Series: Hope In The Darkness [#3]
LIVING IN THE WORD
1 Peter 1:22-2:3
1. As we have studied 1 Peter, we have already learned that we are to live in hope because of our salvation and we are to live in holiness because we have been made new through our salvation.
2. This study teaches us to live in The Word of God and tells us what God’s Word does for us. We have seen that Christians are to be different from the world.
3. The Bible is a key resource in being able to accomplish the goal of living in holiness.
The Word Cleans Us Up
1 Peter 1:22 (MSG)
Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it.
1. It is through Scripture that a person finds out how to accept God’s gift of salvation and once a person is born again they are washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. Salvation comes through obedience to Scripture.
Romans 10:9-10, 13
2. Peter is telling us that by obeying Scripture, we are led to salvation and that salvation cleans us up in God’s eyes.
3. Since you are now cleaned up, changed, and washed clean; there should be an outward evidence of an inward change.
Galatians 5:22-23
The Word Lives Forever
1 Peter 1:23-25 (MSG)
Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said, “The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God’s Word goes on and on forever.” This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
1. God’s Word is not something that is temporary. The devil has done all he could do to destroy The Word of God, but he cannot and will not ever be able to destroy The Word. The Word gives us life forever. The Word is living.
John 1:1-5
2. The Word brings us to the knowledge of our need for salvation. Once we are saved, we stand justified before God, therefore we ought to have an outward evidence of the change that has been made in our life. The Word shows us those areas in our lives that our dirty, those areas that must be cleaned up. It is easy to talk about cleaning up, it is much harder to do it.
3. We must mature in our faith by allowing God’s Word to correct us and teach us.
The Word Grows Us Up
1 Peter 2:1-3(MSG)
So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.
1. I don’t believe there is much explanation needed. You must get rid of all of the “junk” in your life if you are going to be the Christian that God expects you to be. Once you have done that, you need to replace all of the “junk” with the milk of the Word.
2. The milk is the basics of the Bible. As you study God’s Word you must do more than just read it. Just being able to say that you have read the Bible means nothing. You can be the greatest Bible scholar in the world but if you are not applying the Bible to your life it means nothing.
3. The Bible is living and therefore it will change you completely if you will just let it.
In a booklet titled “My Heart – Christ’s Home”, it describes the areas of life as the rooms of a house.
I want you to inventory your life and grade each room as follows:
A = excellent rating
B = good rating
C = passing, but needs a little dusting.
D = barely passing, needs a lot of cleaning.
F = I am not a Christian; I will fail on this inventory.
Library
This room is your mind-what you allow to go into it and come out of it.
It is the ‘control room” of the entire house.
Grade: ____________
Dining Room
Appetites, desires, those things that your mind and spirit feed on for nourishment.
Grade: ____________
Drawing Room
This room is where you draw close to God, seek time with Him daily, not just in times of distress or need.
Grade: ____________
Workshop
This room is where your gifts, talents, skills are put to work for God… by the power of the Spirit.
Grade: ____________
Rumpus Room
The social area of your life- the thing you do to amuse yourself and others.
Grade: ____________
Hall Closet
The one secret place that no one knows about, but is a real stumbling block in your walk in the Spirit.
Grade: ____________
If you had to take an “F” because you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, you have never allowed Jesus into your heart’s home; He is knocking at your heart’s door and waiting patiently for you to let him in.
How To Be Saved
In order to be saved there are 3 things you must know.
1. God loves you and wants you to have eternal life.
To better understand God’s love for you, write your first name in the following blanks:
For God so loved _________________________, that he gave his only begotten Son, that if _______________________ believes in him, _______________________ should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
2. Something has separated you from God and His love.
The Bible says in Isaiah 59:2 that your sins have separated you from God. Sin, which is breaking God’s rules or law, puts a gap between you and God. The Bible also tells us that everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The penalty of sin is death. This death is an eternal death, but there is a way out.
3. There is only one way to God.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
When Jesus died on the cross, he did something for us we cannot do for ourselves. He bridged the gap between us and God. Believing in Jesus Christ is the only way you can get to Heaven. You can receive Jesus Christ by repenting (turning from your sins) and asking God to forgive you of all your sins. Then, invite Jesus to come into your heart as Lord (boss) of your life.
If you want to do this right now, pray the following prayer as your own.
Dear Lord,
“I know I have sinned, and right now I want to ask you to forgive me of all my sins. I want Jesus to be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and be raised from the dead for me. Please come into my life and live in me. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.”
Conclusion:
1. If you prayed this prayer asking Jesus into your life, please let a believer know. As this study has shown us, we are to not be afraid to let others know what Jesus Christ has done for us. You need to find a local church that teaches God’s Word so that you can be encouraged and helped as you grow as a child of God.
2. After studying this passage of Scripture and inventorying your spiritual life you may be questioning whether you are saved or not. This study and inventory is not trying to scare you out of your salvation, but your salvation is not something you want to take a gamble on. You need to know without a doubt that you are saved. Often times, when believers are not living their life in a way that the fruits of the Spirit are evident they begin to wonder if they are really saved. An important question to ask yourself is this: “When I sin, do I feel guilty and remorse for that sin?” We must understand that Christians are not perfect and we continue to sin, but when a believer sins the Holy Spirit within them “convicts”, “tears them up inside”, about that sin. A non-believer may feel “bad” about doing something wrong for a moment, but usually they just feel “bad” about getting caught. Remember, once you are saved no one can take your salvation from you. Never!
3. Back-slidden Christian, what you need to do is repent of the sin in your life and get closer to God in your daily relationship and your life will begin to bear fruit for Jesus Christ.
