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How do you see these verses in 1 Peter?   Do you see the power in the "Born Again" experience?   Does this show we are freed,  and we must not fall back into the "old self?"  And, when we consider our actions, are we more empowered as we follow, "  15 But as the One Who called you is Holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; ?"

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One Who called you is Holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am Holy. 1Peter 1:14-16

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Eric,

I believe the context intimates that clearly, but I will go back and add the one word if that will help you understand what I am meaning.

Another attempt at clarity:

We will never accomplish holiness through our efforts. We can try as hard as we want, but we will fail to be holy on our own. It is only when we are walking with Him, surrendered to Him and empowered by Him can we see the holiness of Christ lived out in our lives.

Lord Bless,

LT

OK, understood :-)

Now that we are all on the same page, let us move forward.  In 1 Peter 1:3 we are told we have a  " Living Hope."  Which I believe, we gain understanding and power; ability or is Jesus Himself.  Either One, we are able to make It a Cornerstone of, our foundation.  

Still we are told, ... Be holy, because I am Holy. 1 Peter 1 :16; Lev 11:44-45 and others.  We also return to 4 Each of you must know how to control his own body in a holy and honorable manner,  7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to be holy. 1 Thes 4:4,7.  So how do you see this?  Does 1 Peter 1:14 give us a "working example?"   14 As obedient children, do not be shaped by the desires that used to influence you when you were ignorant. 15 Instead, be holy in every aspect of your life, just as the One Who Called you is Holy. 16 For it is written, “You must be holy, because I am Holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16                

We also have the example of, Jesus Himself.  To examine His actions, with other people and Himself.  This could not be, as already pointed out, a goal to strive for us to be prideful or arrogant.  For the more we die to self, our spirits hunger for us to become like Jesus.  We are told again and again,“You must be holy, because I am Holy.”  So what steps must we take?  As I earlier shared this, if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.... Rom 11:16  Does this go hand in hand with, or is it another way of seeing 1 Peter 1: 5-7 ? You are being Protected by God’s Power through faith for a Salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this,t though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials 7 so that the genuineness of your faith — more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire — may result in Praise, Glory, and Honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  We will only be holy when Christ is revealed in the last time?  Or, again as I have shared, since God weighs our heart, are we being told to strive towards holiness?   To consider our actions against, what we believe to be holy.  As 14 As obedient children, do not be shaped by the desires that used to influence you when you were ignorant.  Does v 14 line up to this train of thought?  

Holiness has the same three stages as salvation. At new birth we are changed and given a new spirit that is now alive and in communion with God. This new spirit is a partaker of Christ's holiness as His holiness and righteousness is imputed to us. Then there is the life long journey in the flesh. At this point we are positionally holy (new spirit), but live in the sin tainted flesh. We make choices everyday that either align with God or deviate from His path. Walking in alignment is synonymous with holiness ... holiness lived out (experiential). To walk in rebellion (any self action that negates God's will) is to not walk in holiness. Repentance and realigning are the proper response when we have deviated. The third phase is the glorification stage and will take place at the resurrection. Here our spirits who experience His holiness will be joined with bodies fitted for eternity and freed from the taint and draw of sin.

It is this middle phase that we work toward walking in alignment with Him and it is this middle phase that we find the flesh warring against us.

Thus, holiness is God's work and in this middle phase we respond to Him through surrender (and obedience). In this surrender we take up our cross daily, we die to self daily, we seek His will be done in all things. When we fall off the path we repent, realign and move forward.

Lord Bless,

LT

I do not mean to split hairs.  LT I understand what you have said and you explained all quite well.  Even though we do sin and fall short  at times, Grace is still at work in us or for us, yes?  Even though I know we must walk and live in obedience to God.  

1 Therefore, since we have been declared Righteous by faith, we have peace with God Through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this Grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the Hope of the Glory of God. Rom 5:1-2 2  

You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our Wisdom sent from God, our Righteousness, our Holiness, and our Ransom from sin. 1 Cor 1:30

...But you have been Washed and made Holy, and you have received God's Approval in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ and in The Spirit of our God. 1 Cor 6:11

10  God is The One for Whom and Through Whom everything exists. Therefore, while God was bringing many sons and daughters to Glory, it was the right time to bring Jesus, The Source of their Salvation, to the end of His Work through suffering. 11  Jesus, Who Makes people Holy, and all those who are made Holy have The same Father. That is why Jesus isn't ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.  Heb 2:10-11

19 For God in all His Fullness was pleased to Live in Christ, 20 and through Him God  reconciled everything to Himself.  He made Peace with everything in Heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s Blood on the Cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now He has Reconciled you to Himself through the Death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His Own Presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this Truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim It. Col 1:19-23 

God the Father knew you long ago and Chose you to live holy lives with the Spirit's Help so that you are obedient to Jesus Christ and are sprinkled with His Blood. May goodwill and peace fill your lives! 3 Praise The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has Given us a New Birth because of His Great Mercy. We have been born into a New Life that has a Confidence which is Alive because Jesus Christ has Come back to Life. 1 Peter 1:2-3

 23 Now may The God of Peace Himself sanctify (make holy) you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is Faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thes 5:23-24

Wholeheartedly I believe we must live as unto The Lord.  Again and again we are told we have been made Holy.  We must continue to believe and have trust in Him.   In 1 Peter God...Chose us to live holy lives with The Spirit's help...  Are we able to say, "we lived correctly so we are entitled to go to Heaven?"  Do not get me wrong, I do not believe we can continue in a life of sin and just because we said a Prayer once, we will go to Heaven.  So is Holiness in the same group as Righteousness?  Meaning we operate in them through faith.  Have we received them by faith?  If we get out of alignment, is it us who makes the corrections?  God tells us, "..to be holy because I am Holy!"  Is it really possible for us to pull this off ?  Or, as you shared, it comes at least in part through surrender.  If we have all the strength to be holy then, where does Grace fit into the equation ? 

Chris,

I'm sorry, but I don't know what hair your splitting. I am not sure as to what you think I've said that leads to your response. I am at a loss on how to respond because I am not following what you are trying to address in my comment. Thus, unless I can understand where you think I am in error and where the difference between your view and mine is (if they are in fact different) I don't know how to respond without simply taking shots in the dark, and that would only cause more confusion. So, if you want to continue this (I am willing) I need you to point out where you think I am missing the mark.

Lord Bless,

LT

LT

I would remove what I had posted, yet it would not make sense with your response.  I put that "split hairs" comment than my ADHD kicked in and I was called away.  You are correct that we have no difference.  What I am seeing and failed to explain was, holiness or sanctify, redemption, righteous, wisdom, etc., we are given these things and more.  We hold on to them by faith.  Faith given to us through Grace.  Or, am I mistaken?  

I took part of what you shared and I mistook it, it appeared to look like "works."  I weigh other things that you have shared, and see I am mistaken.

In His Love 

Chris

Chris,

All is good :-)

Lord Bless,

LT

There's an old saying that it is in the struggle that we are strengthened.

Greetings, and a joyous blessed new year to all the partakers of this thread,

Brother Chris, thank you for an excellent theme for us to comment on.

My answer to your titled question above - Yes, I do......but not as much now, as when I surrendered my life to Him through Jesus Christ back on April 7, 1967.

When Jesus said that we must be "born again" before seeing the kingdom of God, Nicodemus thought that meant to be born a "second time". No, it means anothen, to be born from above. And as LT has pointed out, we are still in our "fleshy

bodies". This is significant.

When Jesus was baptized in the closing verses of Matthew, Chapter 3, God said," This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. And when we are baptized, the angels in heaven rejoice at the event. Now, a person would think at this point of being set for life, with a primrose path to follow to heaven.......

No, let's check Matthew 4:1," Then Jesus was led up by the (Holy) Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

(My personal enhancement added).

If God would do that with His Son........Does He allow each new Christian to be "attacked and tempted" also?

I believe He does, or as you say, Chris, to refine us. This is definitely a time of struggle with our Heavenly Father.

Jesus fought Satan with the Word of God. Do new believers do the same?.........or struggle with God......and fall away.

This would be in line with Jesus's parable in of the sower in Matthew, Chapter 13.........not being grounded, having no roots, choked out by cares and concerns of the world.......

I appreciate LT's word-picture of the three phases of our Christian walk......Receiving the Lord Jesus Christ.......A life-time of consecration........Glorification in heaven. This three part summation fits in exactly with I Corinthians 1:30. Check it out.

Now, there's likely to be some struggles in those first two parts of our walk, particularly in the early phases of consecration

(please see Galatians 5:16-17).

Matthew 7:13-14, " Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.

For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it".

Think of being at an airport security checkpoint (narrow small gate). The TSA agent tells you that you can't take certain things on this trip (God says that the gate is small and narrow, and you can't bring certain aspects of your life on this trip to heaven).

Do you think that there might be some struggling going on right at the gate.........and then on the narrow path?

Oh yeah, with all our "stuff" that is not compatible with life in the kingdom of God.  And we have to dump that "stuff" ourselves. Of course we can pray for strength and guidance..........but the bottom line is that we leave it at the gate,

or along the narrow path.

That's what I meant about not having as many struggles at this stage of my Christian walk. I'm righteous in God's eyes because of what my Lord and Savior did at Calvary. Even though my load of "stuff" is lighter now, I still have "stuff".

Denying oneself, and picking up one's cross daily includes crucifying "stuff"........but remember crucifixion is a s-l-o-w death.....and can last the rest of one's life.

I didn't want to write such a long post.....but felt it necessary to include everything that's here. Thanks for straining your eyes.

Grace and Peace for the new year, and into eternity for you and yours.

can anyone please give some insight into why this process of getting rid of our "stuff" is much faster and swifter in some people while for others it drags on for many decades? 

Jenny,

I think this process is very individual.  We can't know where someone is coming from and all the circumstances, emotions, hurt, grief, setbacks, support systems etc... surrounding all that a person lives each and every day.  Praise God the work is being done... I don't believe God is ever in a hurry. 

Everything He does is done from the perspective of Love because that is who He is as His very essence. 

Thoughts?  

Carla

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