Holy Bible Online 
Title: Holiness to the Lord!
Objective: To understand that God wants us to be sanctified in our journey of faith with Him. This means being set apart for God and His purposes.
Key Text: 1 Peter 1:13–16
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
- 1 Peter 1:13–16
Key Verse:1 Peter 1:16 — “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Introduction
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What does it mean to be holy?
To be holy means to be separated from sin. God is completely holy — there is no evil in Him. As our loving Father, He doesn’t want us to be imprisoned, corrupted, or destroyed by evil.
Being separated for God and His purposes — this should be every Christian's goal. -
Sanctification is:
A process of becoming more like Jesus. When you know Christ and dedicate your life to Him, the Holy Spirit begins to dwell in your heart and starts this process of sanctification. It means God is perfecting you day by day as you live in dependence on Him. -
What holiness is NOT:
Holiness is not being overly religious, annoying, or isolated. It’s not legalism or arrogance. Holiness is not apathy, nor a lack of commitment or reverence. It is not simply following rules, but a life aligned with God's heart.
Application
God’s purpose has always been our holiness.
You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.
- Leviticus 20:26
1. God – The Holy One
The first reason to pursue holiness is that our Lord is holy. Walking with Him requires holiness. Jesus is the ultimate standard of holiness. He is the one we should aim to please with our lives.
“There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.- 1 Samuel 2:2
Let your life reflect a faith and practice that draws you closer to Him and away from sin.
2. Sanctification – Dedication to God
Anything or anyone sanctified to serve in the Temple had to be:
- the most beautiful,
- the most useful,
- the most effective.
This beauty, usefulness, and effectiveness (Ex. 28:2–3) were for the Lord’s glory.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
- Psalm 29:2
God has chosen us to be beautiful, useful, and effective in fulfilling His purpose and bringing Him glory:
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
- Ephesians 1:4
You are the dwelling place of the Most High. Your life should reflect more beauty, light, and holiness than any cathedral:
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
- 1 Corinthians 3:16
3. How to Be Holy Today
Holiness is not just a list of dos and don’ts - it’s about living differently because you want to please the God who rules your life. This requires a decision!
How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.- Psalm 119:9
a. Let your life align with God’s Word
Are you a true representative of Christ today? If not, it’s time to change. Jesus prayed that we be sanctified through God’s Word:
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
- John 17:17
b. Don’t conform to this world
You don’t need to follow the crowd or adopt their mindset. Let God transform your thinking:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
- Romans 12:2a
c. Live out God's will
God’s will is perfect, good, and pleasant. Living it out takes persistence, repentance, and faith. It involves daily checks and adjustments in:
- Mindset
- Emotions
- Habits
- Spiritual principles
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
- Romans 6:22
d. Change your focus
Holiness is not about you. It's about God. He is the center. Yet you will be blessed as a result. Dedicate your life to glorifying Him:
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- Colossians 3:23–24
e. Dangers that hinder holiness today:
- Worldly influences
- Distractions
- Escapism through entertainment
- Love of the world (money, possessions, status)
- Neglecting or disobeying the Word
- Unequally yoked relationships (2 Corinthians 6:14–18)
Holiness must be protected and pursued. This requires a firm decision to remain faithful to God. He promises to help us:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.- Luke 1:74–75
Conclusion
Be the most beautiful, the most useful, and the most effective in your life — all for God’s glory.
Sanctification is a process begun by God. Its purpose is beyond us — it is to glorify Him. Holiness is born not just from obeying written rules, but from a living relationship with Jesus.
Radical transformation at conversion should lead to daily changes in how we think, feel, and live. This takes intentionality:
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1
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