Magdy Samuel

Serialized Articles From:
"Peace amid Pain"

Last Published Devotions

Learn to live obedient (2)

2-Emulation and Transformation

“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).

Holiness isn’t a responsibility but a privilege. The son inherits his father. “Has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (1 Peter 1:3,4). Among the characteristics of the son, is that he does not inherit only his father’s properties but also his characters and name. It’s a privilege for us to be Holy as He, our father is Holy. We do not take God’s gifts only but His Holiness too. “For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10)

It’s not a responsibility inasmuch as it’s a gift, Apostle Peter writes in his second epistle: “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1: 3,4).  Therefore, in order for us to live the obedience, we must leave the past with all its lusts and must also look onto the inheritance waiting for us.

We enjoy this inheritance while being in the presence of God: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Obedience comes up in the presence of God when we enter His sanctuaries.

When Isaiah the prophet has entered the sanctuaries and has seen the angels saying:  “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” He realized that he was a man of unclean lips and has admitted saying: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts. “Then one of the seraphim touched Isaiah’s mouth with a live coal from the altar and said: ”Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” Isaiah then heard the voice of the Lord saying “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah learned obedience and answered: “Here am I! Send me.”

When we are in the presence of the Lord, we realize and see His Holiness thus we become aware of our uncleanness.  Apostle Peter wrote: “But as He who called you is holy, you also have to be holy in all your conduct.”

Apostle Peter spoke much in this epistle about the conduct and said:

  • knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers. (1Peter 1:18).
  • Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles. (1Peter 2:12)
  • Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives. ( 1Peter 3:1)
  • When they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (1Peter 3:2)
  • Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed... (1Peter 3:16).

The word “conduct” means a story of life; some translations gave the meaning of “Behavior” and in other translations, it means: “Manner of living”. A person’s conduct does not mean only his declarations and secrets but his Life Style and the way he talks; it’s about all what he does and all what he say. Therefore, Apostle Peter says: “You also be holy in all your conduct” that’s in everything.

The word “Holy” means: special and selected but it also means “different” therefore, Apostle Peter asks us to be different from others in everything:
In our fear, “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” (1Peter 3:14)
In our grief,: “Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” (1Thessalonians 4:13)
And in our thoughts and prayers even in our demands: “Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Luke 12:29-31). 
Let’s have an unsullied conduct then Jesus Christ will show up.

Magdy Samuel