ALIVE TO GOD
God is saying, "You are holy, now be holy". So the apostle Peter says:
"... 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;
as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
but 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'," 1 Peter 1'13-16.
There's a fairly common saying, "In the world but not of the world" and it summarises the every day reality involved in being holy and being sanctified.
The basis for the saying stems from the Lord's words:
“Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world," John 17'11.
“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world," John 17'16.
Assistance is promised to Believers who want to follow the Lord's words:
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever -
the Spirit of truth," John 15'15-17.
The Holy Spirit is very much involved with Believers' every day living. He gives them the understandings and the power.
So be confident, because "... you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things," 1 John 2'20.
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Being holy, then, is about being alive to God and, as a result, being different. It's a life of being distinctly spiritual and at the same time being human.
Of course, men and women without Christ people are ungodly and unholy. Nevertheless, they are made in the image of God.
Believers live among them as "sojourners and pilgrims" (1 Peter 2'11) and have much the same basic needs as them.
However, being holy and sanctified raises challenges for them. But Jesus encouraged His People:
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world," John 16'33.
Paul could say of himself and Timothy:
"... we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God," 2 Corinthians 1'12.
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But beware. The enemy lays traps to lure Believers into becoming comfortable among unbelievers and compromising. To all intents and purposes being no different.
This is why 1 Corinthians 11'28 says at the Lord's Supper:
"... let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup".
Take stock. Look around. Pray. Seek God's Kingdom first. Hear the word of Christ and receive His blessings of holiness:
"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.'
Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.
I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty'.
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God," 2 Corinthians 6'14-7'1.