BE HOLY

Judy 2011.6.1

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus

Christ is revealed at his coming.

1 Peter 1:13-21

What do you think the phrase “with minds that are alert” might mean?

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus

Christ is revealed at his coming.

The original Greek would be

“having girded up the loins of your mind.”

“Gird your loins” = “Role up your sleeves.”

“Having prepared your minds for action”

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus

Christ is revealed at his coming.

What do you think the phrase “fully sober”might mean?

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus

Christ is revealed at his coming.

The original Greek word has two meanings:

1) Don’t be drunk.2) Be steady in mind.

Having self control and not wavering.

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus

Christ is revealed at his coming.

What does the word “therefore” tell us?

What is the reason it is possible for us to do these things?

Remember what came before…

1:3b In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Remember what came before…

This makes possible what we are asked to do.

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

What is the meaning of “grace” here?

Our salvation.

Aren’t we saved when we believe? Yes.

But God’s plan for our salvation will be made complete at Jesus’ Second Coming.

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus

Christ is revealed at his coming.

In knowing these things already given by God, we are 1) able to have our mindsalert, focused and ready for action and 2) able to have self-control and not waver.

Then what does this verse tell us we should do?

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

In knowing these things already given by God, we are 1) able to have our mindsalert, focused and ready for action and 2) able to have self-control and not waver.

We are to have hope both in and because of this wonderful promise that God has given us.

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

Okay, we know what God has done and what God has promised and we have hope.

Now what else are we to do?

Do we just sit and wait?

Does this mean I can do anything I want and it doesn’t matter because God has already fixed it? No!

No!

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 

We are to be obedient. What does this mean? We are to obey God’s will.

Before when we didn’t know God and didn’t believe, we did not know God’s will.

What does “you lived in ignorance mean”?

When we do not know God’s will, evil desires control us and we follow them.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 

When we do not know God’s will, evil desires control us and we follow them.

Greed, power, …Worship of money and other things…Hurting others…

Forgetting or ignoring God…Lying, cheating, immoral activities, …

That’s when we lived in ignorance.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  

Then we are to obey God’s will.

But after we come to believe, we are no longer ignorant. We can know God’s will. How can we know God’s will?

• Through the Bible• Through prayer and listening to God• Through God speaking to our hearts• Through God speaking to us through brothers and sisters in Christ.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 

Who is meant by “I”? God

So, we are to obey God’s will and we are to be holy because God is holy.

Can we do that on our own? No

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 

So, we are to obey God’s will and we are to be holy because God is holy.

Only when we put our faith in God alone and depend on the hope, salvation and grace He gives, can God help us live holy and pure lives. Moreover, He will.

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

What does judge impartially mean?.

Who or what will be judged by God?

What does it mean to say we that are foreigners?

What does the phrase “reverent fear” mean?

So, what is a Christ-filled life like?

It is a holy life of obedience to God.

It is a life of reverence for God, always being aware of and honoring God’s presence.

We have the privilege of being chosen by God, and we have the responsibility of obedience.

This is because the earth is only a temporary home, because God will judge, and Christ died for us.

So, what is a Christ-filled life like?

It is a holy life of obedience to God. It is a life of reverence for God, always being aware of and honoring God’s presence.

It is a life of love that reflects the love we have received from God

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. Here we see the cost of the salvation and grace we have received.

We can’t do it ourselves.Money and other perishable things can’t buy it.

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. Here we see the cost of the salvation and grace we have received.

Christ, who was perfect in every way, became the sacrifice.

His precious blood redeemed us.

20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. .

Christ and God’s plan for redeeming usexisted from before creation.

The full power and completing of God’s plan will be revealed at Christ’s Second Coming.

20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. .

Christ not only died for us, but was also raised from the dead.God has also given glory to Christ.It is what God has done and promised in Christ that makes our faith and hope possible.It is God in Christ who helps us to be holy as he is holy.