Be Holy
My brother posted the following on Facebook:
The world says, “Nobody is perfect!” God says: “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
It jumped out at me because it goes along with what has been on my mind recently: that of following Christ wholeheartedly so that others can follow us.
I am so tired of excuses about how “nobody is perfect” and “they should be looking to God anyway.” You’re right. They should. But the fact is that we are called to be examples. God placed us where we’re at so that we can touch others’ lives and show them how to live for Him.
I am the oldest in my family, having 5 younger siblings. I also have nieces and nephews. Because of them and at least one or two other people who look up to me, I pray daily for God to keep drawing me closer to Him and help me not to be a stumbling block. Unfortunately, I do fail. I grow weary. I can fall into having an attitude. But the worst thing I can do is say, “That’s just me.” God tells me to love others as I love myself (Matthew 19:19), to take up my cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23), to be an example of the Believers (1 Timothy 4:12). This letter may have originally been written to Timothy, but I believe that is God’s call to every Christian today.
Although God understands that we are dust, He never gives us license to use that as an excuse to walk in the flesh. In fact, He says to “walk in the Spirit and you WILL NOT fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Wow! Is that possible? Apparently it is or Paul wouldn’t have commanded the Galatians to do so.
The fact is no one is perfect. We all sin and, if we say we haven’t sinned, we are liars. When Christ saves us, however, we should no longer live in sin. We should daily be laying aside “the sin that besets us and … run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). Ouch! I’ve been failing at the “with patience” part lately. But I’m not giving up and I hope you won’t either. The more we draw away from the lusts of the world and draw near our Heavenly Father, the more He will change us and make us more like Him.
I know what it’s like to be tired, to not feel well, to have a demanding schedule, etc. But I also know what it’s like when those things begin to control your life and leave you no time to bask in God’s presence. Don’t let this happen to you. If you are out of the practice of spending time with God, start slow. Read a few verses and pray for a couple minutes if that’s all you can do starting out. But work to carve out more and more time until His Spirit fills your life, your home, your workplace, and everywhere else you go. It’s not impossible. It just takes making Him priority. Isn’t He worth it?
WOW!!! What an article. Thanks for your brother posting and you listening to the Spirit.
I am going to have to share this.
I am on another forum and the question of holiness is brought up and discussed daily.
I am taken aback by the way this generation thinks that the convictions of people are not for today.
Why would the Holy Ghost convict our saintly ancestors of things and yet no one is condemned or convicted of such things today? Were the spiritual conditions worse in olden times than they are now? I am not going to name anything right now.
How long has it been since you heard a message in tongues with interpretation in our churches?
What does it mean to be holy? Will people know we are holy?
People like to say they live by what Jesus says; Here is what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount> Matthew 5:48 King James Version (KJV)
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
I guess Jesus lied and didn’t mean what He said or did He?
Let’s see what the believed Apostle John has to say. I believe he was part of inner circle of Jesus, along with Peter and James.
1 John 2:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 3:1-5 King James Version (KJV)
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
It appears to me that John knew what Jesus wanted.
Thank you for your article.
I agree with Scotty – WOW! I love this! It goes along with what I have been thinking and feeling recently. You have definitely inspired me with this one!