Unleashing Your Spiritual Vitality-2(2015) Series

UNLEASHING YOUR SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor-II—1Peter 1:13-21

Vitality Born of Privilege

Attention:

There is a huge market in our country for chemicals, substances(vitamins, wrinkle creams, testosterone, estrogen), non-invasive(injections) & invasive(surgery) procedures that will restore our vitality/vigor...in every realm imaginable. All these in hopes of a return to some degree of youthfulness.

Need:

Due to the preciousness of the extreme privilege which we have before us—in having lived in & after the time when the gospel of salvation in Christ by faith has been plainly revealed—we are thus to display a particular degree of vitality in action.

Being well aware of ‘What’s So Great About God!’(:3-12) that knowledge is displayed in a personal attention to one’s mindset(:13a, b, c).

Peter guided/exhorted the Christian aliens of Asia in their work.

Peter steered the Christians of Asia into the vitality born of their privilege in Christ.

The vitality born of the extreme privilege in Christ possesses a certain character.

What characterizes/Looses/Releases the vitality born by extreme privilege in Christ?

Previously we found...To unleash the privilege of spiritual vitality in Christ, We must....

1. PREPARE THE MIND(:13a)

2. PROTECT/SENSITIZE THE MIND(:13b)

3. SECURE THE MIND(:13c)

Furthermore...

4—To unleash the privilege of spiritual vitality, Commit to....

The PATTERN(:14-16)

Explanation:(:14-16)

:14—“As obedient children, not conforming to the former lusts, as in your ignorance,”

“As Obedient children”

“Not conforming”

“Conformed”—suschmatizw—To conform one's self (i.e. one's mind & character) to another's pattern, (fashion one's self according to). To shape one thing like another & describes what is transitory, changeable, & unstable....As opposed to summorfov which describes what is the essence in or durable, not merely a form or outline.

“The former lusts”—

1Jn. 2:15-17—“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh & the lust of the eyes & the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, & also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”

“Former”—proteron—Before, prior.

“Lusts”—epiyumia—Desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust. Represents the active side of vice in ungovernable desire. It denotes any natural desire or appetite, usually with the implication that it is a depraved desire.

“As/Which were yours”—Added interpretational from context

Personally ‘owned’ by & responsible for!

I immediately think of boys playing baseball in the yard & hitting the ball thru a window & they all scatter!

“In your ignorance”—

Acts 17:30-31—““Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, “because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.””

“Ignorance”—agnoia—Lit.—‘Without the mind/perception’—Lack of knowledge, ignorance. To err or sin thru mistake, To be wrong; Not to understand, Unknown.

We can just as easily become re-conformed to our ‘former lusts’ thru dis-obedience.

:15—“but as He who called you is Holy, you also be holy in all your conduct;”

:16—“because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

From....

Lev. 11:44—“‘For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, & be holy; for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.”

Lev. 19:2—““Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel & say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”

Lev. 20:7—“‘You shall consecrate yourselves therefore & be holy, for I am the LORD your God.”

?What is Holiness?—Separation from sin & the tainting of sin(thru personal inward deception & outward association with sin).

Mat. 5:20—“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes & Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Mat. 5:48—“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Argumentation:

Php. 4:4-9—“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; & the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue & if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned & received & heard & saw in me, these do, & the God of peace will be with you.”