Jonathan Munson, Executive Director, RFTH

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.”
1 Peter 1:14-15

“You know better.” 

As a kid, I bet I heard this expression hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

“You know better” is a parent’s way of reprimanding their children for doing something they knew they weren’t supposed to do…but did it anyway. 

“What do you mean you rode your bike to the front of the neighborhood by yourself? You know better than that!”

“You know better than to traipse through this house wearing those muddy shoes. Take ‘em off right now!”

The funny thing is, I’ve been a dad for over twenty years and have also said, “You know better” to my kids on more than one occasion. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…

Well, just like a loving dad, Peter reminds us that if we are in Christ, “we know better.”  

There was a time when we “lived in ignorance,” completely oblivious to the gospel, and truly didn’t know better. So, it was perfectly natural for us to live like the rest of the world, wrapped up in ourselves and guided by our own passions and desires. After all, non-Christians act like, well…non-Christians.  

But then, Jesus saved us, and our lives were forever changed. 

Now, as His children, we do know better. 

Consequently, we can’t live like we did in the past. The old lifestyle, attitudes, habits, etc. must go. Though we may feel drawn to our old ways from time to time, we are called to walk in obedience.

Peter summarizes obedience to Jesus in one beautiful yet challenging word: holiness. 

Chances are, you haven’t thought much about holiness lately. I get it. The word sounds like something from the Middle Ages. But make no mistake, holiness still matters…a lot. You see, holiness isn’t just something for God’s people in the ancient world; it’s for God’s people in today’s world. 

Let’s make sure we understand why holiness matters. 

When we decide to follow Christ, we are made “holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22). Nevertheless, as a demonstration of our salvation, God commands His people to pursue holiness “in all they do” (1 Peter 1:15). This means there shouldn’t be an area of our public or private life that’s not displaying His holiness.  (Pretty convicting, huh?)

At its core, holiness means that we’re set apart by God so our lives can be wholly devoted to His Kingdom. That way, no matter what we do or where we go, we’re available to serve Him in any way we can. 

If we truly seek to be holy and set apart by God, then we won’t blend in with the beliefs, behaviors, and desires of the surrounding culture. We’ll be distinct and stand out from the crowd…not in some weird way, but in a winsome, joyful way that shows the Spirit of God is living within us. Holiness is all about reflecting the Father’s character so that we can point a broken world back to Him.  

Perhaps you’re thinking, “All this sounds great, but there’s no way I can live up to the standard of holiness, so why bother?” Believe me, I understand where you’re coming from. It’s very challenging to write these words, much less try to live them out.  

We must remember we’re not called to display perfect holiness. Jesus has already done that on our behalf. We’re called to pursue holiness….and this pursuit isn’t optional; it’s commanded by God.  He instructs all His people, including everyday folks like you and me, to continually strive for holiness throughout our lives.

As you’ve been reading this, maybe you felt the Spirit prompt you about a certain ‘hole’ in your holiness, an area of your life where you need to get back on course.  An attitude?  A bad habit?  A behavior that’s out of line with God’s Word?

If this resonates with you, why not take a moment and ask God to help you get back on track and renew your commitment to chase after personal holiness?

James 4:17 tells us, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” NLT

So,  I know better.
And now you know better. 

The question is:  In light of what we know, will we live better?  

“No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as surely, no one will attain it without effort on his own part. God has made it possible for us to walk in holiness. But He has given to us the responsibility of doing the walking; He does not do that for us.”  
-Jerry Bridges

DIG DEEPER
Read “An Invitation to Holiness” by George Wright