by Bishop Sam Rojas, D. Min.

1 Peter 3:13-16
13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

One of the major misconceptions about holiness is that it is outdated and is somehow relegated to church history and legalism. In a recent study of the definition of holiness, these were some of the results.

When pressed to describe what it means to be holy, adults gave a wide range of answers. The most common reply was “I don’t know,” offered by one out of every five adults (21%). Other responses fell into categories such as “being Christ-like” (19%), making faith your top priority in life (18%), living a pure or sinless lifestyle (12%), and having a good attitude about people and life (10%). Other response categories included focusing completely on God (9%), being guided by the Holy Spirit (9%), being born again (8%), reflecting the character of God (7%), exhibiting a moral lifestyle (5%), and accepting and practicing biblical truth (5%). Once again, the responses of born again and non-born-again adults were virtually identical.

As you can see, holiness can mean different things to different people. As an apostolic believer and having grown up in the church, I have heard hundreds of messages on holiness ranging from so many “extremes” depending on the context of each individual ministry and church. The main question to ask on the holiness issue is: what does the bible say regarding this subject? What does the bible not say about this subject? What is the very nature of God?

Let’s begin by stating a simple definition of holiness. Holiness is generally defined by 2 words: The Hebrew qadosh, which means separation, different, not alike. This word is used when describing God’s relationship to the world. Greek Hagios means separated unto God. Used when describing the redeemed of God. Another term we reference when describing “becoming Holy” is sanctified. If we begin here, then we can certainly answer the important questions most young people are asking in this generation: How does a lifestyle of holiness strengthen my walk with Christ? Allow me to present 4 practical areas of importance based on 1 Peter 3:13-16.

A Lifestyle of Holy Living Includes Self-Control

13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control.

Self-control is essential for the life of the believer. We simply cannot rely on a set of rules or regulations or someone to define what is good for us or not good for us. This is where we allow the holy spirit to guide us in our choices, thoughts, and actions. It starts in our mind. Someone once said: We are what we think. Every choice that we make is processed in our mind first, almost at lightning speed; however, it is what you have deposited into your mind that eventually will guide us, and this will be demonstrated in our choices. Fill your mind with the word of God, activities that draw you closer to God rather than separate you from him.

A Lifestyle of Holy Living Includes Obedience and Denial of Our Desires

14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.

Obedience is a choice. We are not speaking about blind obedience or total submission. The main issue when we discuss obedience is that we do it out of a willing heart and for the right reasons. We obey God because we have a relationship with him. He is at the center of our life and governs every aspect. Jesus said the following: If any man wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. In our postmodern culture, this is not a popular statement; however, we believe it is the very foundation of everything we do as followers of Christ. Every word spoken, action taken, and choice made flows out of a desire to be holy.

A Lifestyle of Holy Living Includes Everything We Do

15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

As young believers, we must become his disciples. Remember, we are not our own; he is our Father, and our greatest desire is to please him and not ourselves. Our life is a reflection of his holiness and righteousness. God is our priority, and everything else flows out of this concept. We are not part-time or seasonal Christians but rather full-time followers of Christ. Everything we do is centered around his holiness. We represent him and not ourselves.

A Lifestyle of Holy Living Identifies Us with God Himself

16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

The desire of every young person should be to be more like Christ. Paul said: follow me as I follow Christ. We live a lifestyle of true holiness through the process of sanctification. Basically, the central idea of sanctification is that every day, we are drawing closer to God rather than farther from his presence. You and I were made in the image of God, and that means we can live our lives in such a way that reflects his glory, his attributes, his desires, and his perfect will for our lives.

In conclusion, holy living is not an unreachable goal that we can’t achieve, but rather, it is a direct result of a vibrant, close, and intimate relationship with God. I encourage you to see it as a lifelong goal, something to look forward to every day of your life. Paul said, “That I may know him in the power of his resurrection and in the fellowship of his suffering.”

About the Author

Bishop Samuel Rojas serves as the Secretary of Social Assistance for the Apostolic Assembly. Currently the Pastor of The Experience Church in Glendale, Arizona, since 2008, Bishop Rojas has played integral roles within the Arizona District, including District Secretary and Bishop Supervisor. He lives with his wife Edna in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and they have two children, Mikayla and Luke.