Holiness as Wholeness
The idea behind this new teaching series is that Holiness, rather than being a heavy burden of impossibility placed on believers, is a healing and freeing effect of Christ’s sacrifice. Holiness is good for us; it restores to us the design of God for our lives. The enemy wants us to believe it is a chain placed upon us, so we dread its requirements so that we’ll turn our back on it or roll our eyes at it. But, in essence, holiness brings all that we really want into our lives. It makes us whole with all of the attendant beauty of that idea. Holiness is not a requirement as much as it is a remedy. The Nazarene understanding of Christian Holiness or Entire Sanctification is freeing, not binding. Through this sermon series then, we want to see Holiness as Wholeness.

1 Peter is written by Apostle Peter. It’s believed he is writing in the early to mid 60’s AD, so this is nearly 30 years after Christ.

The letter was written to Christians in and around Rome who were facing severe persecution under the Roman Emperor Nero. It was a widespread and ruthless persecution of Christians.

Peter wants to write them a letter of encouragement, a letter of hope to remind them of who they are in Christ and the victory found only in Him.

His letter opens affirming the wonderous work of Christ and the hope that believers have in him. Peter, much older than we find him in the gospels, fans the flame of faith and hope for these weary and persecuted believers.

For Peter’s audience, it wasn’t the time to be mentally and spiritually sloppy or lazy it was time to be alert and focused.

It’s interesting to me in verse 14 that he doesn’t point out specific actions they used to do. Not how they used to talk, now how they used to dress, or what they used to drink- none of those specifics.

Peter is looking beyond the conduct and actions themselves, to the heart motives and he says, “Don’t let those old passions and desires rule over you, don’t let them call the shots.”

Then he sets up the contrast "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do."

The word there in the Greek for holy is hag'-ee-os
It means to be set apart for God, to be exclusively His

Think about what Peter is saying- Rather than being driven by desires, the old ways down in your heart, set yourself apart, give your heart fully to the Lord. Friends that’s the essence of holiness.

The invitation of holiness is to allow the Holy Spirit to come and deal with our lives at a heart level. To deal that old nature- to purify our hearts.

It’s possible by the blood of Jesus, it’s brought to life in us by the Holy Spirit and it’s a categorically different way of living.

We still need to grow, we still need to learn, we still need to heal. But our hearts are not divided any more. We don’t have that inner war.
By the power of The Holy Spirit, we have traded that war for peace, the peace of his presence.

It’s a close and intimate relationship with Christ himself. That's Holiness, and it's anything but drudgery and bondage. It's freedom!