The LORD our God is holy. He tells His people to be holy, as He is holy, in the Old and the New Testaments. What does it mean to be "holy"? How are we, as mere mortals, to become as holy as our God?
The Hebrew word for "holy" is qadash. It is defined as clean, pure, consecrated, or dedicated. Many Christians have interpreted this definition as something that we do externally. However, while holiness may be manifested externally, it is more a state of being that is an internal (i.e., in our hearts, our minds, our souls and our spirits) reality.
Consider our Lord's discourse with the Scribes and Pharisees, during His earthly ministry.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. - Matthew 23:25-28
Jesus referred to many of the religious elite, of that time, as "hypocrites". They appeared to be religious on the outside because they did all the things that made onlookers believe that they were super spiritual, or religious, but it was only to gain the approval of man. God was not impressed! That may have been because they needed an inner transformation to become what they could only pretend to be externally.
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; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but, as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." - 1 Peter 1:13-16
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