Called to Be Holy
Bible Devotional
May 10th, 2026
Church Scripture Verse for today:
1 Peter 1:13-16 (ESV) 13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
How do you break a generational sin or curse? And what does a Holy living look like? In regard to “generational sin” or “generational curse,” some believers feel like whatever their parents or their grandparents had sinned or whatever previous religion they were in or not in, maybe their spirit has now come upon me. And that is the reason why I cannot break this sin or curse. So, today, we will address these two questions.
Recap from last Sunday: “A Living Hope.”
Last Sunday, I asked a question: "How do you tough it out in life?" Life is tough with so much going on, and you feel like you're facing so many trials. So, how do you get through it? How do you not only survive, but thrive under those conditions? The first half of 1 Peter 1 tells us that when you are born-again, you have a spiritual renewal. There is a transformation in the heart because now the Holy Spirit has come in to give you a living hope. When you were living in sin, you were dead in your transgression against God, but being born again gives you a new second chance in life.
And, in heaven, 1 Peter 1:4 tells us that we have “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” And until God calls you home, Peter reminds us that He will “guard” you through your faith journey. Remember, the believers in the first century really had a very tough life, but on top of that, between 64 and 67 AD, a lot of Christians were persecuted in some form. So, they really had a very tough life.
And the type of “guarding” they received was not just any protection or shelter; in the original language, we learned it was more like a “military guarding” of your faith. The best and the strongest soldier coming along your side. Or a shelter made of steel, not plastic.
So, spiritually speaking, you were under divine protection, and God was guarding us and keeping us from spiritual defeat. When you're having a tough life, it’s not the physical things that hinder and discourage you; it is when you are defeated in your spirit and heart. Because when your heart is down, then your mind goes down, and you can’t function. So, God is guarding and sheltering your heart till the day the Lord calls you home.
And 1 Peter reminds us that it’s not about if we go through trials, it is about when we do go through trials, and if you are able to endure through it, you will come out with genuine faith. So it is the Holy Spirit that is in us, pushes our faith to endure and persevere, and that faith is pure and genuine.
And when you push through the many trials of your life, 1 Peter 1:9 tells us, your reward for trusting in Jesus will be the salvation of your soul. So how do you tough it through in life? Trust in the Living Hope. And we closed it out with Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.”
O.K.! Now that you trust in God and trust in the living hope, now what? What’s next? So how do we live daily trusting in the living hope? What does it look like? This is where 1 Peter 1:13-25 gives us a clear direction.
1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
In the NLT, it says, “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” Now, when you hear the words, “revelation of Jesus Christ,” or “Jesus Christ is revealed to the world,” that basically means the 2nd coming of Christ. So in other words, your hope is not on the first coming of Jesus, but “set your hope on the second coming of Jesus.” That is what helps us to move forward in life.
And anytime you have the word “Therefore,” it typically means, in light of all that I have said to you, or because of all that is written, here is the outcome or the result. Or, here is the next step: “Therefore,” and explanations follow.
1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV)
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
What does “grid up the loins of your mind” mean? During the first century in Israel, you had men's and women’s clothing with garments (not pants). The inner garment was called the tunic, and the outer garment was called a cloak or robe. The inner garment was about ankle-length, and they tied it around their waists with a rope. So when you had to work or were in a hurry, you would pull your garments up between your legs and tuck them into your belt or rope. That way, you don’t fall or trip.
The modern version would be something like, “roll up your sleeve, and get ready for action.” In other words, when you are born-again, and you know that you have an inheritance in heaven waiting for you, and the Holy Spirit is guarding your every step, then “roll up your sleeve and get ready to work.”
And 1 Peter 1:13 continues, and it says, “be sober or sober-minded.” The opposite of that analogy would be “do not be drunk,” right? When you're reading the New Testament, it says a lot about being “sober-minded” for the new believers.
Sober-minded - Free from intoxicating influences
Meaning, “Don’t let your mind be under the control of a danger from outside force.” So being sober-minded means that we do not allow any outside influence that would lead us away from the truth.
Did you know that, way back, I had no idea what a “You Tube influencer” or “TikTok influencer” was? Yes, I am old. People would tell me that you could get paid as an “influence.” “You mean to tell me that when you give the little white candy that breath mint, you can influence people?” Pastor Joseph, it is TikTok, not Tic Tac. Not the candy “tic tac,” but TikTok.
All you do is get on social media and try to influence people’s minds to conform to your ideology or way of thinking. And, some universities now charge tuition to learn how to be a social media influencer. A long time ago, when I was growing up, it was my mom who was the influencer, but now it’s social media that influences people. I pray and hope that the Bible will be the greatest influencer in your life, and the truth will set your mind free.
So what Peter is reminding us is that once you are born-again and renewed in the spirit, “roll up your sleeve for action,” and don’t allow any outside influencers to influence you, but set your hope on the second coming of Christ.
Why? Why do we need to “grid up our lions for action?” Because our walk with Jesus is not a sprint, it’s more like a marathon. It’s more about long-distance running, and there is going to be a lot of work till God calls you home. Let’s keep moving forward till God calls us home.
1 Peter 1:14 (NLT)
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.
Peter is reminding us that when you are born-again, and you are “rolling up your sleeve for action” and being sober-minded, but be very careful, because the devil is going to try to pull you back to your old ways of life or thinking. The devil will do whatever he can to steal, kill, and destroy you because he knows that you are trying to do God’s work.
“Remember, how you used to be a controlling person,” or that “you used to be negative about a lot of things,” but now that you are born-again, and you learned how to surrender and submit to God’s control, be careful that you do NOT fall back to your old ways of living, thinking, and behaving.
Listen, I have been in the ministry long enough to witness some Christians, believers, fall back to their old ways of life. I would get a phone call from either a parent, friend, or a church member saying, “Pastor Joe, can you help with so and so, because he has fallen back into ___________________ (you name it.)”
Some of you here today have personally seen a child, church member, or another believer fall back to their old ways of life. And it hurts, especially when you see your own child who knows God but falls away. So, to keep us from falling back, Peter reminds us of something very important.
1 Peter 1:15 Amplified Bible
But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage];
As a born-again believer, you need to prepare your mind for action, be sober-minded, and in order for you not to fall back to your old ways, you need to be holy and “holy” in all your conduct or in all things that you do. Let’s begin with the Greek word for "Holy."
The Greek word for “Holy” is hagios pronounced hag'-ee-os, meaning most holy thing, saint, set apart for God’s purposes. Living in a manner distinct from the sinful world.
So, when you are born-again, you need to “roll up your sleeve for action,” don’t be influenced by the outside world (be sober), and in order for you not to fall back to your old ways of life, you need “to BE holy” or “be set apart because God has a purpose and a plan for your life.”
So being Holy will help you find a purpose in life.
God is not calling us to “be perfect,” but to know that once we are born again, God separates us from the non-believers so that God can show us our purpose in life within God’s kingdom plan. So in order for you to know God’s purpose for you, you have to be holy, not perfect, but what it means to be set apart. God knows, you and I are not perfect, but every believer must be holy. You have to know that you are set apart for a reason.
For some people, the concept of holiness can still be confusing. So, I want you to connect the word “holy” with the word wholeness and completeness.
Holy = Wholeness, Completeness
When we think of the word “Wholeness,” it is something good that overwhelms you, and you feel complete. It is like a piece of you that was missing, but it was found, and now your puzzle of a thousand pieces is complete. So Holiness is not just about getting rid of something bad, but also about filling you with God’s goodness, so you can feel complete and run the race. When you pursue God’s holiness, there is this wholeness and power that fills you up and carries you to your finish line. So work to be “holy” or “to be set apart” and prepare yourself to receive God’s purpose and plan for you.
1 Peter 1:15 (ESV)
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
So in order for you to find your purpose, you have to “be holy” in some of the things you do, right? No! It says, “You must be holy in everything you do.” Whether you are at school, work, home, or in church, you have to “be holy” in all your daily activities. Remember, God is not looking for you to be perfect, but He is asking you to align your thinking, speaking, and behavior with His character and morals.
Think of it this way: Am I aligning my thinking, speaking, and behavior with God’s character and morals in all that I do? Are my character and God’s morals matched with God’s character and His morals?
This is where it gets hard for a lot of people, because we are trying so hard to be holy for God, but struggling to be in God’s character and morals. So, what I learned to do was not to force myself to be holy, but to submit myself more to God’s authority. And when you submit completely to God and His Word, then it becomes easy in all your conduct to be holy.
But Pastor Joseph, I feel like I am doing well in one area but failing in others! How do I become holy, or be completely holy? I want you to think of this question: Is the Holy Spirit, the third person of God, a permanent resident of your heart or a tourist? Because a tourist will only see the good stuff in the museum, whereas a permanent resident or a museum manager will know where everything is. And knows all the good and the bad stuff.
So, first, you have to make sure the Holy Spirit is a permanent resident, not a tourist, in your heart and mind. Now, when you do fall or have fallen away from God, and you want that wholeness and completeness again, all you have to do is repent, get your heart right before God, because our God is a merciful God. Get yourself back in the right relationship with God.
Then roll up your sleeves for action, and be sober-minded. Get back into the race, and 1 Peter 1:14 says for us to be “obedient children.” How do we become “obedient”? Follow and obey God’s Word. It is very important to prioritize obedience to God’s Word because it greatly contributes to holiness. Not as a perfect person, but someone desperate for God.
This is the reason why I love God so much.
1 Peter 1:17 (NLT)
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
God has no favorites. God doesn’t go to Peter and say, “You know, Peter, because you denied me three times, at the moment when I needed a friend the most, you deserted me. So, I am going to like John more than you.” Listen, we all make mistakes in life, so God will not judge or reward Peter for his past mistakes. He is going to see how you will endure and finish the race.
And what I love about our God is that He will not leave you alone. When you are born-again, He will guard you and help you finish the race. So fear God, roll up your sleeve for action, be sober-minded, pursue holiness, and the Lord will reward you, not of your past, but of your missional purpose in life.
Fear of the Lord is the attitude, while pursuit of holiness is the action steps.
So, why should you fear God or revere God for what He has done?
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT)
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
Please focus on the words “you inherited from your ancestors” and “precious blood of Christ.”
You know, when my son was born, people would say, “Your son looks like your dad and your mom.” As my son was getting older, people would say, “Your son looks a lot like you.” And when he started to do martial arts, and started getting many injuries and broken bones, and I would say, “Man! He is a lot like me!” And my wife would say, “He is definitely a lot like you.” So as a child of God, are you reflecting your parents, or are you reflecting Jesus?”
Your life is tough, and it seems like you're not getting a breakthrough. Some of us tend to look back and say, “This is because of 'generational sin,' or 'This is because of a generational curse.” We are reflecting on our parents, or, for some, on their country where they grew up. Like, my parents grew up in Korea, where there was a lot of Buddhism. So, my parents were Buddhist. So they had a Buddhist spirit in them.
So, how do I get rid of this generational sin or curse? I am being reminded of an old song.
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow:
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
When Jesus was at the cross, and right before His death, He said, “It is finished.” That means all your past generational sin is finished. Whatever you might have carried over from your parents or from another country, it is finished. The precious blood of Jesus has covered you. Your generational sin and your generational curse are all gone because of the precious blood of Jesus. So, whatever you inherited from your ancestors is all finished because Jesus said, “It is finished by His precious blood.”
In Korea, my mother was a Buddhist, and she lived a lifestyle of honoring Buddha. I remember when I was a child, my mother would go up to the temple and perform her Buddhist ritual, praying for me and our situation. Right after the Korean War, life was very tough for everyone. So going to Buddha for help was the only thing she knew. At the temple with my mom, I would hear these Buddhist monks chant. So, the spirit of Buddhism was
upon my mother and me. And when we came to America, my mother heard about a strange person who died for us. She hears this:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
Listen, all the major religious leaders of the world are dead, and their bones can be found on the ground. And I know for certain that Buddha never responded to my mother because he is dead. But our God is not found in the ground; He is alive. The precious blood of Jesus paid the price for my mother to be alive. And the living God was answering all her prayers.
So when she was born again to a living God, she not only “rolled up her sleeve for action,” being sober-minded, but she never looked back and planted two Korean-American churches in America. My mother literally rolled up her sleeve and got to work for Jesus because of the precious blood. My mother’s attitude was this: “If God gave you His blood for donation, then don’t waste it.”
1 Peter 1:21-22 (NLT)
21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
It is interesting that the order of love is to love your neighbor.
Trust in God builds your faith and hope Obeying the Truth will help you cleanse your sins As a result, they will show sincere love for each other
So, the more you trust in God, your faith and hope grow. Believing and obeying God’s Word will help cleanse us of our sins, and, as a result, we can sincerely love one another with pure hearts.
11
Remember, the Bible is not telling us to give “perfect love” or to be perfect in how we love. Because sometimes, we love others the way we want, and it doesn’t end up well. But trusting in God and obeying His truth leads you to sincerely love each other. But Pastor Joseph, I do all that, but still struggle to love this or that person. Here is what I have learned over the years, and I hope it helps you.
Set aside my way to love Pursue Holy love (God, will you work in me first, and then love holy) The result is Genuine love
To close
1 Peter 1:23-25 (NLT)
23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
Now, Peter is taking this out of Isaiah 40:6-8. Basically, these verses explain the difference between the human flesh and the Word of God.
Matthew 24:35 (ESV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
My friends, this is a promise from God. The Bible is not dead, but it’s alive and active. Did you know that you could read God’s Word and nothing would change? Why? Because some people don’t believe in it or follow through on it and see no effect. Or, that people doubt God’s Word.
When you read God’s Word and do not believe it, no change happens. When you believe everything you read and act on it, not only do you change, but those around you will also change.
To close
What does this Holy Living look like?
Holy Living
When Japan took over Korea, it did not allow Koreans to congregate in large numbers, fearing that protests, riots, or rebellion might occur. So they banned all Koreans from assembling together. But they allowed Christian churches to stay open because an agreement was made between Britain and the US to allow Christian missionaries to still operate during the Japanese occupation of Korea.
So, there was this secret assembly, and the only place you could meet was at a Christian church headed by American and British missionaries. So, to talk about politics or rebellion against the Japanese empire, you had to do so inside the church. Interesting how what the devil meant for evil, God turned it for good.
Because one day, my grandfather took my mom to church, and she described the praise song or the old hymnal as one of the most beautiful songs she had ever heard. Even as a Buddhist, that one time inside the church, hearing the old hymnal never left her. The pastor, worship leaders, and all those singing songs to God, even in the toughest times in their lives and persecuted in so many ways, left an everlasting memory in a little girl's heart. And that little girl rose up to become a mighty prayer warrior for our family. She would pray 3-4 hours every day.
My mother pursued a Holy life, not because she was perfect, but because she was desperate for Jesus. And one of her favorite songs was this:
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin?
Church Scripture Verse for today:
1 Peter 1:13-16 (ESV) 13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
How do you break a generational sin or curse? And what does a Holy living look like? In regard to “generational sin” or “generational curse,” some believers feel like whatever their parents or their grandparents had sinned or whatever previous religion they were in or not in, maybe their spirit has now come upon me. And that is the reason why I cannot break this sin or curse. So, today, we will address these two questions.
Recap from last Sunday: “A Living Hope.”
Last Sunday, I asked a question: "How do you tough it out in life?" Life is tough with so much going on, and you feel like you're facing so many trials. So, how do you get through it? How do you not only survive, but thrive under those conditions? The first half of 1 Peter 1 tells us that when you are born-again, you have a spiritual renewal. There is a transformation in the heart because now the Holy Spirit has come in to give you a living hope. When you were living in sin, you were dead in your transgression against God, but being born again gives you a new second chance in life.
And, in heaven, 1 Peter 1:4 tells us that we have “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” And until God calls you home, Peter reminds us that He will “guard” you through your faith journey. Remember, the believers in the first century really had a very tough life, but on top of that, between 64 and 67 AD, a lot of Christians were persecuted in some form. So, they really had a very tough life.
And the type of “guarding” they received was not just any protection or shelter; in the original language, we learned it was more like a “military guarding” of your faith. The best and the strongest soldier coming along your side. Or a shelter made of steel, not plastic.
So, spiritually speaking, you were under divine protection, and God was guarding us and keeping us from spiritual defeat. When you're having a tough life, it’s not the physical things that hinder and discourage you; it is when you are defeated in your spirit and heart. Because when your heart is down, then your mind goes down, and you can’t function. So, God is guarding and sheltering your heart till the day the Lord calls you home.
And 1 Peter reminds us that it’s not about if we go through trials, it is about when we do go through trials, and if you are able to endure through it, you will come out with genuine faith. So it is the Holy Spirit that is in us, pushes our faith to endure and persevere, and that faith is pure and genuine.
And when you push through the many trials of your life, 1 Peter 1:9 tells us, your reward for trusting in Jesus will be the salvation of your soul. So how do you tough it through in life? Trust in the Living Hope. And we closed it out with Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.”
O.K.! Now that you trust in God and trust in the living hope, now what? What’s next? So how do we live daily trusting in the living hope? What does it look like? This is where 1 Peter 1:13-25 gives us a clear direction.
1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
In the NLT, it says, “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” Now, when you hear the words, “revelation of Jesus Christ,” or “Jesus Christ is revealed to the world,” that basically means the 2nd coming of Christ. So in other words, your hope is not on the first coming of Jesus, but “set your hope on the second coming of Jesus.” That is what helps us to move forward in life.
And anytime you have the word “Therefore,” it typically means, in light of all that I have said to you, or because of all that is written, here is the outcome or the result. Or, here is the next step: “Therefore,” and explanations follow.
1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV)
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
What does “grid up the loins of your mind” mean? During the first century in Israel, you had men's and women’s clothing with garments (not pants). The inner garment was called the tunic, and the outer garment was called a cloak or robe. The inner garment was about ankle-length, and they tied it around their waists with a rope. So when you had to work or were in a hurry, you would pull your garments up between your legs and tuck them into your belt or rope. That way, you don’t fall or trip.
The modern version would be something like, “roll up your sleeve, and get ready for action.” In other words, when you are born-again, and you know that you have an inheritance in heaven waiting for you, and the Holy Spirit is guarding your every step, then “roll up your sleeve and get ready to work.”
And 1 Peter 1:13 continues, and it says, “be sober or sober-minded.” The opposite of that analogy would be “do not be drunk,” right? When you're reading the New Testament, it says a lot about being “sober-minded” for the new believers.
Sober-minded - Free from intoxicating influences
Meaning, “Don’t let your mind be under the control of a danger from outside force.” So being sober-minded means that we do not allow any outside influence that would lead us away from the truth.
Did you know that, way back, I had no idea what a “You Tube influencer” or “TikTok influencer” was? Yes, I am old. People would tell me that you could get paid as an “influence.” “You mean to tell me that when you give the little white candy that breath mint, you can influence people?” Pastor Joseph, it is TikTok, not Tic Tac. Not the candy “tic tac,” but TikTok.
All you do is get on social media and try to influence people’s minds to conform to your ideology or way of thinking. And, some universities now charge tuition to learn how to be a social media influencer. A long time ago, when I was growing up, it was my mom who was the influencer, but now it’s social media that influences people. I pray and hope that the Bible will be the greatest influencer in your life, and the truth will set your mind free.
So what Peter is reminding us is that once you are born-again and renewed in the spirit, “roll up your sleeve for action,” and don’t allow any outside influencers to influence you, but set your hope on the second coming of Christ.
Why? Why do we need to “grid up our lions for action?” Because our walk with Jesus is not a sprint, it’s more like a marathon. It’s more about long-distance running, and there is going to be a lot of work till God calls you home. Let’s keep moving forward till God calls us home.
1 Peter 1:14 (NLT)
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.
Peter is reminding us that when you are born-again, and you are “rolling up your sleeve for action” and being sober-minded, but be very careful, because the devil is going to try to pull you back to your old ways of life or thinking. The devil will do whatever he can to steal, kill, and destroy you because he knows that you are trying to do God’s work.
“Remember, how you used to be a controlling person,” or that “you used to be negative about a lot of things,” but now that you are born-again, and you learned how to surrender and submit to God’s control, be careful that you do NOT fall back to your old ways of living, thinking, and behaving.
Listen, I have been in the ministry long enough to witness some Christians, believers, fall back to their old ways of life. I would get a phone call from either a parent, friend, or a church member saying, “Pastor Joe, can you help with so and so, because he has fallen back into ___________________ (you name it.)”
Some of you here today have personally seen a child, church member, or another believer fall back to their old ways of life. And it hurts, especially when you see your own child who knows God but falls away. So, to keep us from falling back, Peter reminds us of something very important.
1 Peter 1:15 Amplified Bible
But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage];
As a born-again believer, you need to prepare your mind for action, be sober-minded, and in order for you not to fall back to your old ways, you need to be holy and “holy” in all your conduct or in all things that you do. Let’s begin with the Greek word for "Holy."
The Greek word for “Holy” is hagios pronounced hag'-ee-os, meaning most holy thing, saint, set apart for God’s purposes. Living in a manner distinct from the sinful world.
So, when you are born-again, you need to “roll up your sleeve for action,” don’t be influenced by the outside world (be sober), and in order for you not to fall back to your old ways of life, you need “to BE holy” or “be set apart because God has a purpose and a plan for your life.”
So being Holy will help you find a purpose in life.
God is not calling us to “be perfect,” but to know that once we are born again, God separates us from the non-believers so that God can show us our purpose in life within God’s kingdom plan. So in order for you to know God’s purpose for you, you have to be holy, not perfect, but what it means to be set apart. God knows, you and I are not perfect, but every believer must be holy. You have to know that you are set apart for a reason.
For some people, the concept of holiness can still be confusing. So, I want you to connect the word “holy” with the word wholeness and completeness.
Holy = Wholeness, Completeness
When we think of the word “Wholeness,” it is something good that overwhelms you, and you feel complete. It is like a piece of you that was missing, but it was found, and now your puzzle of a thousand pieces is complete. So Holiness is not just about getting rid of something bad, but also about filling you with God’s goodness, so you can feel complete and run the race. When you pursue God’s holiness, there is this wholeness and power that fills you up and carries you to your finish line. So work to be “holy” or “to be set apart” and prepare yourself to receive God’s purpose and plan for you.
1 Peter 1:15 (ESV)
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
So in order for you to find your purpose, you have to “be holy” in some of the things you do, right? No! It says, “You must be holy in everything you do.” Whether you are at school, work, home, or in church, you have to “be holy” in all your daily activities. Remember, God is not looking for you to be perfect, but He is asking you to align your thinking, speaking, and behavior with His character and morals.
Think of it this way: Am I aligning my thinking, speaking, and behavior with God’s character and morals in all that I do? Are my character and God’s morals matched with God’s character and His morals?
This is where it gets hard for a lot of people, because we are trying so hard to be holy for God, but struggling to be in God’s character and morals. So, what I learned to do was not to force myself to be holy, but to submit myself more to God’s authority. And when you submit completely to God and His Word, then it becomes easy in all your conduct to be holy.
But Pastor Joseph, I feel like I am doing well in one area but failing in others! How do I become holy, or be completely holy? I want you to think of this question: Is the Holy Spirit, the third person of God, a permanent resident of your heart or a tourist? Because a tourist will only see the good stuff in the museum, whereas a permanent resident or a museum manager will know where everything is. And knows all the good and the bad stuff.
So, first, you have to make sure the Holy Spirit is a permanent resident, not a tourist, in your heart and mind. Now, when you do fall or have fallen away from God, and you want that wholeness and completeness again, all you have to do is repent, get your heart right before God, because our God is a merciful God. Get yourself back in the right relationship with God.
Then roll up your sleeves for action, and be sober-minded. Get back into the race, and 1 Peter 1:14 says for us to be “obedient children.” How do we become “obedient”? Follow and obey God’s Word. It is very important to prioritize obedience to God’s Word because it greatly contributes to holiness. Not as a perfect person, but someone desperate for God.
This is the reason why I love God so much.
1 Peter 1:17 (NLT)
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
God has no favorites. God doesn’t go to Peter and say, “You know, Peter, because you denied me three times, at the moment when I needed a friend the most, you deserted me. So, I am going to like John more than you.” Listen, we all make mistakes in life, so God will not judge or reward Peter for his past mistakes. He is going to see how you will endure and finish the race.
And what I love about our God is that He will not leave you alone. When you are born-again, He will guard you and help you finish the race. So fear God, roll up your sleeve for action, be sober-minded, pursue holiness, and the Lord will reward you, not of your past, but of your missional purpose in life.
Fear of the Lord is the attitude, while pursuit of holiness is the action steps.
So, why should you fear God or revere God for what He has done?
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT)
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
Please focus on the words “you inherited from your ancestors” and “precious blood of Christ.”
You know, when my son was born, people would say, “Your son looks like your dad and your mom.” As my son was getting older, people would say, “Your son looks a lot like you.” And when he started to do martial arts, and started getting many injuries and broken bones, and I would say, “Man! He is a lot like me!” And my wife would say, “He is definitely a lot like you.” So as a child of God, are you reflecting your parents, or are you reflecting Jesus?”
Your life is tough, and it seems like you're not getting a breakthrough. Some of us tend to look back and say, “This is because of 'generational sin,' or 'This is because of a generational curse.” We are reflecting on our parents, or, for some, on their country where they grew up. Like, my parents grew up in Korea, where there was a lot of Buddhism. So, my parents were Buddhist. So they had a Buddhist spirit in them.
So, how do I get rid of this generational sin or curse? I am being reminded of an old song.
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow:
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
When Jesus was at the cross, and right before His death, He said, “It is finished.” That means all your past generational sin is finished. Whatever you might have carried over from your parents or from another country, it is finished. The precious blood of Jesus has covered you. Your generational sin and your generational curse are all gone because of the precious blood of Jesus. So, whatever you inherited from your ancestors is all finished because Jesus said, “It is finished by His precious blood.”
In Korea, my mother was a Buddhist, and she lived a lifestyle of honoring Buddha. I remember when I was a child, my mother would go up to the temple and perform her Buddhist ritual, praying for me and our situation. Right after the Korean War, life was very tough for everyone. So going to Buddha for help was the only thing she knew. At the temple with my mom, I would hear these Buddhist monks chant. So, the spirit of Buddhism was
upon my mother and me. And when we came to America, my mother heard about a strange person who died for us. She hears this:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
Listen, all the major religious leaders of the world are dead, and their bones can be found on the ground. And I know for certain that Buddha never responded to my mother because he is dead. But our God is not found in the ground; He is alive. The precious blood of Jesus paid the price for my mother to be alive. And the living God was answering all her prayers.
So when she was born again to a living God, she not only “rolled up her sleeve for action,” being sober-minded, but she never looked back and planted two Korean-American churches in America. My mother literally rolled up her sleeve and got to work for Jesus because of the precious blood. My mother’s attitude was this: “If God gave you His blood for donation, then don’t waste it.”
1 Peter 1:21-22 (NLT)
21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
It is interesting that the order of love is to love your neighbor.
Trust in God builds your faith and hope Obeying the Truth will help you cleanse your sins As a result, they will show sincere love for each other
So, the more you trust in God, your faith and hope grow. Believing and obeying God’s Word will help cleanse us of our sins, and, as a result, we can sincerely love one another with pure hearts.
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Remember, the Bible is not telling us to give “perfect love” or to be perfect in how we love. Because sometimes, we love others the way we want, and it doesn’t end up well. But trusting in God and obeying His truth leads you to sincerely love each other. But Pastor Joseph, I do all that, but still struggle to love this or that person. Here is what I have learned over the years, and I hope it helps you.
Set aside my way to love Pursue Holy love (God, will you work in me first, and then love holy) The result is Genuine love
To close
1 Peter 1:23-25 (NLT)
23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
Now, Peter is taking this out of Isaiah 40:6-8. Basically, these verses explain the difference between the human flesh and the Word of God.
Matthew 24:35 (ESV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
My friends, this is a promise from God. The Bible is not dead, but it’s alive and active. Did you know that you could read God’s Word and nothing would change? Why? Because some people don’t believe in it or follow through on it and see no effect. Or, that people doubt God’s Word.
When you read God’s Word and do not believe it, no change happens. When you believe everything you read and act on it, not only do you change, but those around you will also change.
To close
What does this Holy Living look like?
Holy Living
- Non-conformity to this world (1:14-21)
- Sincere love for one another (1:22)
- Obedience to the Word of God (1:23-25)
When Japan took over Korea, it did not allow Koreans to congregate in large numbers, fearing that protests, riots, or rebellion might occur. So they banned all Koreans from assembling together. But they allowed Christian churches to stay open because an agreement was made between Britain and the US to allow Christian missionaries to still operate during the Japanese occupation of Korea.
So, there was this secret assembly, and the only place you could meet was at a Christian church headed by American and British missionaries. So, to talk about politics or rebellion against the Japanese empire, you had to do so inside the church. Interesting how what the devil meant for evil, God turned it for good.
Because one day, my grandfather took my mom to church, and she described the praise song or the old hymnal as one of the most beautiful songs she had ever heard. Even as a Buddhist, that one time inside the church, hearing the old hymnal never left her. The pastor, worship leaders, and all those singing songs to God, even in the toughest times in their lives and persecuted in so many ways, left an everlasting memory in a little girl's heart. And that little girl rose up to become a mighty prayer warrior for our family. She would pray 3-4 hours every day.
My mother pursued a Holy life, not because she was perfect, but because she was desperate for Jesus. And one of her favorite songs was this:
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin?
Posted in Weekly Devotional