Spiritual Devotional
by Pastor Dexter Sanders
Week of January 10, 2021
Be Holy, for I am Holy
1 Peter 1:15-16
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
As we begin this year 2021, I think it’s important that we put things in proper prospective. Of course, I’m talking to those of us who have committed to get “Back 2 God”. I must admit, even I have not completely understood what that means. For years I’ve shared the importance of us getting “Back 2 God” in our spiritual, political, economic and social behavior. However, today The Most High God is bringing more clarity to that message. You see, ultimately what He’s calling us to do is to be Holy as He is Holy.
In our key scripture, we find the great servant Peter, sharing those same sentiments to the Hebrew Israelites, who were dispersed abroad. He gives to them as well as us today, our marching instructions for this year 2021 and every year which will follow. 1 Peter 1:13 says; 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; What does it mean to gird up your loins? We find this verbiage in Proverbs 31:17 and originally suggested that one would tuck up a long robe into a girdle or something like a belt, so it will not get in the way of one’s physical activity. However, Peter tells us to gird up the loins of our minds, meaning, prepare our minds for the difficult and or challenging situations that lie ahead. While doing so, he suggests we rest our hope in Jesus.
Peter then goes on to describe how we should conduct ourselves, verse 14 says; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; If we are truly committed to getting “Back 2 God”, we must be diligent to make sure we don’t continue in our old behaviors. After all, the very Word of God proclaims in 2 Corinthians 5:17; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”.
Finally, as we approach our key scripture for today, let’s be careful not to read pass anything. Verse 15 begins with; “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,”. There are two very important points we must consider; first “He who called you”. Please understand who it is, that’s called you back unto Himself. It is the Most High God who is calling you, it’s the Most High God who is urging you, it is The Most High God that even has you reading this devotional today, in hopes that you will come back to Him.
Verse 15 continues by suggesting; this same Most High God that’s calling you is “Holy”, meaning sanctified, blessed, devine, sacred, pure or hallowed. This God that’s calling you is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”.
Verse 15 then gives you and I the summation of the entire “Back 2 God” journey. It reads; “you also be holy in all your conduct”. This is the desire God has for you and me, He wants us to be sanctified, blessed, divine, sacred, pure or hallowed. He wants us to be like Him. He wants us to be “Holy” as He Himself is “Holy”.
As if that were not enough, verse 16 tells us why this must be accomplished, why we must be holy as God is Holy. It reads; 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” According to scripture we, the children of the Most High God must be holy because it is written. In other words, God prophetically spoke our holiness into existence by writing it in His Word. In the book of Leviticus 19:2 , we find the great servant Moses giving instructions to the Hebrew Israelites, it reads; “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. The Most High God said, ‘You shall be holy”. Not only did God tells us to be holy, but He wrote it down in His Word. His Word is forever, His commandments are forever, His statues are forever, how do we know? He sent Jesus Christ to tells us in
Matthew 24:35; “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
The Most High God called the children of Israel, as He’s calling you and me to be Holy as He is Holy. This mantle of holiness is available to any and everyone who believes in His Word and are called according to His purpose. As we endeavor on our journey back to Him, let us bear this in mind; we are to be holy as He is Holy.