Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Peter 1:15
“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” – 1 Peter 1:15
Peter, in our focus verse, is calling all God’s people to be Holy. This is a calling that God has placed on everyone who is to follow Him. In Leviticus we read, “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44-45. Also, “Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine” Leviticus 20:26. And in Deuteronomy. “Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you.” Deuteronomy 23:14. In all three of these, God is calling the Jewish nation to be Holy as He is.
And now, we as Christians are called to be holy as well. The writer of Hebrews put it this way. “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14. We are called by God to live a holy and sanctified life. Paul, in his second letter to the Church at Corinth, wrote the following. “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And 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. Paul is saying that God has called us out of the world, out of our previous life apart from God. And when we do this, He shall be our father and we shall be His sons and daughters. These are promises God has given us. And next comes the “Therefore”. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1.
As Christians, we are to strive with all we are to live a life of holiness. We are to dedicate our life completely and totally to God, honoring Him in everything we do. Holiness means to separate. We need to separate from our old life and ways, our thoughts and desires. How can we do this? First, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2. We need to become less like the world and focus on God and His ways. Second, “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22. We must not give in to evil desires but pursue righteousness in all ways. And third, as our focus verse states with the requirements of the above two, “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” 1 Peter 1:15. In all our ways, we should pursue the first and second items with all we are.
Paul in his letter to the Church in Ephesus wrote, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;” Ephesians 5:1. God is holy, and He wants us to be holy as well, and this should be the focus of our life. Let us strive in all we do to live a sanctified life to the glory of God. For, it is what He desires of us.
William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.