God’s Word everywhere urges believers to a holy life. Peter does the same in this section of Scripture. Learn what it means to live a holy life, and how we are to accomplish it.
Teaching Notes:
1 Peter 1:13-17
Intro:
Therefore: Notice there is a change from 1:3-12 – glories of salvation. Now exhorts based on what has said. 1:3-12 = doctrine. 1:13-17 = duty. Same thing Paul does in Ephesians (1st 3 chapters doctrine – last 3 duty), or Romans (1st 11 chapters doctrine, last 5 chapters duty). What has God done for us in 1:3-12? Chosen, had great mercy on, regenerated, gave living hope, promised perfect inheritance in heaven, kept us for that inheritance, taking us through trials not to destroy but purge & refine faith, given us joy inexpressible & full of glory, given us salvation so wonderful that prophets sought to understand and angels long to look into! Therefore we are to respond! What we do for God always response to what He has done for us! Peter lays out our duty to God (1:13-21), man (1:22-25) and ourselves (2:1-3).
1. Fix Your Hope!
Hope: Hope is similar to but different from faith. Faith looks back, faith looks forward. Faith rests on the finished work of Christ – Hope rests on the future work of Christ. Faith appropriates – Hope anticipates. Faith lays hold of what Christ has done. Hope expects Christ to do. Hope says “Something better is coming!”
Fix your hope: this hope must be fixed, steady, and resolved, like putting a fence post into cement! It must be so rock solid that it can not be swayed or moved. We are to be fixated on the glory to come.
Completely: not partially. Not having a portion of our hope in this world, and a portion in the world to come. We are to have a healthy obsession with heaven!
On the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ: Then suffering will end. Enemies of Christ will be judged. Faithful followers will be rewarded (1:8). Our bodies will be glorified, sin will be removed, Satan will be destroyed, temptation will be removed. That is the grace to come to us! Peter is urging them to take their eyes off present sufferings and fix them completely on the coming glory they will share with Christ!
Prepare your minds for action: This is how we fix our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us. Literally “Gird minds for action.” Custom of Jews: wore long, loose, flowing robes. When wanted to prepare to do hard work or go on journey, would gather up robes & tie w/ sash for freedom of movement. Peter is saying, “Prepare to go to work!” Not with your hands, but with your head. Roll up your sleeves! Take off your jacket & get to work! Roll up the sleeves of your mind. Pull your thoughts together. In order to fix your hope completely on coming grace, we need a disciplined mind. Our mind will be tempted to fix its hope on all kinds of other things: new car, home, baby, new job, more money. Minds must work to bring us back to eternal truths. Meditate on God’s Word!
Be Sober: Means “to be alert, watchful.” 1Pet.5:8. Drunk driver not alert. Sluggish, doesn’t have full use of senses, not in control of self. Judgment blurred, in a fog. 1Thess.5:6; 1Pet.4:7. Amplifies “gird minds for action.” Need to be alert against those temptations that would steal our focus away from our True Hope! Must avoid those things that dull us and anesthetize us to glory of Christ! Need to form sound judgments. Sound judgments are those decisions we make that are based on eternal truths.
2. Be Holy!
A. God’s Part In Our Holiness:
1) As Obedient Children: lit. = children of obedience. Eph.2:2;5:6. Sons of disobedience = those whose natures are inclined to disobey. “AS” – inasmuch as you are. “Children” – born of Spirit. Children inherit nature of parents and are like them. We received new nature. Bent towards holiness. Our nature determines appetites & actions. Was natural before to live in sin. Now natural to aspire to holiness, cuz received God’s nature. Remember who you are! True salv. Always leads to obedience – 1Pet.1:2
2) Called: 1Pet.2:9-10; 5:10. When God called us, He planted a principle of holiness. We were running to destruction in path of sin, but voice of God reached our hearts & called us to path of holiness & life. If we have been called, are born again & have inward disposition to holiness. Remember this is who you are – new natural is to obey. Remind Yourself of Who You Are!
B. Our Part In Our Holiness:
1) Negatively: Do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance. 4:1-3 “sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties, abominable idolatries.” Tit.3:3 “enslaved to various lusts and pleasures.” Don’t allow self to be pressed into mold of former life. You are a different person now! Live like it! What former lusts did you give yourself to? Ignorance – like man sitting in dark house w/ snakes & spiders scurrying around his feet. When someone turns on light, sees them & flees. You have been called into His light! Flee life you used to live in your ignorance. Don’t live like used to. That would be like the man who has seen snakes turning off light & sitting in his rocker!
2) Positively: Be Holy In All Your Behavior: “set apart”; separate, different. Be set apart for God; be different from everyone else. They live for self, pleasure, lusts. You are set apart for God’s pleasure. All your behavior – every aspect of lives (work, play, marriage, family, finances, time, thoughts, motives). No area “off limits” to holiness! Why? God is Holy: 1:15-16. This is most repeated attribute of God in Scripture. Holy, holy, holy… Doesn’t say, “loving, loving, loving.” Holiness is conformity of mind, heart & will to God. Thinking, feeling, and choosing as He does. He is Model & Pattern. “Be perfect as… Be merciful even as…” When God saves us, He puts a desire in us to be like Him! That is our motivation for holiness.
3. Fear God!
A. The One Who Impartially Judges: God is Our Judge. He will impartially judge every man’s work on Great Day! The basis for this judgment is our works. Thus, should fear Him, and live accordingly.
B. Conduct yourselves in fear: Live in fear. Fear to displease so loving Father. Fear to lose your rewards! This is fear of a Son, not a Slave. Just cuz know won’t die if jump off 2-story building, doesn’t mean will do it. Why? Healthy fear of breaking leg. Should not be careless about spiritual lives. Not cringing terror of slave before offended master, but reverential awe of son toward loving and respected father.
C. During the Time of Your Stay on earth: Only here for short while. This life is our probation for the next. All eternity depends on how invest my short years here. My happiness in heaven dependent on my holiness here! “Live as though you are a spirit having a human experience, instead of a human having an occasional spiritual experience.”
Application:
Remember who you are! Called, child of obedience. Live like it! Fix your hope! Be holy! Fear God! God has done His part. Do yours! Requires effort to be like Jesus Christ, but it is worth it! Remember you are only hear on earth very briefly. Everything you do or don’t do decides your eternal rewards!
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