15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
The reason our conduct and character matters is that we are to reflect God’s conduct and character. That has always been God’s goal for our lives. He wants us to be holy, without sin, completely sold out to Him. Holy does not mean we walk around in robes and chant all day long. It doesn’t mean we live in isolated communities in silence. We are to be salt and light in the world. We are to affect the world with our conduct and character, just as God changed the world when He entered. We are to be holy in ALL we do, not just the ‘religious’ things. All of our life is to reflect His character. That includes the areas of our lives that no one else sees. We are to be holy in all aspects. Notice that being holy is not an external thing put on to cover up something else. God is holy through and through. It is who He is. The same is true of us. When we become a believer in Jesus, we become someone different. We become a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. As we yield to the Spirit’s work in our lives that new character will be worked out into our conduct. People will begin to see something different. They will begin to see holiness. They will know it is not us. They may not yet know it is the Lord working, but they will know it is not us. Holiness is so different that it will shock others. It often shocks me. When the Lord is working, He gets the credit. When the Lord is working, people see Him. Isn’t that what life is all about, helping people see Him?
The Arnold Journey 