Be Holy for God is Holy

Peter charges us in his epistle in this way; “as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

To be holy is to be set apart for a sacred purpose.  It is to be chosen by God, who is holiness, for His use and for His purposes.  To be holy is to be a saint – and we are to understand from the scriptures that all Christians are saints, this is not a word only to be used for some kind of super-Christian.  But that means that all of us who are in Christ are set apart by God for His sacred purposes.

This summons you all have received to this holy convocation, to this Lord’s Day covenant renewal service, is just the beginning of what you have been set apart for this week.  This week, as with each week, you are set apart here for the renewing and equipping of your mind and spirit, to be transformed more and more by the Word and Spirit into the image of Jesus.  We are to be His body, empowered by Him, to go out and live holy lives – lives set apart for sacred purposes.

Everything you do, everything you say, everything you think, everything you take in and give out, is to be in accord with everything that happens here in the presence of the Lord with His people, His body, His church.  You are never autonomous and you are never alone.  Jesus Himself has said, “and lo, I am with you always.”

And so, by faith, you are to let this service shape your thoughts, your motives, your intentions, your self-control, your self-sacrifice, your joys and your sorrows – all shaped by what goes on here in this service of worship.  By God’s grace, you should find yourself reflecting back on this service of worship throughout the week and looking forward to presenting yourselves again the next Lord’s Day as we continue in this ongoing work of bringing God’s kingdom upon this earth as it is in heaven.  What are your particular next steps in holiness.  God will be revealing it to you now and throughout your week, day in and day out.  So come and worship the Lord.