultless, undefiled, untainted, chaste, upright, virtuous, revered, sainted, heaven-sent, believing, profoundly good, sanctified, devotional, spiritual, unstained, pure in heart, dedicated, unspotted; see also Faithful, Religious 2.-Ant. Bad, wicked, sinful. 2. (Concerned with worship) devotional, religious, ceremonial; see Divine.

Doesn’t that make you feel better about yourself and your being holy?

The problem is that those are great definitions of the end result but no explanation as to how to get there. To learn how to become holy as GOD is holy we have to understand who GOD is and study His Word, the Bible, so that we will know what He means when He tells us to be holy as He is holy. In the Christian realm it is commonly understood that holy means to be set apart, specifically set apart to GOD. If you are familiar with the Bible, even just the New Testament the answer is there in the back of your mind. You have read it but never thought about it as the means of being holy as GOD is holy.

In His Word to humanity, the Bible, from the beginning to the end GOD has told us how to be holy as He is holy. The worldly definitions above are the goal not the process and the world’s and the church’s view on how to be holy as GOD is holy has to do with faith and works, but not in the correct sense. It is not about what or how much we do or do not do that makes us holy as GOD is holy!

It is in the being set apart! GOD is set apart and therefore we should be set apart!

How is GOD set apart? He is the one and only true and living GOD. There is none who is like Him, there are none who can stand (as equals) before Him.

He Is! He is not created but everything that is created He made.

He is Light! He is Life! He is Love! He is Truth! These only exist because He exists, they are extensions of who GOD is.

So GOD is set apart, He is unique! How do you explain GOD?

How do you explain the one true living GOD who is triune, Father, Son, Spirit. They are always together, they have always been together and will always be together; yet the Son sits at the right had of the Father and they (Father and Son) sent their Spirit to live in every human who believes in Jesus Christ as savior and LORD. How could the Son be born as a human male without losing His GODLYNESS? How can the Spirit live in every believer and move throughout the earth and convict non-believers and believers alike of sin and lead them to the revelation of Jesus Christ as their savior and LORD? How can GOD who existed before creation, who created time, who has already determined the end of time care about every human being who was ever born, is alive today and is yet to be born? How can GOD know everything, see everything and control everything while giving humanity free will? Ok? Enough?

How does all of this help us to be holy as GOD is holy? GOD made man in His own image, in His own likeness. He created humanity from the dust of the earth and breathed His breath (of Life) into him making him male and female a living being. He then separated the male and female into two separate beings that have always been and always will be interdependent. He forms each of us in our mother’s womb and gifts and calls us for His Kingdom in the earth and in eternity. We are each and every one of us unique to GOD and each other.

And that is how we are to be holy as GOD is holy! We are to know Him first and seek Him first even above our own life. We are to live our life for Him according to our days that He wrote out before any of them existed. Since we do not know what He wrote then we have to be totally surrendered and yielded to GOD’s will. Jesus told us to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done in the earth as it is in Heaven.” This starts with us as individuals, then as a family each providing what is needed according to our gift (skill or ability). Then to where we fellowship with other Christians, the community where we live and where we work always with everyone using their gift to bless and strengthen others. We are not to follow the world’s (devil’s) call for our life or live our life according to what others say we should be or do. GOD has called each of us to live our life for Jesus Christ, to be conformed to His image and death by the fellowship of His suffering and the power of His resurrection.

Now this is not the easy road by any means. This is hard! But, it is the only way that we can be holy as GOD is holy. Is it worth the cost to you? Are you willing to be the unique person that GOD created, formed, gifted and called you to be, no matter the cost?

Laying down our life and taking up the cross daily to follow Jesus is going to be painful and difficult but the mortal and eternal rewards are worth it. This is what Paul was talking about when He told us that we have to, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is GOD who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”