"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

We are to be holy, set apart for God. He purchased us with His own blood so that we could come out of the world and become His holy, chosen treasure.

Holy – “Set apart for God, to be, as it were, exclusively his… Just as the Israelites claimed for themselves the title “holy ones,” because God selected them from the other nations to lead a life acceptable to him and rejoice in his favor and protection, so this appellation is very often in the N.T. transferred to Christians, as those whom God has selected ‘not of the world’ (John 17:14, 16), that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may be rendered, through holiness partakers of salvation in the kingdom of God:” From: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon for the word “holy”

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" - 1 Peter 2:9 (Exodus 19:5-6) [“peculiar” – purchased possession, one’s own property]

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." - Acts 20:28

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." - Ephesians 5:25-27

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." - 2 Corinthians 4:7

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

It is essential that we know and obey sound doctrine. It is essential, not only for ourselves, but that we teach our children so that they may also know and obey sound doctrine.

What sound doctrine must we know? That the LORD our God is one LORD and His name is JESUS. (Deuteronomy 6:4, John 5:43, Isaiah 45:21-23, Philippians 2:10-11, Acts 4:12.)

That we find forgiveness of sins by Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection when we repent and are baptized in Jesus name. He promises He will then fill us with His Holy Spirit. (1Corinthians 15:1-4, Acts 2:38-39)

After we repent, are baptized in Jesus name, and receive the Holy Ghost, we continue in the apostles doctrine. (Acts 2:42, 2Timothy 3:16-17, 2Timothy 3:15)

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." - Deuteronomy 6:4-5 KJV

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." - 2 Timothy 3:15 KJV

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." - Romans 13:11-14

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." - Acts 2:38-40

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:41-42

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4

"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.

“Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." - Acts 10:44-48 KJV

[From: Search for Truth Bible Study] 

Be ye holy for I am holy

God has always been holy. When He made Himself a body to dwell among mankind, He was holy. He is Jesus.

Hebrews 13:8 KJV - Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

The devils know Jesus is holy, and that Jesus is God.

Mark 1:24 KJV - Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

James 2:19 KJV - Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Isaiah 43:3 KJV - For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Isaiah 54:5 KJV - For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

The Jews did not recognize that Jesus was the Holy One of Israel. He came unto His own, but they did not receive Him. They desired that Barabbas, a murderer be let go, and that Jesus be crucified. They did not realize that Jesus, the One they wanted crucified, was the Holy One of Israel.

Acts 3:14 KJV - But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

John 1:10-11 KJV - He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

We are His called and chosen, holy, filled with His Holy Spirit. We are faithful in that we live a holy life.

1 Peter 1:15-16 KJV - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [conduct]; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

If we want to commune with Him, if we want to see Him and be with Him in heaven, we must be holy.

Hebrews 12:14 KJV - Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

We must repent and be baptized every one of us in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and we shall receive the gift of His Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

We must put off the old man with his sinful nature, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 KJV - That ye put off concerning the former conversation [conduct] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We were servants to uncleanness and lawlessness, but now servants to righteousness leading to holiness.

Romans 6:19 KJV - I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Because we have obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:38), we are free from the power of sin. We do what leads to holiness and eternal life.

Romans 6:22 KJV - But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

We are to present our bodies holy.

Romans 12:1 KJV - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

We must be holy, not letting the world conform us to its unholy standards. We must let God transform us to holiness, as He said, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Romans 12:2 KJV - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jesus chose His church to be His holy bride from the beginning.

Ephesians 1:4 KJV - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Jesus knew it would be necessary to give His life for His bride, to reconcile us to Himself, and so He could present us to Himself a holy bride.

Colossians 1:21-22 KJV - And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Ephesians 5:25-27 KJV - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

We are His church, washed in His blood, sanctified by His Spirit, holy and without blemish. (1Corinthians 6:11, Acts 22:16, Revelation 1:5)

The way, the truth, and the life.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6

Jesus is the Father.

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." - John 14:7

Jesus is the way.

The Father put on a fleshy, human body and dwelt among His creation for the purpose to die for the sins of the world. It is by His death, burial, and resurrection that we are able to once again come to Him.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 6:23

Sin separated us from the Father, so that we could no longer have communion, as Adam and Eve did in the beginning.

"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." - Isaiah 59:2

By paying the price of our sin by His sinless body on the cross, Jesus removed this gulf of sin that separated us.

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." - 1 Corinthians 6:20

By repenting of our sins, and burying them by water baptism in the name of Jesus, our sins are washed away so that we can be filled with His Spirit.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:4

The Father that was in Christ reconciled us to Himself.

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:19

He made peace with us by His cross so that we could return to Him.

"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" - Colossians 1:19-23

Jesus is the truth.

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," - Ephesians 1:13

The truth and the gospel of our salvation is that Jesus died for our sins, He was buried, and He was resurrected. We obey the truth – the gospel – by becoming dead to sin by repentance, buried with Jesus by water baptism in Jesus name, and resurrected to new life in Jesus by the infilling of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as His Spirit gives us the utterance. (1Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 6:1-14, Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-7)

Jesus is the life.

By the infilling of the Holy Ghost, we have eternal life in heaven, and an abundant life on earth, walking with Him in His Spirit.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." - John 10:10