The Superior Value Of A Sanctified Heart-1

The SUPERIOR VALUE Of A SANCTIFIED HEART—1Peter 3:13-17

Attention:

*Cold case files may be re-opened because of the availability of new technologies. Because of the superior value of those technological advancements new evidence can be uncovered & new methods of examining evidence, which was previously impossible to do.

But in every solved ‘cold-case’, there must also be a person completely dedicated to finding the truth. They add another level of superiority in that they have ‘set themselves apart’ for the purpose of unearthing the truth.

Likewise When your heart is set apart(‘sanctified’) to discovering & living out God’s will, then others, who have never heard or have merely ‘heard of’ God’s truth, will hear it from you & the ministries in which you are involved.

Need:

The church today in America must realize that they do not gather to be entertained, nor to celebrate their own achievements, nor to merely socialize with their friends.

They gather together regularly & repeatedly in order to prepare themselves & others for the return of Jesus & for the final judgment of God upon the earth...In that we share the good news of salvation by grace thru faith in Christ alone.

Peter causes his audience to examine the superior value of a sanctified heart.

The superior value of a sanctified heart is exposed.

How is the superior value of a sanctified heart evaluated/measured/determined?

5 means/ways of evaluating the (superior)value of a sanctified heart:

1—The (superior)value of a sanctified heart is evaluated thru...

YOUR RELATIONSHIP With HARM(:13)

Explanation:(:13)

:13—“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?”

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BKGD:

The Holy Spirit by Peter has already presented four practical categories/areas in his argument for integrating Christian governance into every aspect of our lives especially as we dutifully bear up under the stresses of personal sufferings in relation to relationships in:

1)Government(2:13-17)

2)Work(2:18-25)

3)Marriage(3:1-7)

4)Church(3:8-12ff.)

Peter has most immediately proved God’s goodness by reminding them from the OT, that:

1Pet. 3:12—“For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”?Which is from:?Ps. 34:15-16—“The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.”

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NOW(in our text) the Spirit by Peter continues to clarify the need for Christian governance thru personal & corporate suffering.

So Peter continues to warn the saints, that though God’s people may faithfully follow God’s direction, they CAN be tempted, coerced, & led toward or into trusting/following their own flesh.

The threat of suffering personal “harm” may cause Christians to waver in their commitment to God.

IF they ‘cave’, then their ministries would then ‘suffer’ because of compromise with the world thru flesh.

God promises that there is no “harm” that will come to us as a result of our “following” that which is God’s “good.” So in a Christian’s following” in the footsteps of God’s ordained “good”, there comes upon them God’s peace. The Christian’s peace comes in knowing that no “harm” will come to them.

Matthew 10:24-28—“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, & a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, & hidden that will not be known. Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; & what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.”

Acts 18:5-11—“When Silas & Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, & testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him & blasphemed, he shook his garments & said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he departed from there & entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed & were baptized. Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, & do not keep silent; for I am with you, & no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” And he continued there a year & six months, teaching the word of God among them.”