Father Figures

As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a new way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." 1 Peter 1:14-16 The Message

Our culture abounds with misconceptions about holiness. The word on the street is that holiness is another name for narrow-minded, hypocritical, petty thinking based on religious rules. No one wants to be a "holy Joe."

Peter knew different. He saw holiness as the result of being in a relationship with God, not in following rules to impress God. Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44: "Be holy, because I am holy." In that Old Testament passage, God addresses His people from his covenant relationship with them. He says in effect, "Because you're my people and I'm your God, you're going to start looking like it."

The Bible’s original meaning of holiness centers on distinction, standing out from the crowd. God is holy because He is completely other, distinct from creation—and separate from sin. Holy people are aligned with God, not with the world; when we belong to Him we stand apart from the rest of the world.

Personal holiness reflects God’s character in our lives. It isn't an attempt to impress God with how well we avoid sins; it's about allowing His personality to influence our lives, shape our character, and shine through us.

God's holiness in our lives is like light in a mirror. The mirror is not the source of the light, but the mirror’s angled position extends the light. Our positions in right relationship with God through Jesus Christ also extend holiness into the world and lives around us. The difference is that God's holiness reflects through our lives by our choices and decisions, not passively, as the moon reflects the sun’s light.

The active-reflection principle also surfaces in family resemblances. Just as we receive physical characteristics from our parents, we also receive personality traits. To my amazement, for example, as I grow older, I'm more like my dad. I look more like him, and my personality is more like his. In short, I actively reflect my dad in the choices I make and the way I live. The choices are mine—my father isn't deciding for me—but my life reflects his influence.

Peter had that in mind when he tells us to be holy the way God is holy. Peter’s not calling us to fulfill a mission impossible—to reach an unattainable standard of holiness on our own. He encourages us to just be ourselves, to be children of the Father. When we do, our Father’s character and nature—His love and holiness—shine through us.