Intro: One of the hardest things to do as a committed follower of Jesus is to live in this world but not living like the world. Depending on the age in which you became a Christian a large part of our lives was living and doing what the world had to offer.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV
Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17 that if we are committed our lives to Jesus, we have become a “new creation.” It is important to realize that there are things in and of this world as a believer in Christ that we should not participate in. Those lines between the “do” and the ‘don’ts” sometimes are not very clear or non-existent.
There or some very clear commandments in the Word of God which are covered by the statement “thou shall not.’ The obvious examples are the Ten Commandments or in the New Testament where Jesus is being tested by the devil and said, “Matt 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" NKJV.
The walk of believer in this world should be guided by God and His Word. The Psalmist wrote that the about the Word of God is a “lamp to my feet and a light to my path, (Pas 119:105), But there are life situations in our world which seemingly are not covered by a specific commandment, or are they?
Today we are going to look at what the Word of God has to say about “worldly living.”
ILLUS: Listen to this great quote my Andrew Murray: “Never forget for a moment that it is sin that has led to the great transaction between you and Christ Jesus; and that each day in your fellowship with God, His one aim is to deliver and keep you fully from its power, and lift you up into His likeness and His infinite love.” (Closer Walk Devotional, Walk Thru the Bible)
Sermon Text: 1 Peter 2:9-12 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. NKJV
1st Chosen Generation-1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Whether you’re a Christian or not we all have three aspects of Living. There is our personal private life, our public life, and our eternal life. Many people believe that how they live their personal life is no business of anyone else. While that is what we would like to believe the reality is that what a person believes or how they live in their personal life has no effect on the two parts of their life.
Jesus said in Matt 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. NKJV It is not the rest of the world’s business what you think or do in your private life, but our private life has a way of influences our public and eternal. Peter describes us as a holy people so what does it mean to be holy?
The Greek word use for “holy” is defined to mean physically, pure, morally blameless, or religious, ceremonially, consecrated. As a committed believer in Jesus Christ our lives whether private or public is to be an example to the world.
Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, NKJV
1 Peter 1:15 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." NKJV
Rev 22:11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." NKJV
When we are faced with a particular situation it should be our desire to please our Heavenly Father with the choice of “holiness” rather than living in worldliness.
ILLUS: Oswald Chambers said: God must destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. We say, “I know that this is what I should do” — and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His and hurt Him by our defense of Him. We push His claims in the spirit of the devil; our words sound all right, but the spirit is that of an enemy. “He…rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of’” (Luke 9:55). The spirit of our Lord in His followers is described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Have I been persecuting Jesus by an eager determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty, yet have hurt Him in the process, I can be sure that this was not my duty. My way will not be to foster a meek and quiet spirit, only the spirit of self-satisfaction. We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8). (My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers) (www.utmost.org)
2nd Called Out- 1 Peter 2: 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
We have been called out of the world to live as pilgrims and strangers in the world. Living a Christ like live the world will not understand and hate.
I can remember a time Kathy and I were invited to a party. There were thing at that party of which we decline to participate in as a result we were excluded from the guest list the next time around. But that is ok as a Christian living for Christ those around you will take notice of a difference in your life. That difference is taking your testimony for Christ from the drawing board to the reality of living in this world. Just as an architect takes his drawing for a building and those drawing become reality of a building so must the Word of God mold and shape our lives into the Christian Walk.
Separation is exclusive to World/Worldliness. A person that separates himself unto the Lord cannot be said to be worldly, while a person that is still worldly has not yet separated totally unto The Lord. (www.nairaland.com/2161388/preparing-rapture-part-8-separation)
1 Tim 1:13-15 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. NKJV
1 Peter 2:11-12 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. KJV
ILLUS: WE NEED TO BELIEVE GOD TO BE CALLED OUT, SET ASIDE, TO HEAR THE CALL OF GOD TO BE FAITHFUL, A PECULIAR PEOPLE…
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
In Greek the word “PECULIA” is made up of two words.
1st CIRCLE
2nd TO BE.
God is the circle; We are to be the dot in the middle of the circle! WE ARE TO BE TOTALLY SUBMERGED. To be totally contained within the heart of God.
To illustrate this point of value consider a GLOVE. This GLOVE cost around $12.00 at the time it was purchased. The $12 GLOVE sold at auction for $60,000.00. Why? It was the GLOVE that Michael Jackson wore, they could PROVE WHO IT BELONGED TO…
OK, take a cheap latex glove and put it on the hand of a brain surgeon? The action of the hand in the glove could be worth $100 K and save the life of a loved one… WILL WE GET UP AND ALLOW GOD TO MAKE US A PECULIAR PEOPLE?
It is about the PLAN OF GOD… GET UP AND DO… THE PROMISE LAND IS AHEAD. Will we be satisfied to CAMP on the other side of the promise?
3rd Conduct Honorable- 1 Peter 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. NKJV
Our daily living should be “honorable” for me that means to struggle to live my life that points people to Jesus. It is my personal integrity that guides my life, and that integrity is controlled by the Word of God and my commitment to Jesus.
It was mentioned their things in this world that may not be specifically addressed in this world, but Paul writes 1 Cor 8:12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. NKJV When I live in the world and those around me know of my commitment to Jesus. My actions can have a devastating effect on the kingdom of God. If those who are weak see me who is strong my indulgence in the sins of this world may keep a lost person from coming to Christ. Why does the lost person need Jesus when he/she looks at my life and only sees themselves?
2 Cor 8:21 providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
NKJV
2 Cor 13:7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. NKJV
Phil 4:8-9 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 and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. NKJV
ILLUS: A little child gave a most exquisite explanation of walking with God. She went home from Sunday School, and the mother said, "Tell me what you learned at school." And she said: "Don't you know, Mother, one day they went for an extra-long walk, and they walked on and on, until God said to Enoch, 'You are a long way from home; you had better just come in and stay.' And he went."— Current Anecdotes — (Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations)
