Skip to main content

Be Holy...

             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.” (I Peter 1:15-16)

The Fall occurred because Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, “knowing good and evil.” The rest of us have that same desire, though we may not use “like God” in our discussion. There are some ways we simply can’t be like God, but there are others in which we can. The extent of the likeness may be less than God, but we were made in the image of God, so at least some likeness is unavoidable. Ironically, the things in which God calls us to be like Him are the ones in which we have no interest. Today’s passage is a great example.

What does “Be holy” mean to you? The ancient idea was that being holy meant being given to God for His use. While it still has that meaning, the world has added to it the ideas that holiness is arrogance, presumption, and hypocrisy. The world maintains that what is “holy” is useless, but those who are holy see themselves as chosen and superior when, in fact, they’re probably greater sinners than everyone who isn’t holy. Another idea is that if one is holy, one can no longer enjoy anything except sitting around praying and worshipping.   

In other words, holiness is not only seen as arrogant and hypocritical but also as drudgery. Someone in one of the groups I follow mentioned this, though he didn’t say it this way. He wondered why it was that so many people see spiritual disciplines as impossible or negative. Spiritual disciplines are – or can be – a means to holiness. But they effectively dictate our lives, and we don’t like that. Holiness isn’t easy or convenient. But it’s something we need to work on. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...
1 comment
Read more

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

Pure...

            The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (I Timothy 1:5)   I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16) I’m probably cheating - or mishandling the Bible, but earlier I was thinking about love being pure and purifying. And hatred being pure and purifying. And anger…joy…patience… fear… jealousy… courage…lust… and other strongly felt feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. Today’s verse brings purity and love together, so it’s the verse of the day, but it’s not really the focus. That means my motive for sharing it with you probably isn’t pure. As you read through my list, you   probably thought, “Yeah” about some, and “What’s she on?” about others. But consider how much hatred, a...
Post a Comment
Read more