III. The Direction of a Called Life

Being Set Apart for God

1. God Calls People to Turn to Him and to Live as Those Who Belong to Him

God calls people to turn to Him and enables those who receive His grace to begin learning to live as people who belong to Him. Peter writes, “but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15). Paul also says, “For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

Holiness involves being set apart for God and living in a way consistent with His character and will. Belonging and conduct cannot be separated. Those who belong to God are called to turn from sin in their thoughts, desires, relationships, and choices, and to learn honesty, justice, and love. First Thessalonians 4 applies this calling particularly to the body, sexuality, and responsibility toward others.

This does not mean that believers are already entirely without sin in this life. First John 1:8 reminds us that claiming to be without sin is self-deception. A holy life involves continual confession, repentance, receiving forgiveness, and learning obedience through reliance on God’s grace. Confession is more than admitting that “we did not do something well.” It is acknowledging before God that we have acted against His will. God promises to forgive and cleanse those who confess their sins, enabling us to face Him again and continue in obedience (1 John 1:9).

We cannot earn God’s acceptance through holy conduct. God graciously makes us His own in Christ, and those who receive His grace respond to His call by pursuing a life consistent with that belonging. Holiness is neither a special option for a select few nor a means of developing a sense of superiority. It is the direction of life for all who belong to God.

This connection between belonging and conduct also appears in Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians. He says that they have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:11). He then urges them to flee sexual immorality and glorify God in their bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18–20). Here, “sanctified” emphasises that they have already been set apart for God. They also need to live out this belonging in practice.

2. Joseph: Faithfulness to God When Unseen and at a Cost

When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he spoke of his master’s trust in him and pointed out that she was his master’s wife. He concluded, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9, excerpt). Faithfulness to God led him to take both his entrusted responsibilities and interpersonal boundaries seriously.

Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tried to seduce Joseph, and he continued to refuse. One day, he entered the house to do his work when no one else was inside. She caught him by his garment, but he left it in her hand and ran outside (Genesis 39:10–12). His choice reminds us that even when no one is supervising us, we remain accountable to God.

Holiness concerns inward faithfulness and also requires practical action. When faced with inappropriate relationships, concealed financial dealings, or online temptations, it is not enough to say we know right from wrong. We need to maintain boundaries, leave situations that draw us into sin, and seek help from trustworthy people when necessary.

Joseph was later falsely accused and imprisoned. His faithfulness did not immediately protect him from loss. Scripture therefore offers no formula promising instant success if we simply hold to our principles. Obedience to God may involve misunderstanding, injustice, and cost.

Holiness is grounded in the fact that God deserves our faithfulness. We respect others and refuse to do evil not merely to obtain good results, but because we belong to God and are accountable to Him and to other people.

3. Growth in Holiness Comes from God’s Renewal and Requires Our Response

Paul urges believers not to conform to this world but to be transformed by the renewal of their minds, so that they may discern God’s will (Romans 12:2). This concerns how we judge success, use power, and choose between personal gain and honesty. God’s word corrects our judgements and guides us toward a life pleasing to Him.

Paul explains that those who receive grace behold the Lord’s glory and are transformed by His Spirit, becoming increasingly like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). The passage places this renewal in the context of the new covenant and the Spirit’s work, showing that the transformation of life comes from the Lord and is closely connected to knowing Him.

God renews people so that they become like His Son (Romans 8:29). Christ is the image of the invisible God, the radiance of God’s glory, and the exact representation of His being (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). He is the eternal Son who truly reveals the Father. Human beings, by contrast, are creatures shaped by grace to become increasingly like Christ. Becoming more like Christ does not mean becoming God. It means increasingly reflecting the character Christ has revealed and living in a way that pleases Him.

The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in people’s lives (Galatians 5:22–23). These qualities enable us to love God and others more fully and change how we handle relationships, bear responsibility, and use our abilities. Examples include listening during a conflict, restraining our words when angry, and keeping promises even when no one reminds us. Such concrete expressions show how the Spirit renews our lives. Paul also urges believers who live by the Spirit to walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

God shapes those who belong to Him through His word, the Spirit’s work, believers’ encouragement and correction of one another, and discipline and trials in life. Philippians 2:12–13 connects our obedience with God’s work within us. Those who receive grace earnestly live out the salvation they have received, and both their desire to act and their ability to do so come from God’s work within them. This leads us both to rely humbly on God and to respond to Him earnestly.

This growth in life, in which we continually turn from sin, learn holiness, and become more like Christ by God’s grace, is an important aspect of sanctification. Those who receive grace rely on the Holy Spirit to turn from sin in everyday life. When we have harmed others, we need to earnestly confess our sin, apologise, and do what we can to repair the harm. Through prayer and reading Scripture, we learn obedience and continue repenting and following the Lord after we stumble. Such growth involves lifelong learning; it cannot be accomplished by human willpower alone.

4. Holiness Means Living in the World as Those Who Belong to God

When Jesus prayed for His disciples, He did not ask the Father to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one and sanctify them in the truth (John 17:15, 17). The disciples continued living in the world, but were called to act according to God’s truth.

Holiness therefore takes shape in money, sexuality, marriage, family, work, power, speech, and relationships. It leads us to deal honestly, treat people justly, keep promises, show mercy to the vulnerable, acknowledge mistakes, forgive others, and fulfil our responsibilities.

Conduct in church cannot cancel out harm done at home, and public ministry cannot conceal dishonesty in private. Speaking of love from the pulpit requires learning to listen patiently at home. Pursuing results at work requires maintaining honesty. Bearing leadership responsibility requires concern for justice and other people’s dignity. When we discover that our words or actions have harmed someone, we should earnestly confess our sin, apologise, and take responsibility for what we have done.

Knowing God’s holiness makes us more aware of our need for grace and teaches us to treat others humbly. Pursuing holiness means learning faithfulness to God in real life and treating others with honesty, justice, and love.