Dear Brethren,

 

The call for holiness is one of the most if not the most avoided topic in the Bible.  And the most profound verses in the Bible regarding holiness are 1 Peter 1:14-16.  The argument here is logical and simple.  Children inherit the nature of their parents.  God is holy; therefore, as His children, we should live holy lives.  We are “partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Peter1:4) and ought to reveal that nature in godly living.

 

Apostle Peter reminded his readers of what they were before they trusted Christ.  They had been children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-3), but now they are to be obedient children (Romans 1:5; 1 Peter 1:2).  They had also been initiator of the world, “fashioned themselves” after the standards and pleasures of the world.  Romans 12:2 translates this same word as “conformed to this world”.  Unsaved people tell us that they want to be “free and different”; yet they all imitate one another!

 

The cause of all of these is ignorance that leads to indulgence.  Unsaved people lack spiritual intelligence, and this causes them to give themselves to all kind of fleshly and worldly indulgencies (see Acts 17:30; Ephesians 4:17).  Since we were born with a fallen nature, it is natural for us to live sinful lives.  Nature determines appetites and actions.  A dog and a cat behave differently because they have different natures.

 

We would still be in that sinful plight were it not for the grace of God.  He called us!  One day, Jesus called Peter and his friends and said, “Come, follow Me…and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).  By faith, they responded to His call, and this completely changed their lives.

 

Perhaps, this explains why Peter used the word “called” so often in this letter.  We are called to be holy (1 Peter 1:15).  We are called “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). We are called to suffer and follow Christ’s example of meekness (1 Peter 2:21).  In the midst of persecution, we are called to inherit blessing (1 Peter 3:9).  Best of all, we are called to His eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10).  God called us before we called on Him for salvation.  It is wholly of grace.

 

But God’s gracious election of sinners to become saints always involves responsibility, and not just privilege.  He has chosen us in Christ “that we should be holy without blame before him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).  God has called us to himself, and He is holy; therefore, we should be holy.

 

May the His Words inspire us to follow His footsteps!

 

 

For His service,

 

Pastor Erwin Concepcion