Becoming Like Jesus: Scripture MemorizationSample

A Holy Nation

Holiness is a really big deal in the Bible. It’s an attribute of God that can be difficult to define because it describes God’s uniqueness, His otherness, His set-apartness. Holiness is the one-word description for things about God that make Him unlike anyone or anything else.

And yet, in the passage of Scripture we are memorizing, those who are in Jesus are called a holy nation. Peter talks about us using the same word that describes the aspects of God that are indescribable.

Today, we are going to explore the wonder of holiness, and what it looks like for us to live as a holy nation.

Pray ...

God, You are holy. There is no one and nothing like You in all the world. You are totally unique. And You alone are worthy of my worship. Everything I am and all that I have is Yours. Use me to build Your kingdom and serve others. Teach me to live a life that honors You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Read ...

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:3 NIV

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5 NIV

“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’” Leviticus 19:2 NIV

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14 NIV

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified … For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 1 Thessalonians 4:3,7 NIV

Consider ...

The word “holy” is first used to describe the seventh day of Creation, when God rested after doing the work of forming and filling the universe. What’s interesting about this is that the Sabbath isn’t a place or a person, it’s a period of time that occurs once every seven days. The Sabbath is special. It’s set apart for a specific purpose. The Sabbath is different. Every other day is for work, but the Sabbath is meant for rest.

The next time the word “holy” shows up is when God appears to Moses in the book of Exodus. This time, God designates the ground Moses is walking on as holy.

From this point on, there is an explosion of holiness in Scripture. While the word “holy” only showed up once in Genesis, it’s all over the place in Exodus and everywhere in Leviticus, which is where God tells His people that they are to be holy because He is holy.

But—and this is an important point—they aren’t holy yet. It’s something they are aspiring to but haven’t achieved. Because sin is still real. It infects and it defiles.

It’s not until Jesus that a specific individual is called holy. He is the holy One of God. And because of His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we too can finally become holy.

Because now the Holy Spirit is living within us. Peter calling us a holy nation is not some flippant statement he’s making because he likes the way it sounds. He is telling us the time has finally come, because of Jesus, when the command given in Leviticus can be fulfilled; we can now truly be holy like God is holy.

Being sanctified, being made holy, doesn’t happen because we struggle and strive to be perfect and never mess up. It happens because Jesus sacrificed Himself for us, and His Spirit, the same Spirit who was actively creating in Genesis and met with Moses in the wilderness, is working in us. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do our best to live for Him and avoid sin—of course, we should! It means that our holiness isn’t in our weak and shaky hands. It’s in His. We can rest in that.

And, as we are being made holy, God will use us to lead people into a relationship with Him—because they will see His power at work in us.

When you think about what it means to be holy, what words come to mind? How would you describe holiness to someone else? What emotion does it stir up in you? Do you feel inspired, grateful, humbled, etc.? Or do you feel burdened, nervous, or even inadequate? Be honest about your emotions and ask God to help you understand more truly what He wants you to know.

Practice ...

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV

Take a few minutes to write this passage down again. After you do, take a picture of what you wrote or type the verse out and send it to someone you know. Don’t make it weird, just let them know you’re working on memorizing this passage of Scripture and that the next time they see you they should ask you to recite it.

This could also be a fun way to invite them to do the rest of this Plan with you!

Listen ...

Start by setting a timer for 5–10 minutes.

Then, create space in your mind and heart to hear from God. Lead into your listening by using those verses from 1 Peter as a prayer:

God, thank You for choosing me to be Yours. Because of Your relentless grace, You have made me a member of Your priesthood, a citizen of Your holy nation, and Your own special possession. Once I was trapped in darkness, but You have called me into Your wonderful light. So I’m going to declare Your praises to anyone and everyone who will listen. Once, I was lost and alone. But now, I am a part of Your family. Once, I was a mess of my own making, but now I am made new by Your mercy. Today, I commit to serving You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next, ask God to speak to you. And then, simply listen.

When you get distracted, come back to Jesus by reading the verses or repeating the prayer above. Say them out loud. Focus on each line and let the truth you are learning redirect your thoughts.