“As obedient
children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your
ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner
of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” – 1 Peter
1:14-16
Of all the creation, in all the world, humanity is the only one
that can deny God. We are created with free will, and with that free will,
the right of choice. The ability to
choose right and wrong, good and evil, heaven or hell. Where there is no
choice, there is no love; because we have choice, we can choose God, love
towards God, and God’s love in us.
Raising children is a constant spiritual education, in general, it
is a constant education. In their infancy, there exists within the
ability to choose, but they are without the maturity to make choices. As
such, they are wholly dependent on the parents for life. Without constant care they would perish. Therefore, the parent must dictate to them
when to sleep, when to eat, where to go, and where not go. In the toddler
phase, the game changes. The toddler is observing,
learning, and forming their own identity; the right to choose is now meeting
the ability to. Of course, it is still Mommy and Daddy’s job to dictate
to the toddler right and wrong, good and bad; when to sleep, eat, play,
etc. What is good for them, and what is
not good for them. However, now the
toddler seeks to dictate back, in fact, if the parent does not dictate what is
right and wrong, the toddler will. As a heard a wish preacher once say:
“you better have something for them, because they always got something for
you.” Someone will be the dictator in
the household: them or you. This clash
of wills is indicative of humanity’s relation with the Father. It is also the opportunity for the spiritual
man/women to take notes. For we are not
so different from toddlers. The carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God neither indeed
can be. God has dictated to us the
boundary lines and is willingly, lovingly, guiding us into Himself. However, when we are bound with sin, that
sinful nature wants to clash with the guidance and correction of God. Jesus Christ paid the price to liberate us
out of that sin, and that nature; to bring us back into fellowship with the
Father. The Holy Ghost is both the evidence of that fellowship and the necessary
agent of maintaining it. The Holy Ghost
is “leading me and keeping me from sin
and in the way.” As the song says. When Peter writes “as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves…” He is highlighting this truth. What parent is not pleased with a willing
obedient child? What parent is not
thrilled when they ask their children to do something, and they obey? Could you force the child to obey? Certainly, but how much sweeter is the
willingness to? How perfect the example of love, when the child lay’s
down its own will and takes up the instruction of the father (or mother)? This fashioning is contrary to the nature of
the child. The same it is contrary to
the nature of sin. Sin dictates itself
to the world, it is the self-impression on the world. Holiness dictates itself to we who yield,
purging us from all sin, and making us into an imitation of Christ, to this
world.
As he which calls you is holy, so be ye holy. Jesus was the
first holy man to walk the earth. He was without sin. He obeyed the will of the Father,
willing. He chose a life of poverty over a life of pleasure. He chose a life of preaching over a life of
treasure. He chose a wooden cross over a golden throne. Yes, it was in the plan of God, but it was
carried out by a willing Christ. It is predestined to every one of us to
be holy as he is holy, but we must choose the way of holiness. In that choice we both reciprocate and
manifest the love of God toward us.
