“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 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."”
Literally the word holy means set apart. Sabbath is holy because it is a different day than the other six. A tithe is holy because it is God's not ours. God separated Himself from all sin unto righteousness. Peter wants us to be like our Heavenly Father by being holy, for God is holy.
Some think to be holy is to pray all night in a church prayer meeting, or every time the church doors are open to be there, or to memorize large portions of the Bible. Others will define holiness by the things we do not do. “We don't gamble, we don't' chew we don't go with girls that do. We don't drink and we don't smoke, and we don't dance with any folk."
Holiness must be looked upon in two ways. It is a fact that we have been set apart for Him in Christ. We have been forgiven of all our sin. As such holiness is a positional state making us acceptable to the Father based on our trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins and now we are ones in whom God's Spirit lives. Such holiness is given to us at conversion, but it is also true that sin still shows its ugly face in our lives. A holy life is different than a life given over to our desires and wants. Before people knew God and gave Him control, they lived in ignorance of a personal relationship with Him. Jesus revealed the character of the Father.
Peter tells us not to fashion ourselves according to the former lusts in our ignorance. Self-gratification is the great problem of the Christian lifestyle today. Doing what we want to do because we want to do it is our greatest struggle.
Peter wanted the suffering saints to know they had a Father who loved them dearly and whose care was given to them daily. We are to reflect the traits and characteristics of our Father.
Jesus sought to do the will of the Father and was completely possessed by God. Christ not only wanted us to do the things He does, but have the relationship with His Father that is possible for us to have. He wanted us to be changed from the inside out because it is impossible to be changed from the outside in. It is only possible when we continue to let Him be the ruler over us. Holiness then is not a pious look or set standard of actions but living with God in charge.
Be holy or become holy. It is like a blossom of a flower opening up and becoming in the process.
Application: Peter is contrasting the children of disobedience, with the children of God. Whose child are you? Who do you resemble the most? Do you enjoy the things of God or not?
Prayer: Lord, I want to be holy, set apart for You my Master, ready to do Your Will.
