If you're like me, you run for cover when you hear a verse like 2 Peter 3:11, "You ought to live holy and godly lives." Sure, I agree that Scripture is absolutely right, but isn't that asking a bit much? 

Think about it. "Holy" means morally perfect, set apart, pure in heart. Even if it's possible to live a holy life -- and the apostle Peter seems to think it is (2 Peter 1:3-4) -- why should we go to so much effort?  We're saved by grace, not by what we do, so maybe we should just coast our way into heaven. Is "holy living" relevant to those of us who need to get by in the real world?  

You betcha. In fact, for Christians, holy living should be the meat and potatoes of our daily lives. We should live holy lives because judgment will come to "Christian" hypocrites, but rewards will come to believers who honor God with right living.

Getting Judgmental

Toward the end of his life, the apostle Peter sent out letters to the church to urge the believers to holy living and "wholesome thinking" (2 Peter 3:1). Specifically, Peter wanted to warn them about a group of false teachers who were pushing a libertine brand of Christianity. 

These teachers were all about getting their kicks this side of heaven. In the second chapter of 2 Peter, they are described as following their sinful nature, despising authority, lusting, leading people into doctrinal error, partying wildly in broad daylight, exploiting the church and being greedy and prideful. Likewise, their messages appealed to the lustful desires of the listeners and promised them a false "freedom" -- apparently the freedom to sin however they wanted to. 

What was worse, these teachers who called themselves "Christians" seemed to go unpunished. They arrogantly slandered celestial beings (2 Peter 2:10-12) yet seemed to face no rebuke. Their message to the believers was something akin to, "You can be free like us to indulge yourselves and there will be no consequences!" 

But, oh, how wrong they were. Like the destruction of the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah or in the great flood, swift destruction would catch them (2 Peter 2:1, 17). Hypocrisy would not pay off in the end.

Reward Offered

Holiness, however, does pay off. And it pays well.

At the beginning of his letter, Peter spells out some of the Christian virtues that he associates with a holy life that pleases God: "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

And cultivating those virtues was not without purpose. They were intended to give the believers fruitful lives, "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:8). 

As if a fruitful life of service to God were not enough of a reward, God promises us more. He promises us a place in His kingdom where holiness is not a strange thing, "We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 3:11). Moreover, those who please God by cultivating holy living will receive a fabulous welcome into that kingdom, "For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11). 

Where the Rubber Meets the Road to Heaven

The times we live in are similar to those in Paul's day. It's not hard to find people out there who call themselves "Christians," but who don't care a lick about holiness. And they seem to get rewarded for it. When we focus on them we can get jaded  in our walk with Christ. We get tempted to believe the lie that holy living is pointless. But that's not true.

Holiness hurts -- our flesh at least. It costs us to live for heaven when everyone around us seems to be living for themselves.  But God sees you, and He sees them. The day will come when His justice flashes forth.

Until then, fix your eyes on Him, and do something specific to take it up a notch to honor Him. For followers of Christ "holiness" shouldn't be a dirty word .