Be Holy for I am Holy 1 PETER 1:14-16, 1 PETER 1:2

The Holiness of God  He is separate and distinct (Exodus 3:14 )  God’s holiness surpasses all others (Ex15:11,1 Sam 2:2)  God’s holiness is preeminent (Isa 6:3, Rev 4:8)  God is separated from all that is profane and sinful (Psalm 5:4,Isa 59:12,James1:13, James 1:17,Job 34:10  God is not neutral about sin-He does not take pleasure with sin (Deut 25:16)

How Should God’s Holiness Impact on Our Lives?  How does the Holiness of God make its proper impact on our lives?  Does this mean that we cloister ourselves, set apart from the universe?  1 Peter 1:14-16-So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do,just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say” You must be holy because I am holy.  1 Peter1 :2 –God the Father knew you and chose you long ago and His Spirit has made you holy. As a result you have obeyed Him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Five steps in which God brings His Holiness to be expressed in the lives of believers 1) God Calls us  This call is the effect of God’s life giving Word that brings us out of rebellion, into the submissive attitude of faith.  1Peter 1;2, 1 Peter 1:15, Ro 8;29-30  God’s call to salvation is grace (We did not do anything) Eph 2:8

Five steps… (Cont) 2) We become the children of God  “as God’s obedient children” v14  The new birth makes us children of God (Ro 8:14-15)  We become heirs (Ro 8:17)  We are trained/disciplined/corrected (Heb 12:5-11) and share in His Holiness

Five steps…(cont) 3) We see things differently  We no longer see things in ignorance because we did not know better then.  We understand the value of eternal against temporal (Matt 6:19-21, Matt 6:24)  We assess things and make decisions with God as guide (Psalm 32:8)  Our worldview changes-we value the eternal more than temporal

Five steps…(cont) 4) We put away old desires (rubbish)  Our ignorance about God is replaced by truth.  We realise God’s value in our lives-His love,judgment, provision for our redemption and promise of everlasting life-our worldview changes.  The worldview of the world is to satisfy our own desires  Our own desires fade as the Holy Spirit guides our lives (Gal 5:16-22)  Our own desires are not the defining power of our lives anymore.

Five Steps…(cont) 5) We obey God  As our old desires are dethroned –we become obedient children of Gd.  We obey which leads to righteous living(Rom 6:16)  We become slaves of righteous living (Rom 6:17)

We have no part in the process – its all God’s -we just need to surrender  This would mean offering our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom 12:2).Not the OT burnt sacrifices.  We live everything at God’s disposal –we don’t own our lives.  We live a life permeated by God (John Piper) God in the morning,midday and evening, God as motive, God as guide,God as moral standard, God as Comfort, Gd as strength, God as truth, God as Joy..We let God be..

In summary  God brings holiness to be expressed in the lives of believers.  The believer has no part in this. They just need to respond to God’s call and yield to the leading of His Spirit in an attitude of surrender and humility. God will do the rest.  Our life as believers should reflect that we are :  Ever aware of God  Ever submitted to God  Ever trusting God  Ever Guided By God  Ever Hoping in God