I Was Just Thinking … About Pursuing Personal Holiness

The exhortation to personal holiness is central in Christian teaching. In his first letter, Peter urges us to “be holy in all your conduct,” echoing God’s own holiness. When we say that God is holy, we mean that God has infinite, unexcelled, and irreplaceable worth … for us. Indeed, in Isaiah alone, Yahweh is labeled “The Holy One of Israel” twenty-nine times, and every time it indicates that he has been or will be of great value to his people.

Holiness is not a static state to attain but a way of living to pursue. The commitment to follow Christ is a commitment to pursue holiness until the end. This pursuit is not optional; it is a command that shapes our life as disciples.

Other scriptures emphasize the importance of personal holiness. Paul instructs believers to “present your members as slaves to righteousness for the purpose of holiness … and its outcome, eternal life” (Romans 6:19–22). Hebrews adds, “pursue the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (12:14). So Peter, too, implores us to become “holy ones yourselves in all conduct,” reminding us that God judges impartially and that our conduct should reflect reverence during our time on earth. Later, he ties the promise of a new heaven and earth, where righteousness dwells, to holy conduct (2 Peter 3:11–13).

The question arises: Can we succeed in this pursuit? The answer is, yes, by following Peter’s directions: adopt the right attitude, adapt to God’s process, and adhere to God’s promise.

Adopt the Attitude of Obedient Children

Holiness begins with the right attitude. God cares about our hearts, not just our actions. Obedience should be wholehearted, confident, and joyful, springing from an awareness of God’s goodness and his ability to provide. Peter reminds us that our relationship with God is like that of parents and children, not employer and employee. Happy children obey not for compensation but out of trust and love, receiving abundant rewards beyond what they can imagine. Child-like obedience is not legalistic but relational, marked by confidence, enthusiasm, and expectation.

Adapt to God’s Process

Peter’s directive to “become holy ones yourselves in all conduct” comprises three elements:

1. 1. Do Not Conform to Former Desires

Because conduct conforms to desires, he warns us not to conform ourselves to the desires we had before we encountered Christ in the gospel. Not all desires are evil, but even good desires are ultimately fleeting and unsatisfying. The problem is not the wickedness of desires but their worth. The joy offered by the gospel is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, unlike the temporary joys we pursued before knowing Christ. Holy conduct conforms to the source of joy we encounter in the gospel, a source that is stable, secure, and ultimately satisfying.

1. 2. Conform to God’s Desires

Instead of conforming our behavior to old desires, we must act “according to the holy one who called you.” The contrast is not between God’s holiness and ours, but between objects of desire. Holy conduct arises from desiring what God desires, namely, that people experience his grace and that we extend it to others. God is described as “the Holy One of Israel,” the source of infinite worth for his people. Our behavior should reflect a desire for God’s goodness above all else.

1. 3. Follow Good Examples

Peter quotes Leviticus 19:2: “You shall be holy, because I am holy.” He does not intend for us to match God’s holiness but to imitate it in a way fitting for humans. Leviticus 19 provides practical examples: do not steal, lie, or seek revenge; worship God; be just and merciful; treat strangers as family. Jesus summarizes these commands: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Holy conduct is characterized by actions that benefit others in ways that honor God. Holy conduct conforms to our desire to experience and extend God’s grace forever.

Adhere to God’s Promise

Faith and holy conduct are connected by God’s promise. Peter urges believers to “hope completely in the grace you will receive,” a grace guaranteed by Jesus’ resurrection. This promise changes how we live, motivating us to trust God’s ability to provide and to act for the good of others. In Leviticus 19, God punctuates commands with reminders of his identity and his saving work, reinforcing the idea that we can trust him to meet our needs. Holy conduct is possible because God is holy for us; we can be holy for others because he is holy for us.

Conclusion

Peter’s command to “be holy ones in all conduct” invites us to a life radically centered on God. Every decision should reference God’s demonstrated faithfulness. This is true in difficult times, when others wrong us, and in moments of discretion, when we choose how to act. Holy conduct includes ordering our lives according to God’s design to offer his grace to others through the gospel. For example, in marriage, holiness means trusting God to provide for us so we can be gracious, overcoming self-absorption and inadequate paradigms.

Personal holiness is necessary for our own salvation and for the salvation of others. Without it, faith is empty. Holiness was impossible before we knew the gospel, but now, as we trust “the God who raised Jesus from the dead,” it is possible. Peter’s call to personal holiness requires and enables us to harmonize every part of life with the Holy One, desiring and pursuing his goodness above all else.