Be Holy as I am Holy (Our High Calling Part 1)

The first chapter of 1 Peter begins by revealing the incredible hope that believers have through the powerful resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This portion of scripture is truly a delight to the soul, as it reminds us just how gracious God has been toward us in saving our souls, and the power by which we have been renewed.  Peter says:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." - 1 Peter 1:3-5

This is an amazing truth of scripture revealing our union with Christ.  Being dead in sin, we were void of any hope of eternal life, therefore God, in his mercy, has begotten us to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Our hope for eternal life is inextricably linked with the resurrection of Jesus; as surely as he is risen, we will live (John 14:19).  This is truly a living hope.

Jesus conquered death being raised from the dead, never to die again (Romans 6:9).  This, I believe is what was referred to in Romans 8:11.  Peter later goes on to exhort believers to live a life per the purpose of our calling, and it is my intention to echo the same exhortation through this article.  I believe it is important to cover the beginnings of the letter because, the mercy of God in causing us to be begotten again, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the basis of our call to walk in a new holy way of life (Romans 6:4).

I will not hesitate to emphasize again that we are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.  We should always be careful not to overlay our sanctification with our justification.  In a sermon on Holy living, Charles Spurgeon said this:

"The commands of Christ are not upon the legal tenor of "this do and live," but upon the gospel system of "live and do this." We are not to be attentive to the precepts in order to be saved, but because we are saved. Our master motive is to be gratitude to him who has saved us with a great salvation. I am sure that every renewed heart here will feel no opposition to the most holy precepts of our Lord. "

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 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 1:13-16

We are told to be holy, as the one who called us is holy.  Our calling to holiness is in accordance with the nature of the one who called us.  God is Holy (Isaiah 6:3), and his character is perfect and righteous.  This call to believers is a pull from God toward the purpose of our calling; to be like him.  He has created a people for himself (1 Peter 2:10), crucified our old self to free us from enslavement to sin (Romans 6:6), and given us his spirit, by whom we now walk (Galatians 5:16) so that we would no longer conform to our former lusts (1 Peter 1:14), but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).  I feel the need to make it clear that, we do not become equals with God, but are sanctified and conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." - John 17:14-17

In John 17:14-17, Jesus prayed for his disciples who were not of the world but would remain in the world.  He prayed that they would be sanctified by truth, which is God's word.  In 2 Corinthians 3:18 we are told that by beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being:

 "transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."  

Jesus said in John 16:14 regarding the Holy Spirit:

"He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the father has are Mine.  Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."

The Holy Spirit illuminates the word of God so that we can understand it, and He enables us to see the glory of Christ in the word so that we love him and believe in him.  As we are taught, we should obey.  Because we were begotten to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Christ is our life.  Because Christ is our life, we should seek that which is above.  To conform to former lusts, passions, and desires is incompatible with who we are in Christ.  God's will is to conform us to the image of Christ, and he will bring this work about.

Once more I would like to stress that this call is by no means a call to become equals with God, as some may want to suggest.  Rather, we give glory to God with our lives.  This was the original purpose for our lives, however the fall of man in the Garden of Eden changed that (Romans 5:12-15).  God has placed us in Christ as members of his body (1 Corinthians 12:12, Colossians 3:15), and we should be conformed to his image; this is redemption.  Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law and sin (Galatians 3:13) and we should glorify him.

I feel that I must add one more note to this devotional.  Consider the call from God to be holy as he is holy; creating a people for himself according to his purpose.  Though we are by no means equals with God, it seems that his call to be holy as he is, is also a call to joy.  As we put off our old man, put on Christ, and live by truth, we will know him, and in knowing him we will be able to enjoy him.  God's character is perfect, and calling us to be like him, is a call to have joy in him.  The most loving thing that God can do is to give us more of himself.  Anything that pulls you away from God is evil and is to be done away with.  Thus the call to be holy as he is, is a pull toward himself, and away from that which is evil.

I will end this with a commentary from John Calvin:

"He who hath called you is holy He reasons from the end for which we are called. God sets us apart as a peculiar people for himself; then we ought to be free from all pollutions. And he quotes a sentence which had been often repeated by Moses. For as the people of Israel were on every side surrounded by heathens, from whom they might have easily adopted the worst examples and innumerable corruptions, the Lord frequently recalled them to himself, as though he had said, “Ye have to do with me, ye are mine; then abstain from the pollutions of the Gentiles.” We are too ready to look to men, so as to follow their common way of living. Thus it happens, that some lead others in troops to all kinds of evil, until the Lord by his calling separates them. 

In bidding us to be holy like himself, the proportion is not that of equals; but we ought to advance in this direction as far as our condition will bear. And as even the most perfect are always very far from coming up to the mark, we ought daily to strive more and more. And we ought to remember that we are not only told what our duty is, but that God also adds, “I am he who sanctify you.”