April 26 Lectionary Epistle Lesson: I Peter 1:17-23

The lectionary passage from I Peter, chapter 1, starts at v. 17 and goes through v. 23.  The passage itself, in context, should start at v. 13 and read through v. 25.  The passage is about committing to holiness, but we must be careful to understand what that means.  The author commands us not to return to our old ways, when we were, as Paul wrote, slaves to the elemental spirits.  We must be holy, as God is holy.

But what does it mean to be holy, in the context of life in the Spirit?  First of all, it means that we rely totally on God's grace (v. 13 - this is why it's important to read the whole passage, or we'd miss this subtle but important element).

This holiness is also powered by our faith in a risen Christ, who was from the beginning of time God's instrument for bringing salvation to creation.  This holiness also takes seriously the holiness of God, as well as the supreme price God paid, in the death of the Son, for our salvation.  So it is not enough to focus on the grace of God; we must also fear God, which I believe means a healthy reverence for God's generous love and a  commitment to respond to that grace with sanctified living.

Grace without holiness is a cheap grace.  Holiness without grace rapidly descends into pious self-righteousness.

It is also important to remember that our holiness is not the product of our own striving; instead, it is the result of our complete surrender to the grace of God.  And that holiness is expressed most fully in how we love one another, as God has loved us.