1 Peter 1:15–16
This is not a suggestion. This is a command.
Not “If you feel like it, be holy.” Not “When you have time, pursue holiness.” Not “Try your best to be holy.”
“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
Not a New Testament Option
Peter is quoting Leviticus. The Old Testament command to Israel. “Be holy, for I am holy.” This is not a New Testament option. This is the eternal requirement for the people of God.
The Command
“You also be holy in all your conduct.” Not in some areas. Not in church. Not on Sunday. In all your conduct. In everything. In every area. In every relationship. In every thought. In every word. In every action.
Holiness is not compartmentalized. It’s not “I’ll be holy at church but not at work.” It’s not “I’ll be holy in public but not in private.” It’s all your conduct.
This is the standard. Not perfection. But holiness. Not sinlessness. But set-apartness. Not flawlessness. But devotion.
The Reason
“As He who called you is holy.” The reason for holiness is not to earn God’s favor. The reason is that God is holy. And we are His people.
We reflect the One who called us. We represent the One who saved us. We bear the name of the One who redeemed us.
If God is holy, His people must be holy. Not to become acceptable. But because we are accepted. Not to earn love. But because we are loved. Not to gain access. But because we have access. Holiness is the response to grace. Not the condition for grace. The fruit of salvation. Not the root of salvation. The evidence of calling. Not the means of calling.
The Reality
We fall short. We all fall short. We’re not holy in all our conduct. We compromise. We rationalize. We justify. We excuse.
But the command hasn’t changed. The standard hasn’t been lowered. The requirement hasn’t been removed. “Be holy, for I am holy.” This is not a burden. It’s a blessing. It’s not a weight. It’s a privilege. It’s not a punishment. It’s a calling. God is calling us to be like Him. To reflect His character. To represent His nature. To bear His image.
The Power
We can’t be holy on our own. We can’t achieve it by our own effort. We can’t produce it by our own strength.
But we can be holy through the power of the Spirit. Through the blood of Jesus. Through the grace of God. Peter says in verse 2 that we are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” We are sanctified by the Spirit. Set apart by the Spirit. Made holy by the Spirit. Holiness is not self-improvement. It’s Spirit-empowerment. It’s not willpower. It’s grace-power. It’s not effort. It’s faith.
Holy So We Could Be Made Holy
Jesus is the Holy One. The only One who perfectly fulfilled this command. The only One who was holy in all His conduct. And He died to make us holy. He took our sin upon Himself so we could share in His holiness. He bore our unholiness so we could bear His holiness. Through His death, we are sanctified. Through His resurrection, we are made holy. Through His Spirit, we are empowered to live holy lives.
Sit With It
- Are you pursuing holiness in all your conduct? Or are you compartmentalizing?
- What areas of your life are not holy? Where are you compromising?
- Are you relying on your own effort to be holy? Or on the power of the Spirit?
Prayer
Lord, You have commanded me to be holy. Not as a suggestion. As a command. Forgive me for the areas where I’ve compromised. For the conduct that’s not holy. For the rationalizations and excuses. Empower me by Your Spirit. Sanctify me by Your blood. Make me holy as You are holy. In all my conduct. In everything. Amen.
