Written by David Self Monday, 05 September :00 - Last Updated Sunday, 02 October :49

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1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview September 11, 2016 Be Holy Background and Lesson: 1 Peter 1:13-25 Motivation: Salvation is not just a fire insurance policy. Although it determines one s destination, it also determines our lifestyle and demands a standard of holiness that God expects. As we remember the fiery trials fifteen years ago today, let us purpose in our hearts to not only make a difference but also be the difference. Examination: I. Obedient (1:13-16) Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope com pletely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, be holy, because I am holy. (1:13-16) A. Prepare for Holy Living (1:13) 1 / 9

2 1. A Mind Prepared for Action Therefore, with your minds ready for action a. A mind set on a purpose In the ancient near east, long robes, could easily encumber quick action. In order to run, a person would need to shorten the robe by tucking part of it in the girdle (belt). (Eph. 6:11-18) Girding Up (KJV) would be analogous to rolling up your sleeves ; it presumes that special steps need to be taken to accomplish a specific goal. For each Christian, the mind is an active battlefield for spiritual warfare. To approach the challenge with anything less than a determined mindset is to risk defeat. b. A mind that sets aside hindrances Hebrew 12:1... let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Getting our mind ready for action certainly involves shielding our thoughts from corrupting influences. A Christian must take definite steps to protect his/her mind from carnal, sensual, or degrading material that does not glorify God. (Phil. 2:10-14; 2 Cor. 10:3-5) c. A mind set on things that count: Philippians 4:8... whatsoever things are true,... noble... just... pure... lovely... good report, if there be any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things. Preparing for action doesn t just mean avoiding evil; we must fill our minds with the things of God. 2. A Spirit Positioned for Acceptance Be serious. The verb can be simply translated be sober, referring to abstention from alcoholic beverages. (Eph. 5:18) While that is certainly valid, in a fuller sense we see an admonition to persevere, to be steady. Rather than being pulled to and fro (Ephesians 4:14), we are to seek God s will (Matthew 6:33). Accepting God s will means not getting discouraged and thus giving in to circumstances. 3. A Hope Placed in Christ s Assurance set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. William Barclay comments: It is the great characteristic of the Christian that he lives in hope; and because he lives in hope he can endure the trials of the present. Any man can endure struggle and effort and toil, if he is certain that it is all leading somewhere. That is why the athlete accepts his training and the student his study. For the Christian the best is always still to come. He can live with gratitude for all the mercies of the past, with resolution to meet the challenge of the present and with the certain 2 / 9

3 hope that in Christ the best is yet to be. ( The Letters of James and Peter, p.183) (Rom. 15:4-13) B. Live a Holy Life (1:14-16) Peter lists motivations for living a holy life: 1. Obedience as obedient children (14) The Bible is clear in its principle, children obey your parents (Exodus 20:12; Romans 1:30; Ephesians 6:1) Taking from this model, Peter instructs us to obey our heavenly Father as children born again from this world s system (I Corinthians 6: 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-18; James 4:4; I John 4:4-6) 2. Imitation Be holy because I am holy (15-16) If we really want to be like Jesus, then we must be holy. There are two sides to this coin. Do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. In Pauline language, there is conduct to be put off. The other side of the issue is to be holy in all our conduct things to put on. The whole movement of WWJD bracelets aims to match our standards to His. While we will never achieve perfection (I John 1:9), we can and must strive for improvement. II. Reverent (17-21) And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one s work, you are to conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your temporary residence. 18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inheri ted from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the 3 / 9

4 times for you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (17-21) A. Because God is Judge Father the One who judges impartially (17) When Paul writes that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ he is motivated by the terror of the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:10-11) We don t particularly like words like judgment or accountability. Even appearing before a traffic court is a thing we dread. However, it is an established fact of scripture that we will be judged for our works, not to decide if we go to heaven, but to measure how we were obedient to God s call (I Corinthians 3:12-14). A future judgment should motivate us to holy living in the present. B. Because of our Redemption (18-21) 1. Inconceivable Redemption For you know that you were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (18-19) Peter writes that we should live holy lives in recognition of the awesome price God paid to forgive our sins. (John 3:16) Our salvation is valuable beyond measure and not to be taken lightly. (Hebrews 10:29) J. Vernon McGee comments on the miracle part of these verses: From your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. Life is vain; that is, it is empty without the redemption of Christ. There is nothing quite so meaningless as human life apart from the redemption of Christ. Everything else in this world serves a purpose. Every animal and every plant on this earth serves a purpose. The sun, the moon, and every star in the sky serves a purpose. (Gen. 1:14) But man without God is meaningless. (Rom. 8:28-29) Someone has said that mankind is just a rash on the epidermis of a minor planet! Well, that s about all man is apart from God. We have not been redeemed by corruptible things not anything from this empty life. Man has nothing to offer to God for his own redemption. ( Thru the Bible, Vol. 5, p.685) (Matt. 16:26). 4 / 9

5 2. Incontrovertible Purpose was revealed at the end of times for you (20) Christ was pre-existent (John 1:1) He s always been alive. However, in Peter s day, Christ became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) Why did Christ become flesh? It was God s foreordained plan based on His love for you (John 3:16; Rev. 13:8) God loved us enough to purpose in His heart the ultimate sacrifice. For this we should live a holy life. 3. Indispensable Faith so that your faith and hope are in God (21) Faith and hope are inseparably intertwined. Faith provides the basis for a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Hope is the result of an abiding faith. Faith looks back to the cross and the empty tomb; hope looks forward to an eternal home in heaven. But without faith it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6) III. Compassionate (22-25) By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again not of perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you. (22-25) A. Formula for an Abundant Life (22) (John 10:10) 1. Leave sin having purified yourselves. We have no ability to purify ourselves apart 5 / 9

6 from God s power (I John 1:10). The foundation of spiritual renewal and abundant living is a clear conscience before the Lord. 2. Love the truth by obedience to the truth God s revealed truth is found in His Word. Knowing it and obeying it are two separate propositions (James 4:17). Again, our only ability to obey God is through the power of His Spirit. (John 8:32-36, 17:17) 3. Love other Christians for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart. a. Love s Direction We re to have a special love for other Christians. God loves the world (John 3:16); we re to love God and through Him reach out to the world. However, over and over, we re directly commanded to love other Christians (I John 2:9-11, 3:10-19, 4:7-12, 20-21). b. Love s Devotion - Our love is to be fervent. Explore the Bible Commentary (Summer, 1998), p. 26: The final admonition in this verse is in the imperative or the mood of command. Their love for other believers was not only to be sincere or without pretense; it also must be fervently from the heart. The word translated fervent means stretched out. It was used to describe a horse that was in a full gallop as well as a runner straining for the finish tape in a race. Fervency can be seen on the face of the athlete in competition for the prize given to the winner of the race. Hence, the word describes the kind of action that comes from great effort. c. Love s Discipline From a pure heart Love in the pagan world was usually eros; love among Christians is to be agape. Satan preys on weak-minded church members, tempting them to pervert close Christian fellowship into something that is impure. B. Fruit of an able Gospel since you have been born again - not of perishable seed but of imperishable (23) Born again is the same usage as in John 3:3, 7 and may be translated born from above. Here is further reference to the power of the gospel to save us, sanctify us, and secure us a forever future in heaven. 6 / 9

7 C. Firmness of an Abiding Word the word of the Lord endures forever (25, cf. 23) Christians must have a proper perspective: material things are temporal and passing. Day to day crises that we think are so important do not matter as much when compared to eternity. God s Word, and by extension, God s Will and God s Way will last forever. Application 1. Holy living is founded upon a miraculous born-again encounter with the living Christ. 2. Holy living requires a determined mind-set and reliance upon the Holy Spirit s power. 3. Holy living results in a pure heart, obedient living and intense love for other Christians. Explore the Bible Leader Pack Item 12: Poster: 1 Peter 1:22 Illustrator: (no article this week) Notes: **You may access David s Lesson Preview in MP3 format at: g ; Dates: /9-11 SPF Family Stoney Creek Ranch; 9/11 Fall LBS Luncheon; 9/12-14 ION Conference; 9/17 Men:Serve; 9/ th gr. Event & Parent Hang out; 9/18 7 / 9

8 Make It Your Church Orientation; 9/25 SPF Birthday Bash; 9/25 MS Family Park Day; 10/1 Men s Ministry Wild Game Dinner; 10/7-8 Women s Omni; 10/9 Parent Commitment; 10/13 Lifeway/UBA Pastors Dinner; 10/14 KSBJ Concert w/ Lauren Daigle; 10/15 Celebration Tickets go on sale; 10/16 Lord s Supper; 10/16 SPF B-day Bash; 10/21 MS the Farm; 10/31 First Fest; 11/5 - Men: Serve; 11/7-8 Grow Team Retreat; 11/11-12 HUB As We Go Wknd; 11/13 SPF B-day Bash; 11/13 DTW Appreciation Luncheon; 11/20 Make It Your Church Orientation; 11/24-25 Thanksgiving Holidays; 12/4 HUB Christmas Palooza; 12/7-11 Celebration; 12/18 SPF Birthday Bash; 12/23 & 26 8 / 9

9 Christmas Holiday offices closed; 12/25 NO LBS 5:00pm Service only; 12/31 Summit NYE Party; 1/1/17 No LBS 10:00 am Service only. 9 / 9