Holiness is not something we work for.
The literal dictionary meaning of the word “holy” is “dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose.”
So God “consecrates” or “dedicated” people to Himself and those people are called “holy people.”
So as you can see, “holy” does not refer to moral purity. No one can earn “holiness, rather they receive it.
Peter writes:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 ESV
Do you see it?
They are called and chosen by God first. Then once they are “hand picked” by God to be used by God, they are called “holy people.”
When we say, “God is holy,” it means, according to Enduring Word, “God is separate, different from His creation, both in His essential nature and in the perfection of His attributes.”
So God says to us:
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16 ESV
What is He saying to us?
He is saying, Be separate, be different from other people who don’t belong to Me. Do life differently! Walk differently. Lead your life differently.
Listen:
“Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 ESV
Do you see it?
Are we holy? Are we separate? As Christians, we have to because to be holy is our call. We establish our call by being separate from this world.
By the way, “to be different” or “to be separate” from the people of this world is not only seen by the things we don’t do but also by the things we do.
We don’t cheat on our income tax as the people of this world and we do work hard to earn income for the word of God says, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV
You see, God separates us for Himself, not so that we live our life minding our business. We are set apart to be used by God, so God lets His Son, Jesus Christ, live in and through us. The phrase “his own possession” shows He is indwelling the people He sets apart, to do what? To live in them!
So, as Christians, the question we always need to ask ourselves is this: “Am I holy when I do and say that? Does what I say and do show that I am set apart for God, for the glory of God, to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called” me “out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
This question alone will convict us of our sin and helps us to go back to the shepherd’s our soul.
Let’s not follow Christ as if He had a Twitter account. Rather let’s follow Him as holy people whose existence is to proclaim His excellency to the watching world. ///