Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.
1 Peter 1:13-16 CSB
To be holy means to be set apart. As Christians we are to be set apart. People should be able to see that we are different. It doesn’t mean that we need to dress in a way that draws attention or do things that draw attention. Being holy is a quiet submission to Christ. It’s being still and knowing that He is God and He’s got this (Psalm 46:10). It’s having that peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) when the world around us seems to be falling apart. It’s calmly trusting God to guide us when others around us are wringing their hands and wondering what to do.
We live in a broken world. There is evidence of this in the news and on social media constantly. As Christians, we are called to be obedient and to trust in God. We are called to focus on Him and allow Him to handle all that we need (Matthew 6:33). We are called not to rely on our own understanding, but to solely trust Him to guide us in all that we do (Proverbs 3:5-7).
When we do these things, it sets us apart. It makes us different from many of those around us. It gives light to those lost in a dark world.
In our scripture passage, Peter begins by telling us that our minds should be ready for action. Being holy isn’t just a passive stance. Being holy means being suited up for battle and standing firm (Ephesians 6:10-18). We should keep our minds free from the clutter and garbage that is all around us. Then Peter tells us to be sober minded. Peter uses the term sober minded in chapter 5, verse 8 when he tells us to be sober minded and alert for the devil is prowling around seeking someone to devour. Peter knew first hand the dangers of not being sober minded and ready to stand against the devil. Even after Jesus warned Peter that he would deny Him three times, Peter was cocky. He said that he would never do such a thing. He was placing his hope in his own strength, not the supernatural strength we get from the Lord (Matthew 26:69-75). Peter understood the importance of having our minds ready to avoid the devil’s deception.
He reminds us to be obedient. Before we accepted Christ, we were living in ignorance. We lived as children who knew no better. But once we accept Christ, we are expected to trust and obey. 1 John tells us that whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning since the beginning. Acts 17:30 tells us that the times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Peter then tells us to be holy in all our conduct. When we accept Christ as our savior, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in our hearts. The Holy Spirit helps us to be righteous and holy or set apart from the rest of the world. Our speech should be holy, both typed and spoken. Our actions should be holy. I challenge you to go through this week taking time to think before you speak or type. Are your words holy? Do they set you apart from the world, or do they conform to the world and speak from your former ignorance? Do your actions set you apart? Is what you are about to do going to have others seeing you as set apart or seeing you as conforming to the rest of this lost and broken world?
We are called to be holy. That sounds like an impossible task, but my friend if you allow God to fill you with His Holy Spirit each and every day, then being holy will become a natural part of who you are. Make Psalm 139:23-24 part of your prayer each morning and ask God to search your heart, try you and know your thoughts. Ask Him to see if there is any wickedness in you and to guide you in the way everlasting. He will be happy to do that, you need only ask. He would like nothing more than to help you in your quest to be holy.
Have a great day!