Be Holy, For He is Holy (1 Peter 1:13-21)

Jeffrey Perry   -   June 25, 2025

As the exiles are reminded in the opening chapters of Peter’s letter, they are the covenant people of God, born again into a living hope, with an inheritance that is imperishable and guarded by God’s power.

But does this future hope have any bearing on the way we live now? The answer is a resounding yes.

Peter continues his letter by outlining how the gospel shapes our present lives, calling us to holiness in light of our identity as God’s people. This holiness is not something we do in our own strength, nor is it a matter of earning favor with God; it is a reflection of the grace He has already given us in Christ.

The apostle outlines three key aspects of how the gospel calls and enables us to holiness: what we do with our hope (v.13), what this hope produces in us (v.14-16), and how we are to live with this hope (v.17-21).

The imperatives of scripture, as Edmund Clowney states, always begin with therefore. That is command always follows the gospel’s declaration of who we are. Holiness is the fruit of understanding and living out the reality of what Christ has done for us and what He is bringing us into.

What Do We Do with Our Hope? (v.13)

Peter begins this section with a clear directive: “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13).

The first thing we do with our hope is to fix it fully on the grace that is to come. Peter urges the exiles to set their hope completely on the grace that will be revealed when Jesus returns.

Understand that this is not a vague, pie-in-the-sky optimism, but a concrete expectation that is grounded in the gospel. Our future hope is not some distant, abstract concept; it is a living reality, secured for us in Christ, our living hope.

But notice how Peter calls the exiles to prepare for this hope: “girding up your minds”. The phrase refers to the practice of girding, which was an ancient practice where people would tuck their robes into their belts in order to run or work. This was an act of readiness, of preparing oneself for action.

Peter uses this image to show that the Christian life requires mental and spiritual readiness. The mind must be disciplined, focused, and intentional. The Christian life isn’t passive; it’s an active engagement of our minds.

In a world filled with distractions, Peter calls the exiles, and us, to be sober-minded. We are not to be intoxicated by the world’s fleeting pleasures, nor are we to be inhibited in our actions by placing our hope in political achievements. Just as alcohol dulls the senses, clouds judgment, and impairs self-control, so too do the promises of worldly pleasure and the false hopes of political power numb our spiritual alertness, distort our priorities, and paralyze faithful living.

Instead, we are to fix our minds on the grace that has been promised to us. To be sober-minded means to think clearly, to resist the fog of earthly indulgence and ideological distraction, and to be single-minded in our focus on the return of Christ.

Our hope in Him fuels everything else. If we are to be a hopeful people, we must be thoughtful people, people who think deeply about the gospel, the future grace that is to come, and how that impacts our present lives.

What Does Hope Produce? (v.14-16)

Peter then explains what this hope produces in the life of the believer. In verses 14-16, he writes: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:14-16).

Hope, rightly placed, transforms us.

A New Characterization

The first thing that hope produces is a new characterization of who we are. Peter describes the exiles as “obedient children,” emphasizing that their obedience is not something they are working toward but something they have already been called into. The phrase “obedient children” is significant because it is rooted in the idea of hearing.

In Greek, the word for obedience is related to the word for hearing, which highlights that the obedience Peter is calling for is the result of hearing and responding to the gospel. The exiles are not controlled by their former ignorance or desires; they are now gospel-believing people, hearing the call of God and responding in obedience.

A New Way of Life

This obedience produces a new way of life. Peter calls the exiles to “be holy in all your conduct.” Holiness is not simply about avoiding sin; it is about living a life that is distinct, set apart for God’s purposes.

In the Old Testament, holiness was tied to a list of rules and external commands that were meant to set God’s people apart from the nations. But now, as Peter points out, holiness is not just about outward conformity; it is about reflecting the nature of God Himself. The call to holiness is rooted in God’s character; He is holy, and His people are to reflect that holiness in their lives.

The believer’s holiness is not based on their ability to measure up to a standard, but on their union with Christ, who is the ultimate expression of holiness. As we look to Jesus and see how He loved God and loved others, we are empowered by the gospel to live in the same way.

What is Holiness?

Holiness, as pastor Jeremiah Hurt explains, is not so much a call to do certain things, but a call to be something—to be the people of God who reflect His love in the world.

Holiness is not merely moral behavior, rule-keeping, or separation from the world for its own sake. At its heart, holiness is love—love for God and love for neighbor.

This is why Jesus said that all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37–40). Holiness is relational before it is behavioral. It is the overflow of a heart that treasures God and, therefore, delights in what God loves.

But this kind of love, this true holiness, does not arise from within us naturally. It is not something we can produce. Holiness is the fruit of union with Christ. It is Christ’s life in us that produces holiness, not our performance for Him.

Because we have been united with the Holy One by grace through faith, we are being made holy, not to earn favor, but because we have received favor. The vine bears fruit through the branches, and apart from Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

To be holy is to live as someone who has been set apart by God’s redeeming grace, reflecting the character of the One who redeemed us. It is to live in light of who we already are in Christ: beloved, cleansed, and made new. And as that identity takes root, it expresses itself in concrete love for God in worship and obedience, and for others in humility, service, and compassion. Holiness is not a burden to bear, but the beautiful result of being loved and made alive in the Son.

How Do We Live with Hope? (v.17-21)

Peter’s call to holiness is not just about what we do, but how we live in light of our identity as redeemed people. In verses 17-21, Peter shows us how to live with hope:

Live as Children (v.17)

First, Peter calls us to live as children of God. As believers, we now have an impartial Father who does not play favorites but who accepts us on the basis of Christ’s righteousness.

This is a liberating truth: our standing before God is not based on our works or merit, but on what Christ has done for us. Peter urges the exiles to live in reverent fear, not fear of judgment, but awe of God’s greatness.

We are not to live as slaves to sin or as those who fear condemnation; we are to live as children who are accepted and loved by their Father.

Live as Redeemed People (v.18-19)

Peter continues by reminding the exiles that they have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.

Unlike the perishable things of this world, things like silver and gold, which seem so valuable in our eyes, Christ’s sacrifice is eternal and unchanging. Silver and gold may glitter, but they tarnish. They can be stolen, spent, or lost. They are subject to the corrosion of time and the instability of our monetary systems. Though they may purchase power or influence for a moment, they cannot ransom a soul or cleanse a guilty conscience.

This security, rooted not in what is fading but in what is forever, is the foundation for our holy living. We do not pursue holiness out of fear that our redemption might slip away, but because we have been ransomed with something infinitely more precious than anything this world can offer. The permanence of Christ’s work frees us from striving after the fleeting and invites us to live for what is imperishable.

Live as Believers (v.20-21)

Finally, Peter calls the exiles to live as believers—people who trust in God and His plan of redemption. This is not a mere intellectual assent but a living trust in the God who has raised Jesus from the dead and given us new life. Our faith in God is the lens through which we see our entire lives. We are called to live as those who have been given new birth, new identity, and new hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

This is the essence of holiness—reflecting God’s character through our love for Him and others. As Edmund Clowney states, holiness is love for God and others, and it is the fruit of being united with Christ.

Holiness is not about a list of do’s and don’ts; it is about living out the implications of the gospel, which has called us to be God’s holy people. It is about setting our hope fully on the grace that is to come, preparing our minds to think deeply about the gospel, and living lives that reflect God’s holiness in a world that desperately needs to see it. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.