"Living Holy"

  We are called to holiness. "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior." (I Pet. 1:15) Behavior that is holy. Many have little insight as to what that means and their lives show it! When we speak of holy many equate that with perfection or sinlessness. That's not holiness. 

  Holiness is linked to our rescue which God did for us through Jesus. Jesus paid out debts and out of His cleansing comes people who are pure and blameless in the sight of God. Jesus sanctified us so that we stand before God holy. We have come from common sinners to children of God. It's not something we accomplished but done for us through the offering of the body of Jesus. Pure, clean and undefiled. What is our response to be? Live holy lives. God calls wives to accept the husband's headship. That's holy living. Husband's are called to be self-giving to their wives as Jesus does the church. That's holy living. When your brother sins, forgive him from your heart. That's holy living. As Christ has received each of us we are to accept one another (Rom. 15:7). That's holy living. We are called to submit to governing authorities no matter who they are (Rom. 13). That's holy living. To avoid sinful situations we select lifestyles that promote the Lord Jesus Christ is holy living. We get all this from being cleansed by the blood of Jesus!

  We are called to pattern our lives after our Lord and Savior. Because we have been redeemed that is the very basis of holy living. Listen carefully to the verse that proceeds the above verse calling us to holy behavior: "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance." (I Pet. 1:14) We were called by God to Himself and that means leaving our former life behind and transform into His life. "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." (Heb. 12:14) "The sanctification" is the state the Lord has called us into by His blood and we are to pursue that holiness in our lives. Holiness is not earning you anything before God but is a life because we are holy by Christ before Him! You are holy! Live holy! Christ made us holy! Live holy! Live in ways that honors His life and His ways. Yes, we fall short at times but realizing we are holy before God because of Christ gives us every reason to live as He is. Put away your former life knowing God raised you with Jesus. Pursue holiness as He is holy!