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The Call to Holiness – Living Set Apart for God
Main Texts: 1 Peter 1:13–16; Leviticus 20:7–8; Romans 12:1–2; Hebrews 12:14
Introduction
Holiness is one of the central themes of the Christian life.
Yet holiness is sometimes misunderstood, Some people think holiness simply means following a list of religious rules.
Others think holiness means withdrawing completely from society.
Some associate holiness only with outward appearance, But biblical holiness goes much deeper.
Holiness means being set apart for God and living in a way that reflects His character. When we become Christians, God does not merely change our destination. He begins changing our lives.
- He changes how we think.
- He changes how we speak.
- He changes how we behave.
- He changes what we love.
- He changes what we pursue.
- He changes how we treat people.
The Christian life is therefore not simply about saying, “I belong to Christ.” It is about allowing belonging to Christ to affect everything about us.
Peter writes: “Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Notice that God does not simply say, “Be holy because holiness will make you look religious.”
He says: “Be holy because I am holy.”
Our holiness flows from God’s character, What Does Holiness Mean?
Holiness involves being separated from sin and separated unto God. It is not merely avoiding bad things. It is actively pursuing God.
A holy person does not only ask: “What am I not allowed to do?” They also ask: “What would please God?” That changes the entire Christian life.
Holiness Is More Than Outward Appearance A person can look religious and still have an unhealthy heart. Jesus repeatedly confronted religious people whose external appearance looked impressive while their hearts were far from God.
God looks beyond appearances. He examines the heart. Therefore, genuine holiness begins internally and eventually becomes visible externally.
God Wants Every Area of Our Lives There should not be a “church version” of us and a “private version” of us.
God wants:
- Our thoughts.
- Our words.
- Our relationships.
- Our finances.
- Our work.
- Our entertainment.
- Our ambitions.
- Our sexuality.
- Our attitudes.
- Our decisions.
Holiness is not a Sunday activity. It is a daily lifestyle.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us Live Holy Lives
God does not command holiness and then abandon us to accomplish it through our own strength. The Holy Spirit works within believers.
Galatians 5 teaches us to walk in the Spirit. The Spirit helps us overcome the desires of the flesh and develop spiritual fruit. Therefore, holiness is both a responsibility and a work of God’s grace within us.
Biblical Illustration: Joseph
Joseph was taken into a foreign land where he faced temptation and pressure. When Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce him, Joseph refused. His response was powerful: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
Joseph understood that holiness was ultimately about God. He did not say: “What if someone finds out?” He said: “How can I sin against God?” That is the heart of holiness.
Application
Ask yourself:
- Is my private life consistent with my public Christianity?
- What areas of my life need greater surrender to God?
- Am I pursuing holiness because I love God or merely because I fear people’s opinions?
Today, surrender your entire life to God.
Say: “Lord, I do not want to give You only part of me. I want my entire life to belong to You.”
Shalom!
