The Halo Effect

1 Peter 1:14-16 In the past you did not have the understanding you have now, so you did the evil things you wanted to do. But now you are children of God, so you should obey him and not live the way you did before. Be holy in everything you do, just as God is holy. He is the one who chose you. In the Scriptures God says, “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Holiness is a concept that, at different times in our lives, elicits different responses – sometimes fear, other times disdain, other times a sense of hopelessness. If I were to ask you, “So, are you holy?” how would you respond, right here and now?

Some time back, we were doing a major redevelopment of our website – christianityworks.com. Feel free to check it out.

Anyhow, the developers, all in their twenties, had a bit of fun with it. They stuck a halo over the picture of me on the homepage. We all had a good laugh, and then I told them in no uncertain terms to take it off!

It’s funny though, how you can be humoured into the truth sometimes. That little episode, that little halo motif if you will, just reminded me that since we’re made in God’s image and God is a holy God, then we’re called to be holy too.

But what does that actually mean? What does it look like?

1 Peter 1:14-16 In the past you did not have the understanding you have now, so you did the evil things you wanted to do. But now you are children of God, so you should obey him and not live the way you did before. Be holy in everything you do, just as God is holy. He is the one who chose you. In the Scriptures God says, “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Now, we could go to a theological definition of holiness but I much prefer the practical explanation given us here by Peter. Being Holy is about leaving behind the evil things we used to do and obeying God in everything that we do.

So, what part of your life isn’t honouring God at the moment? In what area do you need to become holy?

Be holy, for the Lord your God is holy.

That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

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Denise Champagne

Amen! If we are Christians it means we’re Christ like. Then we must be like Christ at all times.

Amen! If we are Christians it means we’re Christ like. Then we must be like Christ at all times.