1 Peter 1:16 Scripture says, "Be Holy, because I am Holy." What does this mean to you?
What is Holy, and how best can we show that we are?
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me?..... I am the least of all that I would have ever have considered to be Holy. However....I answered my Lord when He called. I will never understand how much He loves me, and why He would call such as me. Better yet, I do not even understand how God blessed me with enough grace 'to respond' and say "Yes".....when numerous 'good' people that I know have refused Him. But just that tiny bit of faith.....as a grain of mustard...is all that could possibly be Holy on 'my' part. I am only Holy because I am His.
forgiven I always thought I was the least. Maybe we can share that distinction. All to His Glory ans Praise. I did not know for a long time "why" me. Over the years I have grown into, just being Thankful that He has chosen me and I am able to serve Him, anyway I can. Thank you Brother for sharing. Your humility is True and Clear, may the Lord continue to Bless you. For I can tell you are a humble, but true Son of the Most High.
As I have consider this verse, and many others like it. I have found myself weighing my actions, a little closer then maybe I had before. When I think of Holy, and that I we are told to be Holy. I think of humility, to Honor God yes but, to honor others. To see Holy as a action, not just a result of our relationship to Our Lord. To be Holy in how I consider others. To respect all of His creation, all of His Children, to be Holy in how I see them. I know the ability to do this can only come from Him. As "forgiven" said because He is Holy, I am Holy. What I am working to understand is, because I am told to be Holy, how should or does that knowledge effect my actions. I am beginning to see a True Peace emerge from, allowing Holy to govern by behavior. I know it is only by Grace, as His Personality, which is complete Holiness, influences my spirit man, I am seeing that Peace that passes all understanding, in a very new light. All to His Glory, and all Praise unto the Lord.
Servant Chris(My opinion only)To be Holy to me is being like Jesus Christ, what I mean here is to walk with the spirit of truth, no lies, be righteous and let your light shine before man that they can see that Jesus Christ is within you. Be a forgiving person as Jesus would do, lead by example that man can see that you have been annoited by God. Be slow to anger, instead put on the shoes of peace, hard but if we have Jesus living within us we can overcome, he did because he said be of good cheer I have overcome the world. Amen.
Mary Doris
Thank you Mary. Your opinion is exactly what the Spirit is leading me, to try and say here. Because we have the Spirit of the Lord and Jesus inside of us, then we should shine. And, others in the world need to see this behavior. To be as Jesus is now, to be as Jesus lived His life here on earth. Bless you Sister for sharing. You are lead by the Spirit of the Lord, for to "Be Holy" I feel is a action. We express the Holiness of the Lord, through the things we do.
Lord Bless you.
Chris
I believe that to be holy is not an action in and of itself, but if we're acting for God and are focused on what he wants us to be focused on, then his holiness may be expressed through us.
I'm reminded of dreams I've had, the first few of which I didn't understand until years later. In the dreams I'm sometimes speaking to a person and I feel God speaking through me, sometimes in a different language even!! In one dream which I can't remember clearly, I spoke to a person (in English), and they seemed stunned. I've since realised the reason for their reaction and the words I used were because I must have had the "Shekinah glory" of God over me in the dream (this wasn't something I noticed in the dream though). I'd heard of this supposedly experienced by some real life christians walking in holiness, but until that time hadn't realised/connected it with that dream.
For those who aren't aware of it, if someone has the Shekinah glory of God over them, then the person projects such holiness that they can be mistaken for an angel (not with wings of course lol). From what I personally understand (and I'm by no means an expert on it), it appears to be a temporary spiritual manifestation bestowed on a Christian who walks with God when they have to make a very strong impression on someone (perhaps on non-believers running from God?).
I've met a Christian I "believe" to be walking with God and in holiness. I didn't see the Shekinah glory on them, but unless I'm mistaken I could sense/see the holiness in them. I'd like to note just as there's a danger of people "worshipping angels", there's also a danger of placing too much faith on such people too, and it's important to recognise glory belongs to God, and we're just the vessels (or messengers) of his glory.
James
I am wondering about your first sentence. If Holy is not a action, then how can Holiness be expressed through us? I know we are only Holy by and through Jesus. You see it is that word, "Be" which shows me action. Also, a number of verse show us, we are told how our behavior should be. They show we are to be Holy. As we weigh our actions against these verses, we are to chose Holiness. Which again shows how we are to act; conduct ourselves. To Be Holy... Thanks for your response
Chris, be is a state of being; do is a state of doing. I see your point though. We do make choices everyday.
James, I like what you said:
I believe that to be holy is not an action in and of itself, but if we're acting for God and are focused on what he wants us to be focused on, then his holiness may be expressed through us.
Cool answer. It is a state of being. It is Christ living out His life in and through us. It is being set apart by God for God. It is being in the world but not of the world.
Question: "What does it mean that Christians are not of this world?"
Answer: The phrase “not of this world” is perhaps most well-known for being a Christian apparel company. But what exactly does it mean that Christians are “not of this world”? The phrase comes from John 18:36 where Jesus says that His kingdom is “not of this world.” As His followers, Christians are members of His kingdom which is “not of this world,” that is, heaven (Philippians 3:20). Yes, we are on earth for now, but our earthly lives are nothing but a vapor (James 4:14). But eternity, now that is a long time, and that is where a Christian’s focus should really be (1 Peter 5:10).
The things of this world, wars, famine, suffering, poverty, etc., impact Christians and non-Christians alike. By remembering that we are “not of this world,” remembering that these things are just for a little while, we can see them in a different light. We are still in this world but we are no longer of it (John 17:14). We are still surrounded by all the horrors and tragedy of this life, but this is not our life (Philippians 3:8-14). The knowledge that we are not of this world gives Christians hope even in the darkest times (1 Peter 1:6-9); hope that this will pass and at the end of it we will be in heaven with our God, face to face forever (Revelation 21:3-4). This cracked and broken place is not where we belong, and it is not where we will stay (1 Corinthians 3:12).
Christians are not of this world. We have been adopted as heirs of heaven by God Himself and that is our world, our citizenship (Titus 3:7). And in the meanwhile we wait (2 Corinthians 5:12), and we hope (Romans 5:5), and we do what we can to bring others into the “not of this world” relationship with Jesus Christ. But this world is not our home, and never will be.
Recommended Resource: Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie.
Yes Christine I think that helps us to remember, we will have to give an account for our actions. As we chose to follow Jesus and His example, we will be Holy in what we do. Thank you for your response.
Chris,
When we accept Christ, we are Holy. If we obey His Will, that holiness is made manifest to all that know us.
Blessings...
Rita
I agree with Rita and put two terms to it. We experience "Positional" holiness the day we are born again. The holiness we possess is that of Jesus Himself as He possesses us as a child of God. Then we have "Experiential" holiness. This is the part where our daily life begins to demonstrate that Christ-like holiness and is a life long process. The key here is for the life of Christ to well up in us and then flow from us. Holiness can never be achieved from the outside in, but rather from the inside out as we surrender daily to and mature in Christ ... as He lives thrugh us.
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