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Print Page | Add To Favorites | Close Window | Send To A Friend | Save This Page FAQ # 60 QUESTION 60 : Didn’t
Peter command us to be Holy (1 Pet 1:15-16, 4:3); how then are we holy
by being born again? Doesn’t his command suggest us doing something or
having something? The first thing that must
be established today, is that “righteousness [holiness] is not earned
but received;” only through Jesus Christ. Thank God that through him all
born again believers are holy (Heb 10:14). How is it then Peter commands
us to be holy, which can be interpreted as doing something to be holy.
The text reads; The Old Testament text that
Peter quoted from was Leviticus 11:44 and it’s key in this explanation.
The entire eleventh chapter of Leviticus speaks specifically of what meats
were to be eaten and not to be eaten. Moses and Aaron received from God
a commandment for the children of Israel concerning holiness and the eating
of meats. In other words, under those commandments they were certain meats
that would cause an Israelite to be unholy if they eat it. All of Leviticus 11 elaborated
on holiness as it pertains to the area of the mouth, in terms of what
went in it. This holiness that Peter speaks of was also concentrated to
the mouth, in terms of what went out. Peter himself said, “be ye
holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Pet 1:15). In other words, the
epistle was concentrated on being self-restrained with the mouth. To also set the outline of
the theme of this epistle, in chapter 1 he emphasized that we are redeemed
from “vain conversation” (1 Pet 1:18). So then, Peter, apostle of God,
commanded us to be holy in our conversation or with our “tongues.” Why? The righteous are judged for
their words; “so speak ye [profession], and so do [life] as they that
shall be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:12). Being judged by the
law of liberty is not condemnation of hell or heaven, but rather this
is a believer’s judgment of blessings while on earth; blessing received
or can be received. James earlier explained this to us,
What had happen to cause this
“un-holiness” in 1 Peter 1:15-16 was that Peter was addressing a problem
of verbal fighting (retaliation) on the part of the saints, because they
were often verbally rejected for their profession of Christian faith. Peter’s duty was to encourage,
strengthen and instruct them in this matter. In chapter 1 and 2 he assures
them of who they are in God; redeemed by the precious blood of Christ,
a lamb without blemish and spot. He went further to say, “ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation” (2:9). Then he comforted them, “whereas
they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works glorify
God” (2:12). He continued to console them
to be at peace when verbally attacked, for this is pleasing, “when ye
do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with
God” (1 Peter 2:20). He then gave a great example of our savior under verbal persecution;
“who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threaten not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously” (2:30). In essence, they are to do the same thing in the same situation rather
than retaliate verbally and show fruits of ungodliness after such a stand
for holiness that got them in this situation in the first place. In chapter 3, he manages to internalize the issue within the church.
He commanded husbands and wives to be in subjection to one another without
wars of word: “not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing”
(3:9). Before ending chapter 3 he slithers back out to the general issue
of verbally retaliating to insults caused by being a Christian. In concealment
he said, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake happy are ye: and
be not afraid…whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doer, they may
be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it
is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing,
than for evil doing” (1 Pet 3:14-17); evil doing as in verbally retaliating
or cursing. He again couldn’t resist to insert an example of Christ, “for
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust” (3:18). Even Chapter 4 begins on Christ, “Forasmuch
then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise
with the same mind” (4:1)
Peter in the entire book of 1 Peter was telling this church to refuse
from retaliating verbally because it’s not becoming of a Christian, nor
is it good for the reputation of holiness amongst us Christians; and further
more, it sets a drawback in character development. In verse 4 of Chapter 4, Peter taught them that as a result of becoming
a Christian they would suffer being ‘bad mouthed’; especially being baptized
with the Holy Ghost which made them live differently from their former
friends, “wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the
same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.” In verse 12 he assures them that their “fiery trials” are not “strange”
things, but rather all believers experience it. In other words, count
it all joy and don’t retaliate in words, this only hinders the gospel
and brings no glory to Christ. He then closed off this epistle in chapter 5 by noting that a characteristic
that must be develop in order to not retaliate against insults is to be
“clothed with humility.” Not to worry, after one has been born-again it will soon develop,
especially if one allows the Holy Spirit to work on them, unhindered;
for “the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness
quietness and assurance forever” (Isa 32:17). In other words, upon maturity
in Christ it will bring about peace and quietness because one is well
assured of the end of their faith, so one cannot be move by nothing on
earth or heaven. That’s what Peter was teaching in the book of 1 Peter. Keep your
mouths and reframe from verbally retaliating to insults. ‘Keeping one’s mouth’ is being holy or ‘whole to one’s word;’ “so
speak ye, and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty”
(James 2:12). If you’re under this yoke, try not to retaliate at all, so “that
the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed” (1Tit 6:1); because
such behavior can “stand in the way of sinners” (Ps 1). This was the essence
of the book of 1 Peter. Peter knew that all born again believers are forever holy before God being hid in Christ (Rom 8:1). But he also knew that we are still in the flesh and being verbally abused, especially as a babe, can cause any believer to ‘loose his cool’ and at least verbally retaliate. He knew as well that this is just the devil trying to defame the integrity of Christendom. Therefore, he sternly commands them to “be ye holy.” |
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