There is a motivation behind every decision in life, from the food that we eat to the clothes that we wear. But what should be our motivation to live holy lives unto God? The Apostle Peter helps us to answer this question in 1 Peter 2:9.
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Motivations For Living A Holy Life Onto God
1 Peter 2:9
There is a motive behind everything that we do in this life, when we hear a funny noise coming from our stomach, we are motivated to go and get something to eat. We don’t want to be homeless and without food or clothing (not talking about Mathew 6:33), so we work to earn a living, that is a motivation. Or some people grew up poor and needy and do not want their children to suffer the same fate, so they work hard, go to school, etc……..that is there motivation.
But what is our motivation to live a holy life or what does it mean to live Holy since the scriptures states that we are a Holy Nation? This is question that we will attempt to answer today.
And in order for us to do this, I think we first have to define Holy, since Peter is using the term.
Holy comes from the Greek word “Hagios”—In a proper basic sense, “Hagios” means to be different from any other, to be separate, unique.
So when we describe God as being Holy, we are saying “God, you are different from everything else. And he is not just different like having two shoes of the opposite color, but His nature—–He is eternal, from ever lasting to ever lasting,
His characteristics—–All powerful, all knowing, Omnipresent………everything that we are not.
But when the bibles states that we are to be holy as God is holy as mention in chapter 1:16, it is not referring to these characteristics, but the purity of God,
The moral virtue of God—–there is no sin in God, there is no immorality in God, and it is the goodness of God that we are encouraged to take on.
This is why in chapter 1:14 of this book— Peter encourages the church to not conform to their former lustful ways but to be holy like God in their behavior………So Holiness deals with behavior and action and even thought.
So you, me as Christians, we are called to be Holy, we are called to be separate, different from the unredeemed world.
But this verse that Peter is alluding to : Leviticus 20: 26 it takes on a new life and goes much deeper for us, the New Testament Church, than it did for Israel of the Old testament.
For Israel, there was no true image to model holiness after, God was still largely a mystery, even as he still is today, they were given the law to follow for Holiness and they would get images of God’s holiness from prophets, who were given a glimpse of heaven, such as Isaiah. But here in the New Testament, God actually, wraps himself in human flesh and comes and models holiness on the earth through Christ. God through Christ is removing part of the Old Testament mystery and showing himself through Christ.
That’s why in John 14: 8 -9, Philip said to Jesus, show us the Father, Jesus is like how long have I been with you. You have seen me, you have seen the Father.
So another way of saying Be holy as God is Holy is “look like Jesus”. So if you wanted a simple definition of Holiness, it would be a person’s resemblance to Christ.
And that is why throughout this book of 1 Peter, Christ is used as the standard of Holiness during persecution.
So, if we are looking for a Holiness meter in our life, year-over-year
If we are trying to gauge how successful we are, we don’t look to our bank account, we don’t look to our real estate holdings, the size of our house, education, or all the things that the world measures, but look at how much we have come to look more like Christ.
So when it comes to Holiness in our finances:
Is our giving like Christ, do we show mercy? Are we self-righteous in our giving?
In Love:
Are we loving like Christ, loving those who may treat us wrong?
Do we show Grace to people or are we quick to condemn?
Men are you loving your wife as Christ loved the church?
Wives, are you encouraging and supporting your husband as he lead you and your family?
Children, are you submitting and being obedient to your Parents?
You striving to make disciples of Jesus?
These are our standards of Holiness, how much we look like Christ and how obedient we are to his Word.
But guess what, everyone does not have this privilege or grace. What privilege you may ask? The privilege to see Jesus as Holy.
To not just see him as a man, or a great prophet but to see him as God in the flesh. The reason you see Jesus as you do is because God has chosen to reveal his Son to you.
John 6:44 No can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
Mathew: 11:25- I praise you Father, Lord of Heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants
And this brings us back to our main text of 1 Peter 2:9 that you are a “Chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession”
Peter is saying, hey, you are special, you are different.
Now these words, a “chosen race, royal priesthood” were first announced to the Children of Israel in the Old Testament.
Here’s the thing, nations are often know for a few things, this is how we summarize nations.
For example, the United States is known around the world generally, as the land of opportunity, freedom, etc. You could look at the Romans—-They are know for there military, their brute and strength- The Greeks, are know for there wisdom, philosophers.
But the Children of Israel, they were going to be know as being Holy people, there were going to be know for their God. Because in all cultures, the Priest is known to be God’s representative, the priest is know to be a holy person and pious person according to that cultures standards.
And now that same title that was given to Old Testament Israel is now being given to the New Testament Church.
Which means that you and I are a royal priesthood—and some of you are saying, what do you mean, how can that be? Me a Priest?
To answer this question, we have to get some understanding of the Consecration process of the Aaronic Priesthood because God said that Aaron, Moses brother, he and his sons would serve as priest. Exodus 28:1
Before Aaron and his sons could become priest, there was this ceremonial process that they had to go through. They would bring two young bull and rams without spot or blemish before the men and they would lay there hands on the animals to transfer there guilt and sin. And because the penalty for sin is death, those animals would then have there necks slit and that blood would be sprinkled on the altar and on Aaron and his sons for a cleansing, after that the anointing oil would be sprinkled or poured upon there heads.
This is where Psalms 133:1-2 gets its imagery from.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity, it is like he precious oil upon the beard, Even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the the edge of his rob.”
Now Christ died on the cross, for those of us who have faith to believe, our sins, went upon him, just like when Aaron and his sons laid there hands on the bull and rams to transfer their sins and guilt. And the blood that Jesus shied, like Aaron and his sons, was sprinkled on us for our eternal cleansing (Hebrews 10:14). And those through faith in Christ have had there sins forgiven, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is what the anointing oil that was poured on Aarons represented.
Luke 4:18, 1 John 2:20 and 27
—-Brothers and sisters you have been anointing by the Holy Spirit and set apart for God’s services, that is a privilege,
This is a motivation in its self to live Holy Lives
God has chosen to make a wretch like you and me His treasure.
And this is the word of encouragement that Peter is giving to the church as he writes this letter, he motivating them and reminding them of there position as they face slander, as they face persecution and are ostracized in society, just like what we are starting to see more and more today in America
Let’s compare the early church with the church in America.
1 Peter 2:12-Slander as evil doers-So people were saying all these false, negative things about Christians. Making up things, calling them evil, misrepresenting their faith just like in society today;Christians are slandered in the Media, movies, we are negatively stereotyped.
But what is Peter’s response to this, what does he tell the church?
He tells them to do good and as we seen earlier in chapter 1:14, he tells them to live holy. Whether they talk about you or not, do good, live holy, don’t sit there in get into big arguments.
“Peter said let them see your good works that they may glorify God”
Does this sound familiar?
Jesus, Sermon on the Mount-Mathew 5:16-Read
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deed and glorify your father who is in Heaven”
And those good deeds stem from feeding the hungry, clothing the naked to loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you(Mathew 5:44), If someone forces you to go one mile with them, go two(Mathew 5:41) or Jesus said if someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat also. All of the things that Jesus teaches on his sermon on the mount, they are not just things to read but to live by, those are the good works, that is what holy living looks like.
“In a nutshell, Holy living is to live like Jesus, not just in the sinful things that you don’t do, but the good deeds that you should do”
And I hope that you are seeing a common theme in the verses that we have paralleled Mathew 5:16 and 1 Peter 2:12.
The common theme that is running throughout these two verses is God’s glory!!!!!!!!!! This is the chief, underlying motive for living Holy, God glorified, God looking great!
In the old testament, the Priest role was making sure that the people didn’t dishonor God by not keeping the law, they wanted God to be honored, glorified.
And we as priesthood, have this same obligation, God’s glory—–that’s why we live Holy lives, this becomes the motive for all that we do.
So in Chapter 1 of First Peter, verse 13, Peter tells the church, what? To submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, kings, and governors——Peter is talking about government here.
Hey, I do not like paying taxes, but I live in the USA, and the law of the land is that you pay taxes.
Right now, the county is very divided over the presidency
but we also live in a free speech country where we have the right to protest. And if you choose to exercise your free speech and protest rights, just as Paul exercised his rights as a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25) then that is fine, but we can’t slander people, we can’t blatantly disrespect people in government even if they are mean to us or do things that we don’t like. Why because God’s glory is at stake, we have to model holiness.
With this same theme of holy living and God’s glory, Peter also addresses people that are servants with harsh masters and Women who are married to men that are not believers.
Look at 1 Peter 3:1 – Wife and Unbelieving Husband
And the women is not encouraged to leave their unbelieving husband but to model holiness in front of them to win them to Christ. Again, the point of Holy living is God’s Glory, another person praising the Lord, that is the point of the Church, that is the point your existence, praise unto God, God’s Glory.(Isaiah 43:7)
“Missions, evangelism exist because worship doesn’t”
And I know what some of you are thinking, “it does not always work like that Jerome, is a husband or a wife suppose to stay in a bad marriage where they are unhappy? We are not talking about physical abuse and all that but I want to remind you what Jesus said in Luke 9:23:
“Jesus said-If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”
What this verse means in the context of 1 Peter 3 is that when it comes down to my own temporary satisfaction and God’s Glory, I am choosing to find my satisfaction in God’s glory!
When I choose to find my satisfaction in God’s glory over this other satisfaction, I am showing the world that God is more valuable or more satisfying.
I want to give you another example of this: 2 Timothy 2:3-4-Read
Suffer hardships as a good solder of the Lord and that No solider in active service entangles himself in the affairs of life……..so that he may please the one who enlist him.
Please Him!!!!!! So it is not my will by thy will and if it means saying in a marriage to demonstrate the Gospel—-To show this unmerited love and grace to a person who may not deserve it, to God be the glory.
And a person who has not been born again can’t do this, only a person who is living by the Spirit because if a unbeliever tries to live this way, when it comes to there sin or satisfaction as opposed to finding their satisfaction in God’s glory, they will choose there own glory.
Some of you may be asking saying “Is life just this rigorous thing that we have to grunt through for the sake of Holiness?” No
Because Peter said in our main text that you are a chose race, royal priesthood that you should proclaim the EXCELLENCIES of Him, of God…..that is a privilege…..everyone does not get this glory!!!!!!!!
For example, in the OT only the priest had this special relationship with God,
they were mediators between the Children of Israel and God. Priests were the ones who offered up the sacrifices, the priest were the ones to pronounce a person with leprosy clean and fit to be within the camp. They had this special position so much so that when the Children of Israel came into the promise land, the priest received no inheritance, all of the other tribes received land but the bible said that God was their inheritance(Joshua 13:33).
And one of the first Excellencies—–When I say Excellencies, I’m talking about God’s virtues: His goodness, mercy, love, grace etc.
One of the first things that the people whom Peter is writing to got to proclaim is that He called me out of darkness into the marvelous light. I was dead but now I am alive through Christ.
As we looked at earlier, they also proclaimed his Excellencies by not caving into the pressures of the world, but when people spoke evil of them (Chapter 3:8), they did not speak evil back but they modeled Holiness and showed that Jesus is more excellent than my own pride!!!!!!!!!!
But it goes deeper, because we as a royal priesthood, we as the elect, and we as the church get to be the hands and feet of Christ!!!!!!!!!!!
1 Corinthians 12:27: “You are Christ’s body and individual members of it”
Let me show you what I mean—Ephesians 2:17
Jesus never went to the Ephesians to preach to them, when he was on earth, his mission was to the Israel.
But when Paul went to the Ephesians to preach the gospel, he became the hands and feet of Christ. Christ was preaching to the Ephesians through Paul.
And guess what, we become the hands and feet of Christ, when we relieve the poor, when we cloth the nak, when we visit the prisoner. We become the hands of Christ, when we touch the sick and pray for healing. This a privileged positions, that the world does not get to operate in, only the church, only the royal priesthood
So why do we live Holy Lives? Because God is Holy, Christ lived Holy and commands us to follow him
Why do we live Holy lives: Because it brings God Glory
Why do we live Holy lives: Because of this privileged position that we have as a royal priesthood, to be the Body of Christ.
Why do we live Holy Lives: Because we were bought with the precious blood of Christ from our old life.
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