Discipleship Devotional, April 16th, 2025
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
– 1st Peter 1:15-16 (NIV)
Many times, when people hear the instruction to be holy, they are quick to give up. This is either because they don’t have the right understanding of what holiness is or because they think God expects them to do it by their power. First of all, holiness speaks of sacredness. To be holy is to be set apart for a special use. And as believers, the Bible tells us that we have already been made holy in Christ.
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
– Hebrews 10:10 (NIV)
Someone may then ask why we are still given instructions to be holy. Well, this is because though we have been made holy, it is still a responsibility for us to live holy in our conduct. As the text says, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of Christ. Because of the work of Christ, the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of holiness) now resides in us. This is why we can now live holy lives. God does not expect you to do it yourself. You have to rely on His Spirit.
Having understood that, how can you walk in holiness? You walk in holiness by walking in the Spirit. The Bible tells us that if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. This is a statement of certainty. That is to say, we can be assured that as long as a person is walking in the Spirit, he or she will continually walk in holiness. When we walk in the Spirit, we are walking in the light.
Are you one of those people who think it is impracticable to live a holy life? Well, I have news for you: you have no chance of accomplishing it if you try by yourself. The only hope we have is relying on the Holy Spirit. So always ask Him for His help and He will help you.
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
– 2nd Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)
Prayer
Thank you, Father, for making us holy in Christ and sanctifying us by your Spirit. Help us to always walk in the Spirit to live holy lives.
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