But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
As He who called believers is holy, they are to be holy in all conduct, behavior and daily life. That holiness covers words, speech, thoughts and actions, so voice, habits and fruit of the lips must be sanctified and carefully chosen. Christ's sinless purity is the pattern rather than a worldly standard suited to unsanctified hearts, and such holiness is made possible not by human power but by His sacrifice, His imputed and indwelling righteousness received by faith, partaking of the divine nature, and the help of the Holy Spirit to overcome inherited and cultivated wrong. It requires a guarded mind centered on God, turning from impure reading, seeing, hearing and wandering thoughts, and sanctified speech put away from gossip, evil speaking, idle words, jesting and discouragement, showing itself in gentle temper, kindness, courtesy and unselfish daily life. Lived out, it means purified souls loving one another fervently with no discord or strife, remaining separate from the world's spirit while witnessing to it, and being made holy in this very moment today by daily crucifixion of self and cleansing of the heart.
Words and Immediate Context
The command is that because the God who called believers is holy, they themselves must be holy in every part of conduct, with conversation meaning conduct, behavior, life, and daily actions. Holiness is not partial but extends to the whole life, requiring the mind to be guarded from impure, forbidden, trivial and harmful influences and refusing to let it wander or dwell on forbidden thoughts. Applied to daily living, this holy conduct appears in sober, obedient living, godly behavior, modesty, and good works, taking Christ the spotless divine pattern as the standard each person must reach through obedience to His will.
Holiness in all manner of conversation embraces words, speech, thoughts, and actions, so the fruit of the lips, the voice, and the habits must be sanctified, carefully chosen, and brought into daily obedience to all of God's commandments. Worthless and cheap words, gossip, backbiting, evil speaking, idle words, foolish joking and jesting are ruled out, since speech represents the religion professed and should build others up. The mind is to be bound about and guarded and speech trained on heaven and heavenly things, with every hindrance to advancement separated so self dies and the heart is filled with the Spirit of Jesus. The old talk about dress and what to eat and drink and wear and finding fault with one another must change into talk that brings peace and light and reveals love to God, with careless speech, joking, trifling, selfishness and self-conceit put aside and mind, heart, and affections raised toward God's purpose.
The verse speaks to obedient children who no longer fashion life by former lusts, desires, and empty inherited ways from ignorance, but live in obedience shaped by God's character and word and commandments. For youth who follow Christ and seek the Saviour early this means a warfare with a daily cross in coming out of the world and imitating Christ's life rather than being shaped by former lusts in ignorance. Strength of purpose and moral courage for this obedient life are obtained through the grace of Christ the divine Teacher, who has opened treasures of truth about God's great love, calling believers to follow the Redeemer, watch and pray, and live reverently while preparing for home with God.
The surrounding call is to gird up the loins of the mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Loose and trivial thoughts are to be gathered up and centered on God and every thought brought into obedience to the will of God, with no time for lightness, vanity, or trifling as earth's history soon closes. This sober hope belongs with resisting temptation by guarding the avenues of the soul, avoiding reading, seeing, or hearing anything suggesting impure thoughts, refusing to let the mind wander at random on subjects Satan suggests, with earnest prayer, unceasing watchfulness, the Holy Spirit attracting the mind upward to dwell on pure holy things, and diligent study of the Word.
The command rests on the written word Be ye holy for I am holy, and ministers are to teach this call to holiness and obedience rather than fables and foolish imaginings. It is lived in reverent fear during earthly sojourning before the Father who without respect of persons judges according to every person's work. It remembers redemption from the inherited empty way of life not with corruptible silver or gold but with Christ's precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. That redemption and impartial judgment reinforce rejecting former desires, living as obedient children, and keeping the mind wholly surrendered, pure, clean, healthy, and under God's control by the Holy Spirit for good work and a much higher standard.
The verse belongs to a chapter that stirs intense interest and draws the heart in love for souls, calling them to walk in the light shining upon their pathway. It stands together with verses 10-12 showing the importance and sacredness of prophecies and that Christ was speaking in the Old Testament Scriptures as well as the New, so the Old Testament is not to be cut out. This call to obey all God's commandments and be holy in all manner of life feeds hungry souls with rich food from God's living Word, strengthens and blesses the feeble and afflicted, shows God's great love bestowed in large measure on His chosen ones, and shines as light of truth on the pathway for those not yet in the faith to walk in.
Christ Pattern and Possible Holiness
The standard for holiness in all conduct is the holiness of the One who called, and that standard is the sinless life of Christ, not a worldly standard shaped to suit unsanctified hearts. He is the spotless divine pattern and the perfection of divine character to be followed as obedient children no longer fashioned by former lusts of ignorance. His purity, goodness, devotion to truth, and zeal for God's glory show what the law requires in perfection and set the measure for every person. That pattern is to govern speech, actions, relationships, temper, and voice, lifting believers above all cheapness of word or action into purity within as well as outward respect. It is not too lofty for daily life, but is to be lived out through faith and union with Christ, with sinful self and corrupt nature brought under control and the Holy Spirit allowed to work freely to perfect Christian character.
The call is to the highest standard of glory and virtue, to Christian perfection as a church without spot or wrinkle, sanctified in soul, body, and spirit. It gives the true measure of piety, holiness, and character, requiring Bible Christianity and obedience to all of God's requirements and forbidding the excuse that yielding to temptation means no harm and does no moral wrong. The righteous standard set in Christ must not be lowered to excuse inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrong, for rough impolite conduct reveals an unholy heart. God's law echoes the same call as the transcript of His character, summoning every soul higher and holier still. Those who profess to be God's chosen people are therefore to be elevated, refined, sanctified examples of piety, practicing the truth in consecrated lives tested by the Word and carrying Christ's perfect principles into daily life in readiness for the great day of God.
Such holiness is not reached by human power, yet every provision has been made for it through Christ's sacrifice, by which believers may receive all things pertaining to life and godliness. It comes as Christ's righteousness imputed and dwelling within by faith, laid hold of until uprightness and purity of love, forbearance, meekness, and every Christian virtue become part of the being and appear in doing the works of God. It comes by partaking of the divine nature, by which those who shared Christ's suffering and death may be elevated and exalted into God's presence. God gives the Holy Spirit to help overcome inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong, and divine grace works through the Spirit's discipline and restraining influence as believers submit to it and resist temptation by God's power.
Without this holiness no one will see the Lord, and it is necessary for salvation and entrance into heaven. It requires being doers of the Word and not hearers only, wearing Christ's easy yoke and learning His meekness and lowliness, with evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty and cruel thoughts, and every wrong habit forever ended. Christ's robe of righteousness never covers cherished sin, so lives must correspond with profession and be purified even as He is pure. Sincerity, uprightness, trust, and humble walking keep believers under God's protection in peril, while vain and unbecoming conversation, pleasing of self, living like the world and enjoying its pleasures and company, falls far short and cannot expect to reign with Christ in glory.
Holiness is not a claim to be without sin, for sins must be confessed and forsaken to obtain forgiveness and cleansing and a transformed character. Faults are to be continually overcome, defects of character corrected, and wisdom and strength to overcome sought humbly and contritely from the Lord who gives them, with the Savior asked to heal the sinful condition. Hereditary tendencies to wrong and selfishness are not to be indulged or carried along, but selfishness put away, self crucified, and flesh and spirit cleansed from bitterness in perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Divine power is given to join with human effort in working out salvation.
Even fallen people are to be holy in their own sphere through faith in Christ, living a life shaped by God's character rather than an empty profession. That sanctification comes through obedience to the truth, personal surrender, being conformed to God's image, and being guided by His Spirit. Obedience is made perfect through Christ's righteousness as seekers humbly ask for help.
Guarded Mind and Pure Heart
Holiness demands special care over the mind, binding it about and guarding it against impure, forbidden and trivial influences and refusing to dwell on thoughts that give no benefit. Loose and wandering thoughts must be gathered up and centered on God, with every thought brought into obedience to His will. This inward change requires turning from loose thinking and overcoming the evil tendencies of the natural carnal heart. With earth's history soon closing there is no time for lightness, vanity or trifling, but a pressing sense of the sacredness of God's work, increased humility, and refusal of praise that fosters self-confidence and corrupts rather than purifies.
The avenues of the soul must be guarded well by resisting temptation and no longer fashioning life after former lusts in ignorance, girding up the loins of the mind and being sober. Nothing is to be read, seen or heard that will suggest impure thoughts, and the mind is not to wander at random upon every subject Satan or the adversary suggests. Keeping this holiness requires earnest prayer and unceasing watchfulness. The abiding influence of the Holy Spirit attracts the mind upward and habituates it to dwell on pure and holy things, joined with diligent study of the Word.
Overcoming the evil tendencies of the natural heart takes earnest effort and perseverance and disciplined control of former desires. New habits of thought are formed through faith in Christ, controlling natural propensities, denying selfish inclinations, and again and again fighting hereditary tendencies to wrong that are hostile to grace and reform. Evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words, cruel thoughts and feelings, and all wrong habits must be ended forever, no longer acting like unmanageable undisciplined children but loving as brethren. This requires taking oneself to task, disciplining self, denying self, lifting the cross and controlling self with zeal tempered by meekness and lowliness, so that Christ's mind is within and words become sweet and pure. Giving no place to the enemy in this way matters because evil thinking and evil speaking are his most successful means of keeping the church weak and unconverted.
Holiness in thought and conduct requires purity between men and women under a higher standard than idle talk, trifling conversation, frivolous conduct, bold forwardness, flirtation and habits leading to sensual actions. In their place pure, elevated, holy thoughts are to be cultivated by setting the face Christward firm as steel, leaning the helpless soul upon Jesus, living in the light of His word, looking to Jesus for strength, depending on His righteousness and receiving His grace through genuine conversion with all faculties consecrated to God. Such a life directs all influence to exalt Jesus and counteract prevailing evil rather than drawing souls away from truth, life and light.
The mind is to be filled and crowded with the one great event of the coming of the Lord and Saviour, when graves will be opened and the dead raised and the living changed. Present privileges and opportunities are to be made the most of to prepare for future immortal life, turning from vain, frivolous and worldly pursuits to honor God. Those who practice this holiness in this life will see the King in His beauty. As obedient children they live soberly and hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, no longer fashioned by former lusts in ignorance, in serious disciplined living without lightness, vanity or trifling.
Sanctified Speech and Daily Life
Holiness in all manner of conduct includes speech, for the fruit of the lips is to be sanctified and not made up of worthless or cheap words. Gossip, backbiting, evil speaking, idle words, foolish joking, jesting, lightness, guile, vain, reckless and trifling talk are ruled out, and words are to be carefully chosen, pure, chaste, elevated and select so that they build others up and rightly represent the religion professed. Careless, doubtful and dark words of doubt or discouragement must be refused because they give Satan advantage, germinate into a bitter harvest, grieve Christ and reveal what is in the heart. Believers are to be quick to hear, slow to speak and prayerful rather than absorbed in talk and controversy with others.
The mind is to be bound about and guarded, with speech trained on heaven and heavenly things, every hindrance to advancement separated so the Holy Spirit fills the heart with the Spirit of Jesus. The old conversation about dress and what to eat and drink and wear and finding fault with one another must change into talk of things that bring peace and light and reveal love to God, with dying to self and no longer living after former lusts in ignorance. As thoughts and affections are fastened on God He draws nigh, His love fills the heart, angels surround, and holy words flow from the lips as believers become channels of light, with every provision in Christ giving abundant grace to overcome every defect of character. In this daily transformation selfishness and self-conceit are put aside, purity is sought, temptation is resisted, growth in grace follows, and mind, heart and affections are raised toward God's purpose.
Christ's grace controls temper and voice and changes the whole person, making the coarse refined, the rough gentle, and the selfish generous. Its working is seen in politeness and tender regard of brother for brother, in kind encouraging words, in unselfish actions, in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, long-suffering and patience. In the home it appears as an angel-presence, and in life as breathing a sweet perfume ascending to God as holy incense, honoring Christ as character becomes like God's.
Holiness is shown in cheerful, pleasant, courteous behavior with trifling put away, in refinement and Christian courtesy, and in a heart and life made pure after Christ's example so that words are gracious. In family life it appears as thoughtful courtesy, refined affection, kindness, respect, and restraint of impatience and hasty words, growing as self is surrendered and Christ lives in the heart to replace perverse attitudes with sincere and noble affections. It includes humility, thoughtful care for others, sincere love and rejection of evil, while pride, harshness and conduct that misrepresents Christ are contrary to the calling, with neatness and order belonging to conduct made worthy of God's wisdom through Christ's transforming grace.
When self is set aside and the Spirit of Christ fills the heart, that Spirit shows itself in the way a person speaks and lives. Childish tendencies and self are brought under control and yielded to the Spirit of God, with selfishness, self-conceit, pride and harshness put away and mind, heart and affections raised toward God's purpose. Holy conduct keeps a clear distinction from worldly habits, refusing light and trifling conversation and talking and acting as worldlings do, since these are incompatible with Christ abiding within and dishonor Him unless there is daily conversion so He is honored by every word. Appetite and passion are to be controlled so all powers remain steady amid surrounding circumstances, as a temple for the indwelling Spirit that impresses others with the holiness of God's requirements and their need of His perfect righteousness. This extends to eating with thanksgiving to God and choosing the best foods that make the best blood and clearest intellect to produce sharp-thinking men and women, to dressing simply and engaging in holy conversation that shines as light to correct wrong habits, and to health reform borne in every church and school by principals and teachers who first cultivate the garden of the heart and partake of the fruit themselves.
Love Unity and Witness
Holiness in all conduct means a sanctified self with no discord, variance, alienation, or strife, but purified souls showing unfeigned love of the brethren and loving one another with a pure heart fervently. It is lived by being kind and courteous, forgiving one another as Christ forgave, following His example in all things with the life hid with Him in God, and striving for Christian unity as the grand possibility of such a life. That life forever ends evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words, cruel thoughts and feelings, and all wrong habits, no longer acting like unmanageable undisciplined children but taking self to task, disciplining and denying self, lifting the cross and controlling self with zeal tempered by Christ's meekness and lowliness, so that Christ puts His mind in believers and their words become sweet and pure. It is entered under solemn covenant by the baptismal vow to rise with Christ in newness of life as God's elect, holy and beloved, clothing the life in garments of righteousness and distinguishing it by humility, meekness, longsuffering, kindness, compassion, tenderness and courtesy, learning of Him who is meek and lowly in heart. When kept, this covenant makes believers partakers of the divine nature whose life is hid in God, whom the world cannot draw aside to deny Christ, in whom Christian unity is realized, and who will appear with Christ in glory when He who is their life appears, giving no place to Satan whose most successful means of keeping the church weak is evil thinking and evil speaking. Holiness so understood is shown by obeying the truth and living out its principles, setting thoughts on heavenly things and revealing mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace, thankfulness, and words and deeds done in Jesus' name.
Holiness requires blending together in unity as those who expect to live together in heaven, because Christ is not divided against Himself. It requires sweeping away all the rubbish of evil surmising and discord and devoting heart, soul, mind, and strength with unity of purpose to the work that is holy in God's sight, and God will not give success to His laborers until that cleansing is done. That obedience includes preferring one another in honor and love without dissimulation, practicing the truth to attain Christian perfection and live consecrated lives, fully owning the Word as touchstone and standard to test ways and recall heart and conscience, following Christ the perfect example for grace and power to overcome every fault, and carrying His perfect principles into daily life to get ready for the great day of God. As God's children by spiritual adoption living in conformity to His will and representing Him in life and character, believers dwell together in love and unity, walk as in the sight of a holy God true to themselves, true to brethren, and true to God, refuse to join the enemy in accusing, criticizing, and judging one another, and are rightly related to Him so the Holy Spirit is fully imparted to unite them for the work of the time; God will not give special victories to divided or disobedient workers, for to bless disregard of His Word would dishonor His holy name and ruin the workers.
Love for one another lived out is the most convincing evidence that Bible truth is brought into the practical life and the credential showing that God sent His Son that the world through Him might be saved and receive life through faith. This sanctification lived out makes God's servants true witnesses scattered abroad through all countries and in all cities, showing to a world broken by discord, strife, variance, and hatred that there is a people who believe in Christ and live out His Word. As obedient children they represent Christ to the world, with every member living as a witness others can see, shaped in right conduct into an example that can lead others to choose that path. Those who have received solemn truths and grace live as patterns of piety whose faith governs life and honors God, with lives set apart from sin and sanctified by the Spirit of truth bearing witness to the truth proclaimed to call people out of darkness into God's light, showing holiness in words and actions by serving God and blessing others in leading them to Christ, whom Christ alone can make pure and fit for heaven by removing envy, evil surmising, and self-sufficiency and revealing human weakness and corrupt nature.
Those risen with Christ remain forever separate from the world while living in the world, not of the world and kept free from its spirit, practices, and contaminating influences. That separation governs labor by keeping the right relation between brethren, binding medical missionary work to gospel ministry and not making it the body, forbidding binding up with worldlings by inviting them into councils or bringing worldly lawyers into connection with God's work, and calling every worker to be molded after Christ's similitude, to stand on truth uninfluenced by false theories, to respect the pure principles of the gospel, and to labor unitedly with church and ministers in soul-saving work in perfect unity. Holiness is expressed in pure character refusing corrupt opinions and desires, in keeping free from worldly policy plans and refusing entanglement in plans dishonoring faith to gain the influence of the wealthy, refusing to sell the soul for financial advantage, and doing nothing that retards God's work or lowers righteousness, but revealing self-denial and sacrifice in life so all see the desire for holiness and are drawn to know God. Consistent holy lives with love for one another and supreme love for the Father distinguish God's children from the world in words and deeds, while profession without works and obedience dishonors it; Christians keep clear distinction from worldly habits by following Christ, controlling appetite, dressing simply, engaging in holy conversation, and shining as light to correct wrong habits. The weight of teaching holds that luxury, oppression, injustice, and love of applause are rejected, so that steady holy conduct exposes the world's folly.
God's righteousness is absolute and characterizes all His works and all His laws, so His people must be as He is. The holiness commanded is the life of Christ revealed in followers as practical godliness seen in every public and private act, in every word and deed, bringing Christ's virtues into daily life and revealing practical righteousness after Him who did no sin because there was no sin in Him. He that does righteousness is righteous, and this requires confessing and forsaking sins unto transformed character. His law is the transcript of His character, constantly calling the human family to be holier still in His work of gathering a righteous people from a fallen world, whose righteousness issues in peace with quietness and assurance forever.
Holiness means loving God and showing His character by being merciful, true, kind, forgiving, compassionate, tender, and loving. Christ seeks to lift all who will be lifted into companionship with Himself that they may be one with Him as He is one with the Father, while those not thus holy are in companionship with the devil. Holy people reveal Christ's spirit by helping those suffering for necessities, and God permits suffering and calamity to call people out of selfishness and awaken His attributes in them.
God demands holiness in every part with nothing of sinful self carried along. Supposed little sins exclude from heaven, including a sensitiveness always ready to be hurt and cry out, and refusal to let self die and have the life hid with Christ in God leaves unbelief and transgression of the law. The gospel has not abolished the law nor lessened its claims, faith in Christ does not make it void, and the law is the echo of God's own voice giving every soul the invitation to come up higher, to be holy and holier still.
Called People and Urgent Application
Holiness is required of those entrusted with responsibilities in God's work, for high position alone does not make a person fit for sacred service, but Christ's righteousness does, and ministers must show by holy conduct that they are fit for the sacred desk. For men and women seeking church office this demands a decided change in words and in the spirit shown when speaking to others, obeyed in both letter and spirit with full purpose to carry it out, coming by bowing the knee before Jesus Christ individually and seeking the converting influence of the Holy Spirit. It means having the heart cleansed from defilement so Christ can enter and abide there, praying constantly for grace to be kept pure and holy, and then refusing to rush heedlessly into temptation. It forbids light trifling words, all jesting and joking and lightness, because the minister is an ambassador for Christ bearing a divine message to perishing souls, weighed down with a burden for souls. It means daily growing in grace and deeper knowledge of God, overcoming selfishness, having the affections elevated and ennobled, not only reading the Bible but believing it, lifting as Christ lifts, loving as Christ loves, working as Christ works, and by precept and example leading others to a purer, higher, nobler life.
For shepherds of the flock this holiness means ministering to strengthen and build up believers in the most holy faith instead of afflicting them, through consecration of soul, body, and spirit. For believers afflicted, accused, tried, or tempted it means not becoming exasperated, not letting feelings of the natural heart control, not cherishing a spirit of retaliation, knowing they do not have to be a sin-bearer for another soul, committing the case wholly to Jesus, and keeping faith and trust in Him who died for them in every trying hour and adverse circumstance. God's representatives are to be holy in daily life, revealing Christ through purity and sanctification, bringing sinful self and corrupt human nature under control rather than exalting them, and living humbly and faithfully. Their holiness must allow the Holy Spirit to work freely so that Christian character is perfected and God's truth is not obscured by human imperfections, with Christ's life as the example to follow in order to be saved.
Christian physicians and medical missionary workers must be molded and fashioned after the similitude of Christ, taking a stand on the platform of truth uninfluenced by false theories and wrong devising, respecting the pure living principles of the gospel. The call means remaining forever separate from the world while living in the world, not being of the world, and being kept free from its contaminating influences. It governs the manner of labor, requiring the right relation between physicians and their brethren, with medical missionary work bound up with the gospel ministry and not made the body. Holiness forbids binding up with worldlings by inviting them into councils and dishonoring the truth by bringing worldly lawyers into connection with God's work, and calls for laboring unitedly with the church and with ministers in soul-saving work in perfect unity. For a Christian physician this means rejecting base thoughts, speaking in a timely way about the soul's value and danger apart from Christ, and living as a missionary for Christ.
Youth who follow Christ and seek the Saviour early have a warfare before them with a daily cross to bear in coming out of the world and imitating the life of Christ. As obedient children called by a holy God, they must not shape themselves by former lusts in ignorance but gird up the loins of the mind, be sober, hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and be holy in every part of life as He who called them is holy. It is a precious promise for those who seek the Saviour early, involving leaving former ignorant lusts behind, thinking clearly, living self-controlled, and holding hope to the end. God does not own the pleasure-seeker as His follower, but only those who are self-denying and live lives of sobriety, humility and holiness are true followers of Jesus. This holiness governs speech, so the holy cannot enjoy the frivolous, empty conversation of the lover of the world.
Fathers and mothers are to study the standard with all powers of intelligence and let words and actions express its meaning, to be holy in all manner of words and actions by hearing and obeying. That holy life is daily obedience to all the commandments of God, bringing the law of heaven into everyday experience in this world, maintained with watchfulness and prayer. It evidences receiving Christ and partaking of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, while requiring constant spiritual warfare against unsanctified ideas and talk detrimental to healthful piety and warning those lifting up their souls unto vanity. Holiness in conversation means words that are pure, chaste, elevated and select, with no cheap frivolous talk, so parents must put this command before their children from the Bible and strictly guard their own words so by precept and example they teach their children to speak in this holy way. This requires holiness like God's holiness in all of home life, not only in public religion, staying at home to pray and surrender the will to God instead of making public the home troubles that come from lack of connection with God and objectionable traits of character, falling on the Rock to be broken and dying to self so Jesus can make the person a vessel unto honor with fervent and noble affection that gives fragrance to the character.
Words must be pure and conversation holy, with no fretfulness, harshness, passion, or hasty thoughtless speech that forfeits self-respect, made possible as the grace of Christ for the asking and His Spirit taking control of heart and conscience presides over words and deeds. For parents this holiness is lived out in the home by giving children an example of what they should become, for a husband and wife are in God's sight in religious life just what they are in home life. It is done by binding their own hearts in closest happiest union in order to bind their children's hearts by love, and by guarding precious moments because children soon pass beyond training and molding. With the scenes of this earth's history soon to close it is no time for lightness, vanity, or trifling, and minds left to loose thought need change, with loose thoughts gathered up and centered on God and the very thoughts brought into obedience to the will of God. As obedient children they must be sober, hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and no longer fashion themselves according to former lusts in ignorance, turning from former desires and fashions and obeying God's word and commandments, following the Redeemer, watching and praying, and living reverently during time on earth as they prepare for home with God.
Holiness brings a pressing sense of the sacredness of God's work, refuses praise given or expected that fosters self-confidence and corrupts rather than purifies, increases humility, and makes the most earnest efforts to overcome the natural feelings of the carnal heart. Every church member is called to obey the demand for holiness in all conduct in both letter and spirit, beginning with full purpose to carry it out, and following that instruction of the Spirit of truth in willing obedience brings spiritual strength. The instruction belongs to the exhortation to godly life in 1 Peter 1 and 2, and that instruction is to be presented to the people now to impress on all that the time has come to work intelligently and earnestly for the accomplishment of salvation, to show faith by works and to accept the great responsibility the truth lays on every recipient, as the world is prepared for the closing work of the third angel's message and the loud cry. The call is to complete consecration and preparation for a time of crisis.
Holy living is daily obedience to all God's commandments, bringing heaven's law into everyday experience, and this call feeds hungry souls with rich food from God's living Word, strengthens and blesses the feeble and afflicted, shows God's great love bestowed in large measure on His chosen ones, and shines as light of truth on the pathway for those not yet in the faith to walk in. It involves purification and sanctification of the whole person, physical and spiritual, through obedience to God's commandments, revealing Christ in believers, making homes bright through His presence, and preparing them to be holy and undefiled members of God's royal family in heaven. It is the will of God, even sanctification, giving hope and courage and faith and confidence in God, lived by putting on the whole armor of God to withstand in the evil day in the wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness, by learning lessons from God to become His workmen, and by working as Christ worked with efficiency that is of God and not of self through observing to do all His commandments in righteousness before Him. In a corrupt world this means remaining untainted, with holy bodies and pure spirits, with the work to begin at once and be carried out earnestly, under the Spirit's control in every action. It includes treating faith as a ruling power in life, honoring God through obedience, and carefully keeping the distinctive features of the faith, with the true Sabbath marking the distinction between those who serve God and those who do not.
Being made holy unto God is the work of this very moment, today, not something to wait for until a special future period. It means self is to be crucified every day and every hour, the heart cleansed from all iniquity and defilement, the vessel emptied and thoroughly cleansed of its impurity with clean purpose of heart and given to God now. This cleansing must be done before the destiny of souls is decided, while entrusted capabilities can still be used, for self-crucifixion afterward does no good, and only those kept clean and right side up are prepared as vessels unto honor to receive the latter rain. Holiness is lived by loving and serving God with whole soul, might, mind and strength, seeking divine enlightenment and fresh spiritual nourishment morning and evening, putting every power to work to glorify God and not self, blessing those around by leading them to the light of the Word, and working for the salvation of others as Christ worked for salvation. It requires bringing Christ into the life, for He alone cures envy, evil surmisings against brethren and self-sufficient spirit, makes felt weakness, ignorance and great need of Him, reveals the true inward corruptions of nature, and by His pure, cleansing power refines and fits for the mansions of the blessed.
Revealing Christ's character through the Holy Spirit means speaking without harsh, condemnatory words or guile, keeping the heart open to the Spirit, and serving God with singleness of purpose, preparing a person for the day of reckoning. In a time of peril Jehovah requires His people to be holy, pure, and undefiled in their lives, practicing sincerity and uprightness and trusting in God, and walking humbly before Him they remain under His protection. Without holiness no one will see the Lord, while those who worship Him sincerely and truthfully will be accepted by Him. Young believers as lambs of the flock, children beginning the Christian life and younger members of the Lord's family, need the help of an experienced, motherly Christian with warmth of affection and steadiness and evenness of character to guide them over rough places, direct their steps, counsel them, defend them from surrounding dangers, and lead them kindly, firmly and disinterestedly into that holy life, giving themselves fully to the cause of God, identifying with His people, and walking in paths of safety to reach higher attainments in righteousness and true holiness.
As He who called believers is holy, they are to be holy in all conduct, behavior and daily life. That holiness covers words, speech, thoughts and actions, so voice, habits and fruit of the lips must be sanctified and carefully chosen. Christ's sinless purity is the pattern rather than a worldly standard suited to unsanctified hearts, and such holiness is made possible not by human power but by His sacrifice, His imputed and indwelling righteousness received by faith, partaking of the divine nature, and the help of the Holy Spirit to overcome inherited and cultivated wrong. It requires a guarded mind centered on God, turning from impure reading, seeing, hearing and wandering thoughts, and sanctified speech put away from gossip, evil speaking, idle words, jesting and discouragement, showing itself in gentle temper, kindness, courtesy and unselfish daily life. Lived out, it means purified souls loving one another fervently with no discord or strife, remaining separate from the world's spirit while witnessing to it, and being made holy in this very moment today by daily crucifixion of self and cleansing of the heart.
Words and Immediate Context
The command is that because the God who called believers is holy, they themselves must be holy in every part of conduct, with conversation meaning conduct, behavior, life, and daily actions. Holiness is not partial but extends to the whole life, requiring the mind to be guarded from impure, forbidden, trivial and harmful influences and refusing to let it wander or dwell on forbidden thoughts. Applied to daily living, this holy conduct appears in sober, obedient living, godly behavior, modesty, and good works, taking Christ the spotless divine pattern as the standard each person must reach through obedience to His will.
Holiness in all manner of conversation embraces words, speech, thoughts, and actions, so the fruit of the lips, the voice, and the habits must be sanctified, carefully chosen, and brought into daily obedience to all of God's commandments. Worthless and cheap words, gossip, backbiting, evil speaking, idle words, foolish joking and jesting are ruled out, since speech represents the religion professed and should build others up. The mind is to be bound about and guarded and speech trained on heaven and heavenly things, with every hindrance to advancement separated so self dies and the heart is filled with the Spirit of Jesus. The old talk about dress and what to eat and drink and wear and finding fault with one another must change into talk that brings peace and light and reveals love to God, with careless speech, joking, trifling, selfishness and self-conceit put aside and mind, heart, and affections raised toward God's purpose.
The verse speaks to obedient children who no longer fashion life by former lusts, desires, and empty inherited ways from ignorance, but live in obedience shaped by God's character and word and commandments. For youth who follow Christ and seek the Saviour early this means a warfare with a daily cross in coming out of the world and imitating Christ's life rather than being shaped by former lusts in ignorance. Strength of purpose and moral courage for this obedient life are obtained through the grace of Christ the divine Teacher, who has opened treasures of truth about God's great love, calling believers to follow the Redeemer, watch and pray, and live reverently while preparing for home with God.
The surrounding call is to gird up the loins of the mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Loose and trivial thoughts are to be gathered up and centered on God and every thought brought into obedience to the will of God, with no time for lightness, vanity, or trifling as earth's history soon closes. This sober hope belongs with resisting temptation by guarding the avenues of the soul, avoiding reading, seeing, or hearing anything suggesting impure thoughts, refusing to let the mind wander at random on subjects Satan suggests, with earnest prayer, unceasing watchfulness, the Holy Spirit attracting the mind upward to dwell on pure holy things, and diligent study of the Word.
The command rests on the written word Be ye holy for I am holy, and ministers are to teach this call to holiness and obedience rather than fables and foolish imaginings. It is lived in reverent fear during earthly sojourning before the Father who without respect of persons judges according to every person's work. It remembers redemption from the inherited empty way of life not with corruptible silver or gold but with Christ's precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. That redemption and impartial judgment reinforce rejecting former desires, living as obedient children, and keeping the mind wholly surrendered, pure, clean, healthy, and under God's control by the Holy Spirit for good work and a much higher standard.
The verse belongs to a chapter that stirs intense interest and draws the heart in love for souls, calling them to walk in the light shining upon their pathway. It stands together with verses 10-12 showing the importance and sacredness of prophecies and that Christ was speaking in the Old Testament Scriptures as well as the New, so the Old Testament is not to be cut out. This call to obey all God's commandments and be holy in all manner of life feeds hungry souls with rich food from God's living Word, strengthens and blesses the feeble and afflicted, shows God's great love bestowed in large measure on His chosen ones, and shines as light of truth on the pathway for those not yet in the faith to walk in.
Christ Pattern and Possible Holiness
The standard for holiness in all conduct is the holiness of the One who called, and that standard is the sinless life of Christ, not a worldly standard shaped to suit unsanctified hearts. He is the spotless divine pattern and the perfection of divine character to be followed as obedient children no longer fashioned by former lusts of ignorance. His purity, goodness, devotion to truth, and zeal for God's glory show what the law requires in perfection and set the measure for every person. That pattern is to govern speech, actions, relationships, temper, and voice, lifting believers above all cheapness of word or action into purity within as well as outward respect. It is not too lofty for daily life, but is to be lived out through faith and union with Christ, with sinful self and corrupt nature brought under control and the Holy Spirit allowed to work freely to perfect Christian character.
The call is to the highest standard of glory and virtue, to Christian perfection as a church without spot or wrinkle, sanctified in soul, body, and spirit. It gives the true measure of piety, holiness, and character, requiring Bible Christianity and obedience to all of God's requirements and forbidding the excuse that yielding to temptation means no harm and does no moral wrong. The righteous standard set in Christ must not be lowered to excuse inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrong, for rough impolite conduct reveals an unholy heart. God's law echoes the same call as the transcript of His character, summoning every soul higher and holier still. Those who profess to be God's chosen people are therefore to be elevated, refined, sanctified examples of piety, practicing the truth in consecrated lives tested by the Word and carrying Christ's perfect principles into daily life in readiness for the great day of God.
Such holiness is not reached by human power, yet every provision has been made for it through Christ's sacrifice, by which believers may receive all things pertaining to life and godliness. It comes as Christ's righteousness imputed and dwelling within by faith, laid hold of until uprightness and purity of love, forbearance, meekness, and every Christian virtue become part of the being and appear in doing the works of God. It comes by partaking of the divine nature, by which those who shared Christ's suffering and death may be elevated and exalted into God's presence. God gives the Holy Spirit to help overcome inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong, and divine grace works through the Spirit's discipline and restraining influence as believers submit to it and resist temptation by God's power.
Without this holiness no one will see the Lord, and it is necessary for salvation and entrance into heaven. It requires being doers of the Word and not hearers only, wearing Christ's easy yoke and learning His meekness and lowliness, with evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty and cruel thoughts, and every wrong habit forever ended. Christ's robe of righteousness never covers cherished sin, so lives must correspond with profession and be purified even as He is pure. Sincerity, uprightness, trust, and humble walking keep believers under God's protection in peril, while vain and unbecoming conversation, pleasing of self, living like the world and enjoying its pleasures and company, falls far short and cannot expect to reign with Christ in glory.
Holiness is not a claim to be without sin, for sins must be confessed and forsaken to obtain forgiveness and cleansing and a transformed character. Faults are to be continually overcome, defects of character corrected, and wisdom and strength to overcome sought humbly and contritely from the Lord who gives them, with the Savior asked to heal the sinful condition. Hereditary tendencies to wrong and selfishness are not to be indulged or carried along, but selfishness put away, self crucified, and flesh and spirit cleansed from bitterness in perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Divine power is given to join with human effort in working out salvation.
Even fallen people are to be holy in their own sphere through faith in Christ, living a life shaped by God's character rather than an empty profession. That sanctification comes through obedience to the truth, personal surrender, being conformed to God's image, and being guided by His Spirit. Obedience is made perfect through Christ's righteousness as seekers humbly ask for help.
Guarded Mind and Pure Heart
Holiness demands special care over the mind, binding it about and guarding it against impure, forbidden and trivial influences and refusing to dwell on thoughts that give no benefit. Loose and wandering thoughts must be gathered up and centered on God, with every thought brought into obedience to His will. This inward change requires turning from loose thinking and overcoming the evil tendencies of the natural carnal heart. With earth's history soon closing there is no time for lightness, vanity or trifling, but a pressing sense of the sacredness of God's work, increased humility, and refusal of praise that fosters self-confidence and corrupts rather than purifies.
The avenues of the soul must be guarded well by resisting temptation and no longer fashioning life after former lusts in ignorance, girding up the loins of the mind and being sober. Nothing is to be read, seen or heard that will suggest impure thoughts, and the mind is not to wander at random upon every subject Satan or the adversary suggests. Keeping this holiness requires earnest prayer and unceasing watchfulness. The abiding influence of the Holy Spirit attracts the mind upward and habituates it to dwell on pure and holy things, joined with diligent study of the Word.
Overcoming the evil tendencies of the natural heart takes earnest effort and perseverance and disciplined control of former desires. New habits of thought are formed through faith in Christ, controlling natural propensities, denying selfish inclinations, and again and again fighting hereditary tendencies to wrong that are hostile to grace and reform. Evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words, cruel thoughts and feelings, and all wrong habits must be ended forever, no longer acting like unmanageable undisciplined children but loving as brethren. This requires taking oneself to task, disciplining self, denying self, lifting the cross and controlling self with zeal tempered by meekness and lowliness, so that Christ's mind is within and words become sweet and pure. Giving no place to the enemy in this way matters because evil thinking and evil speaking are his most successful means of keeping the church weak and unconverted.
Holiness in thought and conduct requires purity between men and women under a higher standard than idle talk, trifling conversation, frivolous conduct, bold forwardness, flirtation and habits leading to sensual actions. In their place pure, elevated, holy thoughts are to be cultivated by setting the face Christward firm as steel, leaning the helpless soul upon Jesus, living in the light of His word, looking to Jesus for strength, depending on His righteousness and receiving His grace through genuine conversion with all faculties consecrated to God. Such a life directs all influence to exalt Jesus and counteract prevailing evil rather than drawing souls away from truth, life and light.
The mind is to be filled and crowded with the one great event of the coming of the Lord and Saviour, when graves will be opened and the dead raised and the living changed. Present privileges and opportunities are to be made the most of to prepare for future immortal life, turning from vain, frivolous and worldly pursuits to honor God. Those who practice this holiness in this life will see the King in His beauty. As obedient children they live soberly and hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, no longer fashioned by former lusts in ignorance, in serious disciplined living without lightness, vanity or trifling.
Sanctified Speech and Daily Life
Holiness in all manner of conduct includes speech, for the fruit of the lips is to be sanctified and not made up of worthless or cheap words. Gossip, backbiting, evil speaking, idle words, foolish joking, jesting, lightness, guile, vain, reckless and trifling talk are ruled out, and words are to be carefully chosen, pure, chaste, elevated and select so that they build others up and rightly represent the religion professed. Careless, doubtful and dark words of doubt or discouragement must be refused because they give Satan advantage, germinate into a bitter harvest, grieve Christ and reveal what is in the heart. Believers are to be quick to hear, slow to speak and prayerful rather than absorbed in talk and controversy with others.
The mind is to be bound about and guarded, with speech trained on heaven and heavenly things, every hindrance to advancement separated so the Holy Spirit fills the heart with the Spirit of Jesus. The old conversation about dress and what to eat and drink and wear and finding fault with one another must change into talk of things that bring peace and light and reveal love to God, with dying to self and no longer living after former lusts in ignorance. As thoughts and affections are fastened on God He draws nigh, His love fills the heart, angels surround, and holy words flow from the lips as believers become channels of light, with every provision in Christ giving abundant grace to overcome every defect of character. In this daily transformation selfishness and self-conceit are put aside, purity is sought, temptation is resisted, growth in grace follows, and mind, heart and affections are raised toward God's purpose.
Christ's grace controls temper and voice and changes the whole person, making the coarse refined, the rough gentle, and the selfish generous. Its working is seen in politeness and tender regard of brother for brother, in kind encouraging words, in unselfish actions, in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, long-suffering and patience. In the home it appears as an angel-presence, and in life as breathing a sweet perfume ascending to God as holy incense, honoring Christ as character becomes like God's.
Holiness is shown in cheerful, pleasant, courteous behavior with trifling put away, in refinement and Christian courtesy, and in a heart and life made pure after Christ's example so that words are gracious. In family life it appears as thoughtful courtesy, refined affection, kindness, respect, and restraint of impatience and hasty words, growing as self is surrendered and Christ lives in the heart to replace perverse attitudes with sincere and noble affections. It includes humility, thoughtful care for others, sincere love and rejection of evil, while pride, harshness and conduct that misrepresents Christ are contrary to the calling, with neatness and order belonging to conduct made worthy of God's wisdom through Christ's transforming grace.
When self is set aside and the Spirit of Christ fills the heart, that Spirit shows itself in the way a person speaks and lives. Childish tendencies and self are brought under control and yielded to the Spirit of God, with selfishness, self-conceit, pride and harshness put away and mind, heart and affections raised toward God's purpose. Holy conduct keeps a clear distinction from worldly habits, refusing light and trifling conversation and talking and acting as worldlings do, since these are incompatible with Christ abiding within and dishonor Him unless there is daily conversion so He is honored by every word. Appetite and passion are to be controlled so all powers remain steady amid surrounding circumstances, as a temple for the indwelling Spirit that impresses others with the holiness of God's requirements and their need of His perfect righteousness. This extends to eating with thanksgiving to God and choosing the best foods that make the best blood and clearest intellect to produce sharp-thinking men and women, to dressing simply and engaging in holy conversation that shines as light to correct wrong habits, and to health reform borne in every church and school by principals and teachers who first cultivate the garden of the heart and partake of the fruit themselves.
Love Unity and Witness
Holiness in all conduct means a sanctified self with no discord, variance, alienation, or strife, but purified souls showing unfeigned love of the brethren and loving one another with a pure heart fervently. It is lived by being kind and courteous, forgiving one another as Christ forgave, following His example in all things with the life hid with Him in God, and striving for Christian unity as the grand possibility of such a life. That life forever ends evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words, cruel thoughts and feelings, and all wrong habits, no longer acting like unmanageable undisciplined children but taking self to task, disciplining and denying self, lifting the cross and controlling self with zeal tempered by Christ's meekness and lowliness, so that Christ puts His mind in believers and their words become sweet and pure. It is entered under solemn covenant by the baptismal vow to rise with Christ in newness of life as God's elect, holy and beloved, clothing the life in garments of righteousness and distinguishing it by humility, meekness, longsuffering, kindness, compassion, tenderness and courtesy, learning of Him who is meek and lowly in heart. When kept, this covenant makes believers partakers of the divine nature whose life is hid in God, whom the world cannot draw aside to deny Christ, in whom Christian unity is realized, and who will appear with Christ in glory when He who is their life appears, giving no place to Satan whose most successful means of keeping the church weak is evil thinking and evil speaking. Holiness so understood is shown by obeying the truth and living out its principles, setting thoughts on heavenly things and revealing mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace, thankfulness, and words and deeds done in Jesus' name.
Holiness requires blending together in unity as those who expect to live together in heaven, because Christ is not divided against Himself. It requires sweeping away all the rubbish of evil surmising and discord and devoting heart, soul, mind, and strength with unity of purpose to the work that is holy in God's sight, and God will not give success to His laborers until that cleansing is done. That obedience includes preferring one another in honor and love without dissimulation, practicing the truth to attain Christian perfection and live consecrated lives, fully owning the Word as touchstone and standard to test ways and recall heart and conscience, following Christ the perfect example for grace and power to overcome every fault, and carrying His perfect principles into daily life to get ready for the great day of God. As God's children by spiritual adoption living in conformity to His will and representing Him in life and character, believers dwell together in love and unity, walk as in the sight of a holy God true to themselves, true to brethren, and true to God, refuse to join the enemy in accusing, criticizing, and judging one another, and are rightly related to Him so the Holy Spirit is fully imparted to unite them for the work of the time; God will not give special victories to divided or disobedient workers, for to bless disregard of His Word would dishonor His holy name and ruin the workers.
Love for one another lived out is the most convincing evidence that Bible truth is brought into the practical life and the credential showing that God sent His Son that the world through Him might be saved and receive life through faith. This sanctification lived out makes God's servants true witnesses scattered abroad through all countries and in all cities, showing to a world broken by discord, strife, variance, and hatred that there is a people who believe in Christ and live out His Word. As obedient children they represent Christ to the world, with every member living as a witness others can see, shaped in right conduct into an example that can lead others to choose that path. Those who have received solemn truths and grace live as patterns of piety whose faith governs life and honors God, with lives set apart from sin and sanctified by the Spirit of truth bearing witness to the truth proclaimed to call people out of darkness into God's light, showing holiness in words and actions by serving God and blessing others in leading them to Christ, whom Christ alone can make pure and fit for heaven by removing envy, evil surmising, and self-sufficiency and revealing human weakness and corrupt nature.
Those risen with Christ remain forever separate from the world while living in the world, not of the world and kept free from its spirit, practices, and contaminating influences. That separation governs labor by keeping the right relation between brethren, binding medical missionary work to gospel ministry and not making it the body, forbidding binding up with worldlings by inviting them into councils or bringing worldly lawyers into connection with God's work, and calling every worker to be molded after Christ's similitude, to stand on truth uninfluenced by false theories, to respect the pure principles of the gospel, and to labor unitedly with church and ministers in soul-saving work in perfect unity. Holiness is expressed in pure character refusing corrupt opinions and desires, in keeping free from worldly policy plans and refusing entanglement in plans dishonoring faith to gain the influence of the wealthy, refusing to sell the soul for financial advantage, and doing nothing that retards God's work or lowers righteousness, but revealing self-denial and sacrifice in life so all see the desire for holiness and are drawn to know God. Consistent holy lives with love for one another and supreme love for the Father distinguish God's children from the world in words and deeds, while profession without works and obedience dishonors it; Christians keep clear distinction from worldly habits by following Christ, controlling appetite, dressing simply, engaging in holy conversation, and shining as light to correct wrong habits. The weight of teaching holds that luxury, oppression, injustice, and love of applause are rejected, so that steady holy conduct exposes the world's folly.
God's righteousness is absolute and characterizes all His works and all His laws, so His people must be as He is. The holiness commanded is the life of Christ revealed in followers as practical godliness seen in every public and private act, in every word and deed, bringing Christ's virtues into daily life and revealing practical righteousness after Him who did no sin because there was no sin in Him. He that does righteousness is righteous, and this requires confessing and forsaking sins unto transformed character. His law is the transcript of His character, constantly calling the human family to be holier still in His work of gathering a righteous people from a fallen world, whose righteousness issues in peace with quietness and assurance forever.
Holiness means loving God and showing His character by being merciful, true, kind, forgiving, compassionate, tender, and loving. Christ seeks to lift all who will be lifted into companionship with Himself that they may be one with Him as He is one with the Father, while those not thus holy are in companionship with the devil. Holy people reveal Christ's spirit by helping those suffering for necessities, and God permits suffering and calamity to call people out of selfishness and awaken His attributes in them.
God demands holiness in every part with nothing of sinful self carried along. Supposed little sins exclude from heaven, including a sensitiveness always ready to be hurt and cry out, and refusal to let self die and have the life hid with Christ in God leaves unbelief and transgression of the law. The gospel has not abolished the law nor lessened its claims, faith in Christ does not make it void, and the law is the echo of God's own voice giving every soul the invitation to come up higher, to be holy and holier still.
Called People and Urgent Application
Holiness is required of those entrusted with responsibilities in God's work, for high position alone does not make a person fit for sacred service, but Christ's righteousness does, and ministers must show by holy conduct that they are fit for the sacred desk. For men and women seeking church office this demands a decided change in words and in the spirit shown when speaking to others, obeyed in both letter and spirit with full purpose to carry it out, coming by bowing the knee before Jesus Christ individually and seeking the converting influence of the Holy Spirit. It means having the heart cleansed from defilement so Christ can enter and abide there, praying constantly for grace to be kept pure and holy, and then refusing to rush heedlessly into temptation. It forbids light trifling words, all jesting and joking and lightness, because the minister is an ambassador for Christ bearing a divine message to perishing souls, weighed down with a burden for souls. It means daily growing in grace and deeper knowledge of God, overcoming selfishness, having the affections elevated and ennobled, not only reading the Bible but believing it, lifting as Christ lifts, loving as Christ loves, working as Christ works, and by precept and example leading others to a purer, higher, nobler life.
For shepherds of the flock this holiness means ministering to strengthen and build up believers in the most holy faith instead of afflicting them, through consecration of soul, body, and spirit. For believers afflicted, accused, tried, or tempted it means not becoming exasperated, not letting feelings of the natural heart control, not cherishing a spirit of retaliation, knowing they do not have to be a sin-bearer for another soul, committing the case wholly to Jesus, and keeping faith and trust in Him who died for them in every trying hour and adverse circumstance. God's representatives are to be holy in daily life, revealing Christ through purity and sanctification, bringing sinful self and corrupt human nature under control rather than exalting them, and living humbly and faithfully. Their holiness must allow the Holy Spirit to work freely so that Christian character is perfected and God's truth is not obscured by human imperfections, with Christ's life as the example to follow in order to be saved.
Christian physicians and medical missionary workers must be molded and fashioned after the similitude of Christ, taking a stand on the platform of truth uninfluenced by false theories and wrong devising, respecting the pure living principles of the gospel. The call means remaining forever separate from the world while living in the world, not being of the world, and being kept free from its contaminating influences. It governs the manner of labor, requiring the right relation between physicians and their brethren, with medical missionary work bound up with the gospel ministry and not made the body. Holiness forbids binding up with worldlings by inviting them into councils and dishonoring the truth by bringing worldly lawyers into connection with God's work, and calls for laboring unitedly with the church and with ministers in soul-saving work in perfect unity. For a Christian physician this means rejecting base thoughts, speaking in a timely way about the soul's value and danger apart from Christ, and living as a missionary for Christ.
Youth who follow Christ and seek the Saviour early have a warfare before them with a daily cross to bear in coming out of the world and imitating the life of Christ. As obedient children called by a holy God, they must not shape themselves by former lusts in ignorance but gird up the loins of the mind, be sober, hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and be holy in every part of life as He who called them is holy. It is a precious promise for those who seek the Saviour early, involving leaving former ignorant lusts behind, thinking clearly, living self-controlled, and holding hope to the end. God does not own the pleasure-seeker as His follower, but only those who are self-denying and live lives of sobriety, humility and holiness are true followers of Jesus. This holiness governs speech, so the holy cannot enjoy the frivolous, empty conversation of the lover of the world.
Fathers and mothers are to study the standard with all powers of intelligence and let words and actions express its meaning, to be holy in all manner of words and actions by hearing and obeying. That holy life is daily obedience to all the commandments of God, bringing the law of heaven into everyday experience in this world, maintained with watchfulness and prayer. It evidences receiving Christ and partaking of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, while requiring constant spiritual warfare against unsanctified ideas and talk detrimental to healthful piety and warning those lifting up their souls unto vanity. Holiness in conversation means words that are pure, chaste, elevated and select, with no cheap frivolous talk, so parents must put this command before their children from the Bible and strictly guard their own words so by precept and example they teach their children to speak in this holy way. This requires holiness like God's holiness in all of home life, not only in public religion, staying at home to pray and surrender the will to God instead of making public the home troubles that come from lack of connection with God and objectionable traits of character, falling on the Rock to be broken and dying to self so Jesus can make the person a vessel unto honor with fervent and noble affection that gives fragrance to the character.
Words must be pure and conversation holy, with no fretfulness, harshness, passion, or hasty thoughtless speech that forfeits self-respect, made possible as the grace of Christ for the asking and His Spirit taking control of heart and conscience presides over words and deeds. For parents this holiness is lived out in the home by giving children an example of what they should become, for a husband and wife are in God's sight in religious life just what they are in home life. It is done by binding their own hearts in closest happiest union in order to bind their children's hearts by love, and by guarding precious moments because children soon pass beyond training and molding. With the scenes of this earth's history soon to close it is no time for lightness, vanity, or trifling, and minds left to loose thought need change, with loose thoughts gathered up and centered on God and the very thoughts brought into obedience to the will of God. As obedient children they must be sober, hope to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and no longer fashion themselves according to former lusts in ignorance, turning from former desires and fashions and obeying God's word and commandments, following the Redeemer, watching and praying, and living reverently during time on earth as they prepare for home with God.
Holiness brings a pressing sense of the sacredness of God's work, refuses praise given or expected that fosters self-confidence and corrupts rather than purifies, increases humility, and makes the most earnest efforts to overcome the natural feelings of the carnal heart. Every church member is called to obey the demand for holiness in all conduct in both letter and spirit, beginning with full purpose to carry it out, and following that instruction of the Spirit of truth in willing obedience brings spiritual strength. The instruction belongs to the exhortation to godly life in 1 Peter 1 and 2, and that instruction is to be presented to the people now to impress on all that the time has come to work intelligently and earnestly for the accomplishment of salvation, to show faith by works and to accept the great responsibility the truth lays on every recipient, as the world is prepared for the closing work of the third angel's message and the loud cry. The call is to complete consecration and preparation for a time of crisis.
Holy living is daily obedience to all God's commandments, bringing heaven's law into everyday experience, and this call feeds hungry souls with rich food from God's living Word, strengthens and blesses the feeble and afflicted, shows God's great love bestowed in large measure on His chosen ones, and shines as light of truth on the pathway for those not yet in the faith to walk in. It involves purification and sanctification of the whole person, physical and spiritual, through obedience to God's commandments, revealing Christ in believers, making homes bright through His presence, and preparing them to be holy and undefiled members of God's royal family in heaven. It is the will of God, even sanctification, giving hope and courage and faith and confidence in God, lived by putting on the whole armor of God to withstand in the evil day in the wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness, by learning lessons from God to become His workmen, and by working as Christ worked with efficiency that is of God and not of self through observing to do all His commandments in righteousness before Him. In a corrupt world this means remaining untainted, with holy bodies and pure spirits, with the work to begin at once and be carried out earnestly, under the Spirit's control in every action. It includes treating faith as a ruling power in life, honoring God through obedience, and carefully keeping the distinctive features of the faith, with the true Sabbath marking the distinction between those who serve God and those who do not.
Being made holy unto God is the work of this very moment, today, not something to wait for until a special future period. It means self is to be crucified every day and every hour, the heart cleansed from all iniquity and defilement, the vessel emptied and thoroughly cleansed of its impurity with clean purpose of heart and given to God now. This cleansing must be done before the destiny of souls is decided, while entrusted capabilities can still be used, for self-crucifixion afterward does no good, and only those kept clean and right side up are prepared as vessels unto honor to receive the latter rain. Holiness is lived by loving and serving God with whole soul, might, mind and strength, seeking divine enlightenment and fresh spiritual nourishment morning and evening, putting every power to work to glorify God and not self, blessing those around by leading them to the light of the Word, and working for the salvation of others as Christ worked for salvation. It requires bringing Christ into the life, for He alone cures envy, evil surmisings against brethren and self-sufficient spirit, makes felt weakness, ignorance and great need of Him, reveals the true inward corruptions of nature, and by His pure, cleansing power refines and fits for the mansions of the blessed.
Revealing Christ's character through the Holy Spirit means speaking without harsh, condemnatory words or guile, keeping the heart open to the Spirit, and serving God with singleness of purpose, preparing a person for the day of reckoning. In a time of peril Jehovah requires His people to be holy, pure, and undefiled in their lives, practicing sincerity and uprightness and trusting in God, and walking humbly before Him they remain under His protection. Without holiness no one will see the Lord, while those who worship Him sincerely and truthfully will be accepted by Him. Young believers as lambs of the flock, children beginning the Christian life and younger members of the Lord's family, need the help of an experienced, motherly Christian with warmth of affection and steadiness and evenness of character to guide them over rough places, direct their steps, counsel them, defend them from surrounding dangers, and lead them kindly, firmly and disinterestedly into that holy life, giving themselves fully to the cause of God, identifying with His people, and walking in paths of safety to reach higher attainments in righteousness and true holiness.