As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV)
Peter calls on all believers to be holy in all they do. But how many of us strive for holiness in our daily lives? Or even know what holiness means?
So, what is holiness? What does it mean to be holy, like God is holy? To be holy means to be set apart. In many households, there are two distinct sets of dinnerware (2 Tim. 2:20). There is the stuff you use all the time, the everyday stuff. And then there is the nicer stuff you bring out for company or special occasions. That nicer stuff is set apart, or is holy.
When we are called to holiness, it is to be set apart for God’s use, not to be like everyone else. Being holy doesn’t mean we are perfect; it means we are dedicated to God’s service; for Him to use as He sees fit.
Why should we be holy? Because God is holy. And as his dearly loved children, we should seek to imitate Him (Eph. 5:1). Practicing holiness in all we do.
And that is the challenge for us. We want to fit in with the world; we dislike being different. But we are different. So don’t be afraid to act that way. Holiness is not just for the super Christians but for all of us. It is what we should strive for.
