Be holy

Holy. Holy. Holy. Echoing through the old covenant. And God is clear about the requirements. For coming into His Presence. Following His plan.

Numbers 16 details the consequences for some who try to do it their own way. After all, they’re entitled. It’s only fair.

But the unconsecrated
fall dead.
Careless in their coming.

Second-guessing God’s appointments.
Their selfish, personal promotion
on display.

Be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Judgment

And judgment comes. Dramatic. Stunning.

The earth swallows whole the disobedient within their own camp.

Fire from heaven incinerates the arrogant. As they stand demanding position, unholy fire in hand.

And it doesn’t end with their ashes.

A plague moves swiftly through the assembly. Halted only by a righteous man making atonement. Standing between the living and the dead.

Atonement

Contemplating the holy and the unholy, I rejoice in the Righteous One who made atonement. For us. That we might have eternal life. In the presence of our Holy God.

And I turn to the writings of Peter. In the New Testament.

He recounts the new birth into a living hope. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And affirms the imperishable inheritance kept in heaven for believers.

He reminds us. We’re receiving the goal of our faith: the salvation of our souls.

Then he addresses conduct. And in this time of the new covenant, he quotes from the Law. Of the old covenant.

“But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
1 Peter 1:15-16 CSB

“Be holy.” Not addressing the unbeliever. The unconsecrated. But spoken to those who’ve put their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is written

“Be holy in all your conduct.” All sounds…. Well, impossible.

But it is written. And the heart is pierced. Laid bare. Exposed in the searchlight of the Spirit.

His Word is truth. Unvarnished in delivery. Revealing competition for our devotion to the Holy One.

Where it begins

“Be holy” doesn’t begin with eyes focused on all that’s wrong and unholy out there. Out in the world. City. Church. Neighborhood. Or family.

It doesn’t start with my own determination and knowledge and skill to do the right thing.

“Be holy” begins with abiding. In Christ. Drawing near to Him. In prayer and the Word.

Wholly His

“Be holy” continues through regularly confessing sin. Bringing to light any hidden pride. Acknowledging every glossed-over tendency toward prejudice. Repenting for each sidestep away from what is right and true.

As we grow in Christ, we learn the joy of full surrender. The freedom of walking His path. The peace that follows when we go where He says go.

Holy. Wholly. His.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters,
in view of the mercies of God,
I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
Do not be conformed to this age
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing,
and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 CSB

What about you?

Have you ever struggled with the instruction to “be holy in all of your conduct”? What has the Lord taught you about holiness in this ongoing journey of obedience?