HOLY LIKE THE MESSIAH JESUS

“It is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:16, ESV). There are two elements of Jesus’ life that are meant to be part of our lives too. That is, we are to be holy and anointed. Some Christians might be intimidated when they hear this. “Sure, I live a moral life and I do my best to be godly; but holy? And anointed? How could that happen with all my failures?”

But there it is, straight from Peter’s pen. The only way this could happen is if Jesus gave us his own holiness and anointing, and that’s exactly what he did, through his perfect sin-offering sacrifice for us. The Messiah Jesus lived a spotless life on earth, and through his perfect life on earth, his payment for our sins is thorough and endless.

The Messiah’s work for us; his crucifixion, death, and resurrection; did more than cleanse us of sin. Through it, he also imparted to us his righteousness by his indwelling presence in us. Think about what an amazing thing this is: While all our sin is on him, all his righteousness is on us.

One of the faults that God cleanses us from is our deep belief that our behavior makes us righteous. We can never earn our way to a higher level of righteousness; we’re made righteous by him alone. That’s where our victory lies. As Paul testifies, “I can no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in the Messiah. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith and belief in the one whom He has sent”

Philippians 3:7-15: But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for the Messiah. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of the Messiah Jesus my lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win the Messiah, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of the Messiah, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of the Messiah Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in the Messiah Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, have this mind:

You may feel holy only on days when you’re doing well, worshipful and conscious of God in every way. But don’t mistake that for a state of holiness. You can never be holier than Jesus’ blood makes you. So, by his power, we are his worthy witnesses not just in good times but in bad times as well.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12, ESV).

The key to our belief is that he is at work already. Accept his holiness, no matter what you think of yourself, and receive his anointing to fulfill the works he has prepared for you. He’ll open every door and you’ll see him perform unexpected wonders!