Unshaken | Be the Man God Made You to Be: Your Identity in ChristChikamu

Day 6: You are Called to Holiness

The central scripture for today, 1 Peter 1:14-16, leads us to reflect on our identity in Christ and our call to holiness. Verse 14 tells us: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” This verse appeals to us as children—obedient children. Yet, even as those saved and redeemed by Jesus, we can sometimes act as disobedient children. And we know what happens to children who persist in disobedience. It's not that our sonship is revoked, but rather that the Father disciplines His children, as clearly taught in Hebrews 12:6-7.

Let’s also consider what it means to be holy. Firstly, we must humbly acknowledge that no human being can achieve God's standard of holiness in this fleshly body. The only reason righteousness is imputed to us is due to the redemption Christ achieved for us, as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:21.

The Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:27 describes this imputed righteousness by saying we have "clothed ourselves with Christ." It's like the Old Testament story of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac. When Jacob, disguised in Esau's clothing, approached his father to claim the firstborn's blessing, his father, unable to see clearly, was deceived by the feel and smell, thinking he was blessing Esau. However, in our story of redemption, it is not deception but God’s choice to see and smell Christ in us. Christ, the perfect Lamb and the only man who fulfilled the law and lived the perfect life that we could never live, covers us.

Now, let's continue with this meditation on clothing and what it represents, as it can provide insight into why we are called to holiness. Consider the clothes you wear for special occasions. Would you dress up to bathe yourself in mud or filth? Would a bride and groom dress up to play football in a muddy, rainy field? Of course not. Similarly, in our new standing before God, we would continue to be ignorant if we chose to live the life we led before Christ.

We also now have the Holy Spirit, which enables us to resist temptation and stirs within us when we are walking according to the Spirit, as the Bible instructs. This internal battle between our spiritual nature and our old nature is a sign that God is at work within us. Before we had the Holy Spirit, we might have indulged in sinful habits without any remorse, even enjoying sin. We would be very ignorant, disobedient children if we did not heed the urging of our spiritual nature before the Father, trying to guide us to live according to His will and not our fleshly desires.

In the end, this guidance is for our best, benefiting all areas of our lives.

We would like to share an important practice that has helped many men in our ministry: fellowship. You are not meant to live your spiritual life and grow alone, in isolation.

The enemy wants you alone because you are an easy prey when isolated. In fact, the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We encourage you to seek fellowship with other men. At Power of 4 Ministries, we offer a model similar to Jesus’ inner circle, consisting of four men in a small fellowship group to journey through life together.

We have found that having such fellowship makes a huge difference in men’s spiritual lives, preventing them from facing life's challenges alone and focusing on seeking spiritual growth together.

To learn more about engaging in this type of men's fellowship, we invite you to connect with us through our website after completing this plan. We would love to be a resource for you.