25 May 2025

THE CALL TO HOLY LIVING

(Biblical & Spiritual Exhortations: BSE 13)

The Apostle Peter exhorted the Church to holy living: “But just as He Who called you is Holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I Am Holy." (1 Pet.1:15-16). The words, “for it is written” refer to God’s Command in Lev.19:2: “Be holy because I, the LORD your God, Am Holy.” So being holy is not an option but imperative. The Bible also warns us that “Without holiness no one shall see the Lord” (Heb.12:14).

Let us remember that our God - the LORD (Yahweh) – is a Holy God. Hence, we need to be holy to be acceptable to Him and to come into His Presence. We are also to “worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness and tremble before Him” because of Who He is (Psa.96:9). We cannot take this lightly, as the OT tells us that when the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies unclean, he would be struck dead. The Holy of Holies represents the Presence of God.

In our life and daily living we are to “be holy in all you do”. There is no exception: everything we are as God’s children and whatever we do should be holy. That is the divine standard for all God’s redeemed children in Christ. The saying, “Like father like son” is so true of us – as God is our Heavenly Father and we are His children. The Apostle Paul exhorted the believers: “Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children” (Eph.5:1). We are to be holy like God Who is Holy. The Apostle John tells us that “Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6). We are to live like Jesus and walk as He walked: in love and holiness.

How can we live a holy life continually before God?

1. We must decide before God that we sincerely want and determine to live a holy life. It means that we will dedicate our life wholeheartedly to Christ and to live for Him. As Paul says, “We make it our goal to please Him” all the time (2 Cor.5:9).



2. We must walk in the Spirit continually: “Walk in the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal.5:16). The flesh will cause us to sin; so, we must crucify the flesh so that it will not have victory over us. We need to be filled with the Spirit and allow Him to take control of our whole being – body, soul and spirit.



3. We must separate ourselves from the world and ungodly people. The Bible instructs us: “We are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor.6:16-18).



4. We must repent and confess our sins so that we may be kept holy: “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). We need always to keep short accounts with sin by repenting immediately so that we may be cleansed and forgiven by God through the Blood of Jesus.

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