Starting something new always feels a little fragile. Our church is just beginning to step into English-language ministry so we can reach more of our neighbors. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we do have the one thing that matters: God’s Word.
And in 1 Peter 1:13–16, we’re confronted with a call that is at once inspiring and intimidating:
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
How in the world do we do that?
Why “Holy” Stands Out
Think about adjectives you use for people: patient, tall, funny, maybe even “a little grumpy.” Each of us fits different words differently. But when it comes to God, there’s one word that Scripture repeats three times in a row—holy, holy, holy.
God is not simply loving, kind, or powerful (though He is all of those). Above all, He is holy—set apart, completely other. And then He tells us: be holy like Me.
If we’re honest, that feels impossible. But Peter shows us how holiness is not only possible but expected, and how God equips us for it.
Step One: Prepare Your Mind
Peter starts with:
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
To be holy, you can’t live with a foggy mind or a distracted heart. You need to roll up the sleeves of your thinking.That’s what Peter means—be mentally ready, spiritually sharp, focused on Christ.
A Christian life wobbly with half-hearted hope won’t stand up under pressure. A sober-minded one will.
Step Two: Balance Your Actions
Next Peter writes:
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.”
Holiness doesn’t grow in a vacuum. It’s about everyday choices—what we love, how we live, what we say yes and no to.
Before Christ, we chased desires that led nowhere. Now, Peter calls us obedient children. It’s family language: we don’t obey to become God’s children—we obey because we are God’s children.
And obedience brings balance. It keeps us from overemphasizing one thing (say, study without prayer, or zeal without love) at the expense of the rest.
Step Three: Live Set Apart
Finally Peter says:
“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
The word holy simply means set apart. God is holy because He is completely other. And His people are called to reflect that difference—not in arrogance, but in how we live.
- When the world cheats, the Christian tells the truth.
- When culture bends the knee to every trend, the Christian bows to Christ.
- When life pushes toward selfish ambition, the Christian chooses eternal hope.
Holiness is not sinless perfection in this life—it’s persevering, step by step, as God molds us to look more like Jesus.
God’s Tools for a Holy Life
Here’s the encouraging part: you don’t have to manufacture holiness by sheer willpower. God works in us through what Christians have long called the means of grace:
- His Word — preached, read, and treasured.
- Prayer — dependence that keeps our hearts aligned.
- The Sacraments — baptism and the Lord’s Supper, strengthening our faith.
- Providence — even trials, which shape us more into Christ’s image.
These are the ordinary, powerful ways God grows extraordinary holiness in ordinary believers.
Holiness in Real Life
Let’s be clear: holiness is not about retreating from life but engaging with it differently. It shows up when you:
- Confess and turn from an old pattern of sin.
- Pair your study of theology with prayerful worship.
- Stay steady in faith during trials, remembering they’re “a little while” compared to eternity.
- Keep showing up—in church, at the Table, in fellowship—because grace works through community.
The Good News Behind the Call
The command “Be holy” is not a burden but a blessing. It rests on God’s declaration: “I am holy.” The God who calls us is the God who keeps us.
Jesus Christ has already ransomed us with His blood. The Spirit indwells us. The Father claims us as His children. Holiness is not about earning His love—it’s about living in the light of it.
So, prepare your mind. Balance your actions. Live set apart.
And know that the God who is holy, holy, holy, is making you holy too.
