Holiness & Identity

Life Bible Study  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 3 views
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

Peter

Peter was a jewish man that was one of Jesus’ disciples; one of the 3
4 stories: Peter walking on water; confessing Jesus as Christ; transfiguration; denial & repentance
Holiness and identity are key markers of this letter that Peter is writing.
Chapter 1 spoke to the living hope that Jesus is to the believer & the call for the believer to be holy 1:16 “since it is written, ‘ You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

Peter begins to then explain to his readers “How to advance in holiness” as Wayne Grudem, a modern day theologian, put it.
1 Peter 2:1–12 ESV
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:1–3 ESV
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
"Theology is a systematic reflection, within a particular culture, on the self- revelation of God.
He begins by communicating 2 ways we can practically practice the holiness given to us by God and to assess if we are living in holiness.
Put away sin. He especially highlights the sin that is evident to the people who are in relationship with us or come into contact with us. Not because of trying to look good, but because this is a litmus test of sorts.
The second way is to long for pure spiritual milk, that you may grow up into salvation.
1 Peter 2:1–3 ESV
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
not that you would grow up to become saves, but that you would mature into the woman of God that God himself created you and saved you to be.
Questions:
How do you see this playing out in your life?
How do you see yourself putting away sin?
Do you long for the things that are pure and of God that you might grow in relationship with God?
Have you really tasted that the Lord is good? Have you placed your faith, surrendered your life to Jesus? (Peter knew the struggle of surrendering to Jesus, he also knew the goodness of that faith and surrender.)
1 Peter 2:4
1 Peter 2:4–6 ESV
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
2. “As you come to Him” - Draw Near - specialized term for drawing near to God in worship.
Do you remember what we talked about in Hebrews? About the priest and the Holiest of Holies?
“As you come to Him” you are being built
“As you continually come to Christ (in initial faith, then in worship and prayer) you are yourselves being built into a spiritual house”
“Personal devotion to Christ through the Word also increases corporate integration into the church.”
3. Living Stone
1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary 2. Abide in Christ—Together—As the New Temple of God (2:4–6)

The fact that Christ is the living stone shows at once his superiority to an Old Testament temple made of dead stones, and reminds Christians that there can be no longing for that old way of approach to God, for this way is far better.

there is a great deal of the Old Testament used in the rest of this passage. The usage of stone, rejected, chosen, precious, are all taken from the vocabulary of & - this is affirmed in vs. 6
Psalm 118:22 ESV
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Isaiah 28:16 ESV
therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
b. Precious - means to “highly valued or esteemed”
c. Peter wants us to think of ourselves as living stones of God’s new temple.
1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary 2. Abide in Christ—Together—As the New Temple of God (2:4–6)

Spiritual (pneumatikos) when applied to ‘house’ and ‘sacrifices’ does not mean ‘immaterial’ (for the believers are not ‘immaterial’ persons!), but rather ‘influenced or dominated by the Holy Spirit; sharing the character of the Holy Spirit’ (Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 2:13, 15; 12:1; Gal. 6:1; Col. 3:16). Christians are a new temple of God under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary 2. Abide in Christ—Together—As the New Temple of God (2:4–6)

There is encouragement in these verses, then, in this sense: ‘As you (keep on) coming to Christ (in worship, in prayer and praise), you are (continually) being built up into a spiritual temple, a place in which God more and more fully dwells.’

1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary 2. Abide in Christ—Together—As the New Temple of God (2:4–6)

There is encouragement in these verses, then, in this sense: ‘As you (keep on) coming to Christ (in worship, in prayer and praise), you are (continually) being built up into a spiritual temple, a place in which God more and more fully dwells.’

Side note: The temple is the dwelling place of God.
1 Peter 2:7–8 ESV
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
4. Unbelievers reject Christ and stumble.
2 Peter 2:9 ESV
then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,
“those who do not believe” - read “those who are currently not believing”
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9–12 ESV
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
5. Peter reminds the reader of who they are, and then what they are to do.
5. d
1 Peter 2:11–12 ESV
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 11-12
1 Peter 2:1–12 ESV
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
The whole of the passage:
Live in holiness
because you are holy
There are people who don’t know Him
You are holy
Live in holiness, so that those who don’t believe might know Him
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more