"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.' " - 1 Peter 1:15-16
Has your holiness become water-down or relevant? Related to culture or what other Christians are doing? Jerry Bridges uses this chapter to reshape and refocus what our view of holiness is, and what our views of God's holiness should be. The 1 Peter verses are such great verses to set the tone for the chapter, but he also helps unpack it and explain what the magnitude of the verses mean for us.
Has your holiness become water-down or relevant? Related to culture or what other Christians are doing? Jerry Bridges uses this chapter to reshape and refocus what our view of holiness is, and what our views of God's holiness should be. The 1 Peter verses are such great verses to set the tone for the chapter, but he also helps unpack it and explain what the magnitude of the verses mean for us.
God knows what is right, does what is right, is free from evil, AND always consistent with this nature. 1 John 1:5 - "God is light; in Him there is no darkness." Knowing these truths is for our good, it can give us comfort to know we have a just God, who will always be fair.
What do these truths means to us? First, adoration and praise. Exodus 15:11. Secondly, we need to carry out the command in 1 Peter 1:15-16, being holy because God expects our character to be as such.
A good point that the author makes in the second half of the chapter is that God hates sin. He makes this relevant to us by saying the more we grow in holiness, the more we should hate sin also. "We may trifle with our sins or excuse them, but God hates them." He really cuts to the heart, with what might be one of the key sentences in the chapter: "Hatred of sin as sin, not just as something disquieting or defeating to ourselves, but as displeasing to God, lies at the root of all true holiness."
One note, is that I wished he developed the role of Christ in this chapter a little more. He notes "Granted, the love of God to us through Jesus Christ should be our primary motivation to holiness. But a motivation prompted by God's hatred of sin and His consequent judgment on it is no less biblical." I agree with this chapter and quote, and that it plays a part as a facet of the gospel and the Christians walk, but standing alone, it is tinged with works-based faith. I believe further chapters will help explain the role of grace and Christ, so it probably will be cleared up then.
All to often we take the freedom and grace of Christ, and turn it into a warrant to overlook attributes in our character and excuse some of our sins. This chapter helps refocus the holiness of God and His hatred of sin.
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