1 Peter: Be Holy
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· 11 viewsJesus’ resurrection empowers believers for holy living.
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Text: 1 Peter 1:13-16
Theme: Jesus’ resurrection empowers believers for holy living.
Date: 07/31/2022 File Name: 1_Peter_03 Code: NT21-01
Why is God so hyper-scrupulous about this “holiness” stuff? Doesn’t God remember that we are made of flesh, and that the flesh lusts against the Spirit? Why is our holiness such a a big deal? The author of Hebrews is blunt: “Make every effort to ... be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14, NIV84). To find acquittal from God on the last day there must be evidence flowing out of us that grace has flowed into us. On the last day, God will not acquit us because our good works were good enough, but He will look for evidence that our confession of faith was not phony. It’s in this sense that we must be holy.
Holiness in the Jewish understanding meant to be God-honoring in every aspect of life. In the New Testament understanding, holiness means to be Christ-like, because it was Jesus who showed us what it meant to passionately pursue the image of God in us ... to be holy, because He is holy.
This begs the question: “How passionate are you about personal holiness?” ILLUS. A few years ago, Kevin DeYoung, a Presbyterian pastor wrote a book entitled, A Hole in our Holiness. His thesis is simple, too many Christians simply don’t think about their holiness very much. We’re simply too preoccupied with too many other things. We need to think about our holiness.
I. OBEDIENT 1:13-16
I. OBEDIENT 1:13-16
1. Peter begins this section with a therefore pointing us backwards to those things he said in verses 1-13
a. because of our new birth ... because of His mercy ... because of our new life in Christ ... because of this tremendous inheritance waiting for us in heaven ...
b. because of all these things, believers must make their minds ready for spiritual action
A. AN OBEDIENT FAITH IS A READY FAITH
A. AN OBEDIENT FAITH IS A READY FAITH
1. Peter literally tells them to, gird up the loins of you mind
a. the thrust of Peter’s argument is that we need to pull together of the “loose ends” of our mind
b. Paul taught the same principle in his letter to the Romans, saying ...
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)
1) and in Ephesians 6:14 Paul writes that we are to gird our loins with truth
2. the Christian life involves bringing our intellect into alignment with God’s will as found in the Scriptures
ILLUS. In the early 1st- Century most men wore long flowing robes that went all the way to the ground. Underneath they would wear a knew-length tunic. Because there were no pockets in the robes, men would wear a leather belt to hold their moneybag, and perhaps a dagger in a leather sheath for personal protection. The trouble is, when you’ve got to move fast, or ford a low stream, a robe is not conducive to that, and so men would gather up the back and front ends of their robe and tuck it into their belt so their legs would not become entangled. The common phrase for this was gird up you loins. It’s akin today to telling someone today, “Hitch your pants up.”
a. a ready faith is a faith that will not be tripped up by the events of life
ILLUS. This week the Montana mission team taught children the Bible. One of the things we taught them was the pledge to the Bible: I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's holy Word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.
b. the Bible is our guide for every activity in life because the bible touches on every area of life
1) if we make it a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path the world we will fall for the empty wisdom and vain philosophies of the world
2) if we hide its words in our heart we will always have a ready response for everything
B. AN OBEDIENT FAITH IS A DISCIPLINED FAITH
B. AN OBEDIENT FAITH IS A DISCIPLINED FAITH
1. a disciplined faith was what was needed to sustain Peter’s readers as they lived out their faith in a threatening society
2. a disciplined faith leads to a sober-mindedness
a. it’s the idea of being vigilant and being calm and collected in spirit
b. Christians need to be grounded intellectually and we need to be grounded spiritually
3. an obedient faith conforms to a biblical worldview rather than a cultural worldview
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,” (1 Peter 1:14, ESV)
a. a biblical worldview (or a Christian worldview) is a worldview based on God's unchanging Word
1) since God is the Creator of everything in heaven and earth, He is the standard for truth. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and unchanging
2) the Bible contains the words of God, and God is Truth
3) a worldview deals with five principle questions — the BIG questions of life
a) 1st, Origin – where did I come from?
b) 2nd, Destiny – where am I going?
c) 3rd, Purpose – why am I here?
d) 4th, Values – how should I live?
e) 5th, Truth – what is the truth?
4) the Bible answers those questions better than any other secular or religious worldview
b. unfortunately, very few confessing Christians have a Biblical worldview
ILLUS. Poll after poll after poll reveals that most American Christians do not hold to a Biblical worldview. 51% of U.S. adults claim to have “biblical worldview”— but that’s a far cry from the percentage who actually do. When you did below the surface and start asking questions, only about 9% of American Christians actually have a Biblical worldview.
4. a Biblical worldview involves more than merely giving a nod to the formative doctrines of the Christian faith
a. it’s taking what the bible teaches and integrating it into our life
b. Peter tells us in vs. 14 do not be conformed to the passions or you former ignorance
1) Peter is telling his readers, “Look, when difficulties arise and persecution looms, you’ll be tempted to fall back into your old patterns of behavior ... DON’T!
C. A DISCIPLINED FAITH LEADS TO A HOLY LIFE
C. A DISCIPLINED FAITH LEADS TO A HOLY LIFE
“but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,” (1 Peter 1:15, ESV)
1. both Old and New Testaments encourage — yes, even demand — that God’s people live holy lives
a. it’s not a life of perfection, but it is a life of striving to pattern our lives after the life of our Savior, who is our ultimate example of holiness
b. it’s a life that seeks to emulate Christ in all your conduct
2. we cannot ignore this — believers are to be distinctly different then their unsaved neighbors
a. in this verse Peter teaches us three great truths
1) 1st, God is holy
2) 2nd, we can be holy — holiness is not something out of our reach
3) 3rd, we can be holy because God is holy
3. holiness, in it’s simplest understanding, is a total devotion of life to God
a. in the Book of 2 Samuel, there is a story that reveals the kind of devotion Christians are to have toward Christ and his Church
“And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.” (2 Samuel 23:13–17, ESV)
1) the nature of total devotion —the pleasure of giving David pleasure became these men’s greatest pleasure
2) the object of total devotion — these men risked their lives to travel 13 miles (26 miles round trip) to bring David the desire of his heart, a sip of water from the well of Bethlehem ... they wanted to serve David with a whole heart
3) the reason for total devotion — they loved David more than they loved their own lives!
a) living a holy life means that the pleasure of giving God pleasure becomes our greatest pleasure
b) living a holy life means that we serve Christ with a whole heart which usually translates into serving others with a whole heart
c) living a holy life means serving simply because we love to serve
II. SOME APPLICATION
II. SOME APPLICATION
1. why God would care about all these things?
a. why would God be so, to use our vernacular "uptight" about what his people ate, and what they wore, and the vows they made, and they way they lived with each other?
2. God calls us to live holy lives just as he called the Hebrews to live holy lives
a. the difference is that we’re actually enabled to do so through the new birth that brings the filling of the Holy Spirit
b. Jesus said ... “ ... , “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23, ESV)
1) here is the Christian’s consecration of life ... daily fellowship in the cross
3. let's be honest, too many Christians want Jesus to be merciful to them as Savior, but are unwilling to consecrate themselves to him as King of Kings and Lord of lords
a. there are simply too many Christians who are content with their current level of holiness
b. but you’ll never grow in the grace of God, and you’ll never receive all that God has for you unless you are discontent with your level of holiness
A. DESIRE TO LIVE A CONSECRATED LIFE
A. DESIRE TO LIVE A CONSECRATED LIFE
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1–2, NIV84)
1. to become a living sacrifice, holy in God’s sight, means that we have completely put ourselves in His hands
2. as Christians, we accept that our lives are no longer our own, for we have been purchased at a high price — the sacrifice of Jesus
a. this scripture promises that God will accept the sacrifice of our lives as holy and pleasing no matter how sin-scarred and defiled by the world we may have been
b. this verse also tells us something about living in purity: it is an essential part of denying yourself, daily laying down your life to His direction, and taking up your cross
ILLUS. Kevin DeYoung, in A Hole in our Holiness, writes: "Holiness is the sum of a million little things — the avoidance of little evils and little foibles, the setting aside of little bits of worldliness and little acts of compromise, the putting to death of little inconsistencies and little indiscretions, the attention to little duties and little dealings, the hard work of little self-denials and little self-restraints, the cultivation of little benevolences and little forbearances."
3. how do we do that? what is involved in taking up our cross, and becoming a living sacrifice
a. it’s not rocket science!
B. DISCIPLINES OF THE CONSECRATED LIFE
B. DISCIPLINES OF THE CONSECRATED LIFE
1. discipline #1 You must Live in the Word
2. discipline #2 You must Pray in Faith
3. discipline #3 You must Fellowship Regularly with the Saints
4. discipline #4 You must Minister to Others
Con. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—the world desperately needs to see the name and character of God displayed in the lives of Christians who still take holiness seriously.