"You shall be holy

as I am holy."

I Peter 1:16

This quote is from the Old Testament and is just as true in the New (Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, 20:7).  But how is this possible?  Most Christians say it is impossible, that we sin every day in thought, word and deed; that the only hope is to hide behind the blood, that God can't see our sin.  Did anyone ever tell them that we cannot hide from God? Ask Adam and Eve.  

The possibility does not come from us, but from the gift of the Holy Spirit who comes with power.  God would not call us unless He makes it possible.  Of course none of us in our humanness are able to be perfect, but we may have pure, clean perfect hearts before God.  What an insult to our holy God at the cost of His Son and to the Holy Spirit to spurn what God has made possible.  How sad.  The majority of Christians live below what God has called us to and what God desires to do in our lives.    It's called a "sinning religion," a very dangerous insult to God.  What they are saying is that "You shall be unholy," always missing the mark, that the God who says nothing is impossible cannot make it possible.  If/ He can raise Jesus from the grave, I think He can make you holy.  

"...as I am holy."  Adam Clarke notes that the heathen gods are not paragons of virtue, rather are almost always examples of abominable vice and lusts.  They cannot be objects of imitation."

How wonderful our God is holy and has made it possible for us to be holy.

In fact, "The Final Message" in Revelation is that "the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy." (Rev. 22:11)

In I Thessalonians 5:23-24 promises, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." Get that?  He who calls you, will bring it to pass.  

Colossians 1:22 "He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach."  We cannot insult the One who paid it all to make us holy.  

The whole passage in I Peter 1:15-16 says, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"  How can we do that?  Hold onto His hand, to the One who is able to keep you from falling and never let go!  "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy..." Jude 24.  Who are we to say God is not able?  For shame! 

God has called us from disobedience, from former lusts to be like Him, like the Holy One.  As obedient children we can be like our Dad.  How 'bout that!