The distinctiveness of Christians in a world that tries to mold us into its pattern of conformity is that we walk by a different rule. We do not walk by the rule that “might makes right.” We do not walk by the rule “Me first.” We do not walk by the rule “Dog eat dog.” We walk by the rule of the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
When a Christian is baptized into Christ, Paul writes in Romans 6:6, our old self is crucified with Christ, our body of sin is done away with. Using that same imagery, in Galatians 5:24, Paul says those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. We belong to the “chosen” of God, the church of Jesus Christ. We are “holy.” We are “saints” (61x in NT). We are now, Paul writes in Philippians 1:10, “blameless.” Not by our own works but by our union with Christ.
The NT writers use a variety of expressions from the OT to illustrate our holy standing in the world today: Romans 15:16 – offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit; 1 Peter 2:5, 9 – “holy priesthood” and “holy nation”; Hebrews 12:10 – we share His holiness.
All this means that we look at the world differently. When we were still in the world, in our trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), we served sin. Sin was our master. Sin called and we answered. But now that we are sanctified in Christ, holy relative to the God of heaven, we have a new Master, Jesus Christ. We now serve righteousness. Jesus calls and we answer (Rom. 6:12-23). Jesus calls us to “be holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16) and we answer. Jesus calls us to maintain a moral, spiritual distance from the world (Heb. 12:14) and we answer. To the degree that we, ourselves, choose to follow Jesus on a daily basis, to that degree, we cleanse ourselves (2 Tim. 2:21; 2 Cor. 7:1).
Thus, our whole view of the world is different. We live a life of daily sacrifice to God, offering our bodies as holy, acceptable to God – an offering that is our reasonable act of service (Rom. 12:1). We conduct ourselves in holiness (2 Cor. 1:12). When we were immersed into Christ, we put on a new creature, created in the holiness of the truth (Eph. 4:24) and this new man looks different. He talks differently. He behaves differently. This is a daily walk, an hourly walk, a minute-by-minute walk with God. So, “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15).
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Be ready in season and out of season to give a response to those who ask about your different lifestyle. Always conduct yourself in a holy manner, reflecting the nature of your heavenly Father (2 Peter 3:11).
How can we make holy decisions then? We look at the world through the lens of the word of God. What has He said? What is important to Him? How does He view affairs on this earth? We trust what His word says because He is trustworthy and we obey with a complete heart, fully expecting God to keep His promises.
How can I be holy in an unholy world? By living washed by the blood of Christ, walking in step with the Spirit.
–Paul Holland
