1 Peter Series Part 4
Sub Series: A Demand for Holiness” (1:13 – 2:3)
Title: “A Holiness Demanded by God’s Own Character”
Text: 1 Peter 1:13-16
INTRO: HOLINESS? WHAT IS HOLINESS?
I. A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine.
II. D.L. Moody.
Transition: Previously we looked at:
1. First teaching section (1:3-12). The method and nature of salvation
a. A salvation based on the hope inspired by Christ’s resurrection (1:3-5)
b. A salvation secured through a faith deepened in trial (1:6-9)
c. A salvation reported by the prophets who described its grace and glory (1:10-12)
2. First preaching section (1:13-2:3). A demand for holiness
a. A holiness demanded by God’s own character (1:13-16)
b. A holiness demanded by the costly experience of Christ’s passion (1:17-21)
c. A holiness expressed in genuine love responding to the gospel (1:22-25)
d. A holiness expressed by the new life received from a gracious God (2:1-3)
TEXT: 1 PETER 1:13–16 (ESV)
13 THEREFORE, PREPARING YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION, AND BEING SOBER-MINDED, SET YOUR HOPE FULLY ON THE GRACE THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
14 AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN, DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE PASSIONS OF YOUR FORMER IGNORANCE,
15 BUT AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, YOU ALSO BE HOLY IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT,
16 SINCE IT IS WRITTEN, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
I. Holiness of God is a Mindset.
a. What does holiness look like to you? What is significance of holiness in Christian’s life? How does holiness impact our daily lives?
b. First of all, notice there is a transition word written by Apostle Peter in verse 13; “therefore.”
c. Therefore is a transitioning word tying one thought to another, or the results of a thought often applied to or giving results to a thought or instruction.
i. Basically the impact of a consideration, the act of following through with a challenge.
d. So let us tie together the condition that Peter established prior in chapter one:
i. 1 Peter 1:10–12 (ESV)
ii. 10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
iii. 11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
iv. 12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
e. Therefore: Because of the sovereign grace and salvation of God, Peter mentions three necessities dealing with the impact of salvation upon our lives:
i. V13 – “prepare your minds for action,” Gk: “girding up the loins of your mind”
1. to prepare oneself for learning and thinking—‘to get one’s mind ready for action, to be alert.
2. Be ready for action.
a. Luke 12:35–36 (ESV)
b. 35“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,
c. 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.
ii. Secondly, Be sober minded:
1. Sober: Gk: “Nepho” To be in control of one’s thoughts. Self-control.
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (ESV)
3. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
iii. Thirdly, Set your hope fully on Christ through His grace.
1. Hope: to look forward with confidence.
2. This is all revealed of Christ, in that our mindset is to be upon Christ and the confidence of His return for His Church.
f. 13 THEREFORE, PREPARING YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION, AND BEING SOBER-MINDED, SET YOUR HOPE FULLY ON THE GRACE THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
g. Illustration:
i. God calls us to the life of authentic holiness.
ii. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said that “holiness is the architectural plan upon which God buildeth up His living temple.” That is a graphic summation of the teaching of Peter on this important subject of holiness.
h. Application:
1. we are to “roll up the sleeves” of our minds. In other words, we are to take the initiative in preparing our minds for the life of holiness.
Transition: How are we to display our obedience?
II. Holiness is to be Obedient Children, Conformed to God.
a. Does not a child of parents is to obey the parents, to honor the parents?
b. Children are to be conformed to the rules of the household given by the parents.
c. What are you passionate about?
d. 14 AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN, DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE PASSIONS OF YOUR FORMER IGNORANCE,
e. “Conformed”
i. to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards—‘to shape one’s behavior, to conform one’s life.’
ii. ‘do not shape your behavior to the standards of this world’
iii. Conform to the Lord is to be transformed in the mind.
1. Romans 12:2 (ESV)
2. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
f. Obedience works together with conformity.
g. What about passion?
h. According to the Greek-English Lexicon.
i. Passion – Gk: “Epithamia” to strongly desire to have what belongs to someone else and/or to engage in an activity which is morally wrong—‘to covet, to lust, evil desires, lust, desire.’
ii. Peter was declaring to these five cities of the dispersed believes also of their need to stop the natural carnal passions of their lives, to stop the immoral desires, to lust, covet.
i. Peter is telling these believers to stop the immoral carnal desires. He declares of the ignorance of the former worldly passions and warns of submitting to those ignorant passions.
j. Rather, Peter is declaring these believers to be in self-control of the mind, to be conformed to Christ our Master.
k. Speaking of conforming to our Lord and holiness:
l. Illustration:
i. On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom." No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of the Son who makes us free can be seen in the lives of His true followers.
ii. Bill Morgan.
m. Application: How about you? Are you conformed to the will of the Lord God?
n. What about your conformity? Attitude toward God and others?
III. God has Called Believers to Holy Conduct.
a. Is there someone you heard of or even know personally that exemplifies Godly holiness?
b. What is the definition of Holiness? To be holy?
c. “Holy” – Gk: “Hagios” pertaining to being holy in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human—‘holy, pure, divine.’
d. Peter uses in verse 15, the transition word “but.”
e. He writes:
i. BUT AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, YOU ALSO BE HOLY IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT,
ii. SINCE IT IS WRITTEN, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
1. Leviticus 19:1–2 (ESV)
2. 1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
3. 2“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
f. Peter reveals the perspective truth that the believers are to conduct themselves in holiness.
g. Conduct: Gk: “anastrophe” to conduct oneself, with apparent focus upon overt daily behavior
h. God is totally holy. Totally pure, divine, perfect. So as believers, Peter declares these five cities of believers to behave properly, in their conduct as to obey the Lord God in their same holiness that God has.
i. How? By the Holy Spirit. Again, Peter quotes the Mosaic Scripture to validate and reinforce the importance of holiness.
j. God has called you to be holy. Can we be holy on our own? Is there anything in mankind to be deemed holy in the eyes of God? NO!
k. The only reason why any believer is holy, a saint of God, because Jesus deemed those who are called and chosen by the Father to become righteous. That is Holy!
l. Illustration:
1. CONDUCT
ii. When Queen Victoria was a child, she didn't know she was in line for the throne of England. Her instructors, trying to prepare her for the future, were frustrated because they couldn't motivate her. She just didn't take her studies seriously. Finally, her teachers decided to tell her that one day she would become the queen of England. Upon hearing this, Victoria quietly said, "Then I will be good." The realization that she had inherited this high calling gave her a sense of responsibility that profoundly affected her conduct from then on.
a. Source Unknown.
m. Application:
i. How is your conduct regarding your walk with Christ? IS there something you need the Lord to change in yojr life? Your heart?
