I used to hear “Be holy for I am holy” as a rigid command to get to heaven. I now hear it as a glorious invitation to partake of the divine nature. In it, I hear God saying, “Be like me and let my Holy Spirit enter your heart and shape you according to my nature.” “Let us come take up our abode with you.” “I want you to live in Me and I want to live in you!” “You will taste my holy-love and want more of Me as I want more of you.”
“His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3-4 NRSV).
