Audio Sermons

Reflecting Christ, Redeeming the Time
The Call to Holiness
Life B-P Church Worship Service, 25th January 2026
Text: 1 Peter 1:13-21

• Holiness is often associated with an austere, restrictive lifestyle, or performing certain rituals to purify oneself.
• True holiness is not outward but inward – an inward change by God that produces a life of holiness.
• There are three motivations to be holy that are found in God Himself:

1. It Proves That We Are Truly God’s Children (vv.14-16)
• If we are truly born of God, we must be holy because our heavenly Father is holy.
• God’s holiness is described in various passages of Scripture, E.g. 1 John 1:5; Habakkuk 1:13 and Isaiah 6:1-4.
Application: If we are holy, we would not want any sin to remain in our life. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 7:1; Psalm 139:23,24)
• God has manifested His holiness in His works and in His Law. (Cf. Psalm 145:17; Romans 7:12)
Application: If we are holy, we would seek to apply holiness in all our works, and delight in keeping all His commandments.

2. It Prepares Us to Give a Good Account of Our Lives to God (v.17)
Knowing that God will judge our work will produce a healthy, reverential fear in us:
• We would judge whatever we want to do before we do them, and examine our motives for doing them. (Cf. Proverbs 16:2)
• We would spend the short time we have in this life wisely and carefully, and look for opportunies to do what is good in His sight.

3. It Pays Gratitude to God for Our Irrepayable Debt (vv.18-19)
• The work Christ did on the cross was the greatest manifestation of God’s holiness.
• In exchange for taking the punishment for our sins, Christ has given us the standing of perfect holiness that was His. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:1)
• God’s holiness which had kept us away from Him is the same holiness that now keeps us in His presence.
Application: Put your faith in Christ alone to be saved. (Cf. Romans 1:16,17)
• Since we have been redeemed at such a great cost to Christ, we should fully surrender our lives to Him. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:15)
Application: Do your best to live in the most holy way as an offering of love and thanks to God. (Cf. Romans 12:1)

Conclusion
• We are called to a lifelong pursuit of holiness.
• We will encounter ridicules and discouragements in this pursuit.
• These three powerful motivations can keep us pressing onward.

Questions for Personal Reflection :
1. Have you responded to all the great blessings of salvation with wholehearted obedience to God?
2. What are some practical ways to ‘gird up the loins of your mind’ and be sober in your daily pursuit of holiness?
3. How should a true understanding of God’s holiness affect your attitude during worship?
4. How has learning how greatly indebted you are to Christ drawn you closer to Him and increased your love for Him?