That is a tough order to fill. This verse bothered me a lot when I was younger. I worked at being Holy, but like Paul the things I wanted to do I didn’t do, and that which I didn’t want to do I did. I became frustrated and at one point almost gave up. “There is no way I can be holy,” I thought. Later I found out that I did not understand what it meant to be holy.
You will never reach perfection as long as you are in this world. You will probably mess up every day. So if you are struggling to reach a sinless, perfect life ease up on yourself.
The passage that I am referring to is in 1 Peter 1:15. But we need to look also at verse 14. “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” Then verse 15 and 16, “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; “Be Holy, because I am Holy.”
In Hebrews 2:10-11 we are told where our holiness comes from. “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God ...should make the pioneer (Jesus) of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the One who makes people holy and those who are made holy, are of the same family, so Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” Then In Hebrews 3:1 the author refers to those who have been saved, “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge ias apostle and high priest.
God is our pattern of holiness. Jesus demonstrated holiness. Those who have been saved were called by God. They are chosen to be his children. We who are saved were given God’s spiritual DNA. We were brought into His family becoming brothers and sisters of Jesus. In heaven we will know each other only as brother or sister. We will know only one father, the Heavenly Father.
When we were saved we were made holy at that point. Hebrews 2:11, “Both the One who makes people holy…” God is absolute in holiness. We know that we have our parents DNA. We resemble them in many ways. I look very much like my dad. In the same way, because we have been made holy, we will reflect the characteristics of God. I don’t look exactly like my dad, and neither can we look exactly like our Heavenly Father in this world. But we should be a reflection of the one who saved us and made us holy. “God does not conform to a standard; He is the standard. God is immediately holy from all eternity. His holiness is not derive.”
The next time you really blow this holiness thing just remember that you are God’s very own child whom he loves. Because you have his DNA he looks at you and sees that you look very much like Jesus. He sees a very strong resemblance, and knows that you are part of his family. But because you are his child you must do the best you can to live so that when the world looks at you they too will see what Jesus looks like. Remember that God’s Holy DNA is in you.
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