Day 7

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

1 Peter 1:14-16

You know the song…

“He’s making a list;

He’s checking it twice;

Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice;

Santa Claus is coming to town!”

As a child, part of Christmas growing up involved wondering which list you were on! As Christmas drew near, you began to wonder if you had been “good enough” all year. You began to reflect on the good and the bad that you did in hopes that you made the Nice List. No one wanted to wake up with a lump of coal in their stocking!

Which list would you expect to be on this year, the Naughty or Nice list?

In the verses above, Peter isn’t just writing to a random group of children but rather he is referring to the children of God, Christians. As followers and believers of Jesus, we are born into the family of God. “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

Peter writes, “do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” What Peter is saying, is that we should not live the selfish and foolish way we did before knowing Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ brings change within us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Then Peter goes on to say, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

Now I will be the first to tell you, I am far from perfect or holy on my own. However, the one who saved me and redeemed me is holy. It is not by my works or list of good deeds, but by the sinless and precious blood of Jesus Christ that I am a part of the family of God. I don’t strive to be on the nice list, but rather I strive to live a life that is pleasing to the one who gave his life for mine.

Jesus gave his life for you long before you knew there was a nice list.