June 2 – Radical Transformation (1 Peter 1:13-16)

“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,’ “
(1 Peter 1:15-16)

IN WORD:
Our familiarity with the gospel often dulls us to history’s most spectacular truth: Human beings can have a relationship with the unimaginably awesome God. Perhaps having heard this so many times has led us to take it for granted, but it’s Scripture’s most startling claim and a truly overwhelming thought for anyone who will let it sink in.
What makes this possible? The cleansing sacrifice of Jesus removes our impurity and makes us pure. But this is the legal side of the issue. What makes an ongoing, intimate relationship with the Almighty a practical reality? Holiness. The process of becoming like Him. Those among us who need impressive theological terms to validate a doctrine call it “sanctification.” If the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus is the basis for our relationship with God, our sanctification is its practical application. We cannot know Him well without it.
That’s what makes this truth of a relationship with God so startling. When we first learn who He is, we come face-to-face with an overwhelming obstacle: A thoroughly sinful man cannot get along with a perfectly holy God without one of them having a radical change of character, and we know God isn’t going to be the one to change. He can’t. It must be us.

IN DEED:
Far too many Christians are content with the legal basis of their salvation without taking too much thought to apply it to their daily lives. But we cannot know Him — really know Him, as in a relationship — unless we become like Him. That will hurt. It does painful damage to our sinful nature to become holy. We are slow to let it go.
Have you assumed that God would never ask you to forsake some of your natural tendencies? Don’t. He certainly will. That sin you tolerate? Let it go. However painful it is, let Him rework you. Abandon all that isn’t just like His pure, perfect character. Be holy.

“To love Jesus is to love holiness.” -David Smithers-