Holiness, Part 1

Holiness: for every child of God?

Key passage for the quarter: I Peter 1:13-16

• I Peter 1:14 – not conforming yourself to your former lusts


• I Peter 1:15 – He who called you is holy, you also be holy.


• I Peter 1:16 – “Be holy, for I am holy.” See Leviticus 19:1-2.

Why is holiness confusing to some people?

• Misconceptions
  
  
  
  • Isn’t holiness only descriptive of a select few?
    
    
    
    • No, it is for all Christians. But God’s laws apply whether you submit to them or not.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Isn’t holiness a characteristic to describe those who are self-righteous and hypocritical?
    
    
    
    • No. Those who are self-righteous and hypocritical are not holy in the way God demands of us.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Isn’t holiness unattainable? Wouldn’t you have to be perfect (sinless) in order to be described in such a way?
    
    
    
    • No, because God demands holiness of us and God doesn’t ask things of us that we can’t achieve.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Aren’t holy people just plain strange?
    
    
    
    • It depends on the perspective of the person asking the question!
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Is holiness optional as far as Christian living is concerned?
  
  
  
  

Holiness is for every child of God

• I Peter 2:9 – a chosen generation, a holy priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people


• Titus 2:14 – His own special people, zealous for good works


• II Corinthians 6:17 – Come out from among them and be separate


• I Thessalonians 4:3-7 – the will of God, your sanctification … God did not call us to uncleanness, but in HOLINESS


• I Peter 1:14-16 – not conforming yourselves to the former lusts … you also be holy in all your conduct


• Ephesians 4:22-24 – to put off your old self … be renewed … put on the new self … created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and HOLINESS