1Peter 1:14-17
Keep Going (2)
We began looking at this section last week. The churches to which
Peter wrote were being persecuted and in the midst of that
persecution, Peter challenged the believers to live like believers
should. Such challenges remind us that even in the most difficult
times, God expects the most Christ-like behavior. In fact, I believe
we could say that especially in the most difficult times, God expects
the most Christ-like behavior.
Just to recap, we have seen three challenges so far:
1. \\#13\\ Peter encouraged the believers to "gird up the loins
of their mind" and to be sober.
2. To hope to the end for the grace which comes at the revelation
of Jesus Christ.
We move to the last three tonight.
III. \\#14\\ Be Obedient
A. Peter is calling for the believers’ continued separation from
their former lifestyle.
1Peter 1:14 …not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1. He challenged the people (and us) not to fashion ourselves
like our former lusts.
2. That challenge points out three important truths:
a. There are "former lusts."
(1) Peter was saying, "Do not go back to what you
were."
(2) Former means the old, the previous.
(3) Peter assumed the people had already been
changed.
(a) Why?
i. Perhaps because he had met the people
and seen the change.
ii. But also because that is what salvation
does, it changes people.
(b) We are translated \\#Col 1:11\\ tells us:
i. From the power of darkness to the
kingdom of Jesus, the kingdom of
light.
ii. The devil is no longer our father, God
is.
iii. Sin is no longer our practice and
enjoyment, Righteousness is.
b. We can "fashion ourselves."
(1) The people HAD been changed and Peter’s
challenge was don’t change yourself BACK to
what you were.
(2) While salvation produces a change, apparently
we can make ourselves revert.
(3) We are not to do so, but it is possible.
(4) Peter’s concern for these Christians was that
under the persecution they were enduring, they
might want to go back to their old way of
living.
c. If we do so, we are doing it "in ignorance."
(1) Those who do live like they once did, are
ignorant. (Either ignorant or lost)
(2) While the change that God brings is produced by
the Holy Ghost not the mind, that change can be
undone by the mind’s wrong and foolish thinking..
(a) You have heard of people who "over-think" a
topic.
(b) To use the mind to undo what God has done is
the worst case of over and wrong thinking
possible.
(3) I see how this happens.
(a) Under threat of death, some "think" it is
better to be like the world and live.
(b) Peter, perhaps better than any other, knew
how that felt. He did that the night that
Jesus was betrayed.
(c) However, when Peter called reverting back to
your former self an ignorance, he knew
about that too!
(d) Peter had tried living at the price of
compromising and found first-hand that it
was not the sensible thing to do.
3. Now, herein is actually a strange thing.
a. Peter was challenging the Christians not to try to be
like the world that was trying to kill them.
b. Is it not strange that such a notion would ever be a
temptation?
c. Why would anyone "want to be like" that which seeks to
destroy you?
d. I won’t take the time to answer my question, but I
will say that all Christians do it way too often.
e. Every time we give an inch to this world—its
entertainment, its philosophy, its riches, its fame—
we are compromising with the system that killed our
Savior and wants to destroy us and our walk with
Jesus Christ.
B. But now notice how Peter’s commands these Christians not to
return to their old selves.
1Peter 1:14 As obedient children….
1. If we are obedient children, we will live differently than
we did.
2. And the opposite also seems to be true: If we are not
different, we are not obedient.
IV. \\#15-16\\ Be Holy
1Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation;
A. In \\#14\\ Peter spoke of separation. In \\#15-26\\, he
spoke of holiness.
1. Separation and holiness are closely related.
2. While one can separate from the world without moving any
closer to God, one cannot move closer to God without
separating from the world.
B. Over the years, I have spoken numerous times about holiness.
1. Holiness is one of God’s attributes.
a. In fact, I believe that He is the only One who truly
is "holy."
b. If anything else is holy, it is holy because God lent
it some of His holiness.
c. So I believe that the angels, heaven, and Christians
all have donated holiness.
2. Even so, God’s holiness is way beyond what we wear.
a. God’s holiness is so pure that it cannot be
corrupted, but what we wear is somewhat corrupted to
begin with.
(1) Let’s face it, we are still sinners.
(2) Every once in a while I see a young lady wearing
a nice dress or high heels and it seems obvious
that they were reared wearing pants and flip
flops.
(3) The young lady may be stunning in her beauty,
flawless in her apparel, but she hasn’t yet
learned the graces of her finer clothing.
(4) You and I have been robed in righteousness,
beautified with the image of Christ, but we
have not yet mastered the grace of holiness.
b. Peter’s challenge here is for the Christians to wear
holiness as gracefully as we can.
c. We are not going to wear it like God wears it, but we
are commanded to try.
C. Of course this command takes on a slightly different hue when
we remind ourselves that Peter was talking to persecuted
Christians.
1. They were being hunted, arrested, beaten, and horribly
killed; yet, that was no reason not to be pure and clean
as God.
2. I think Stephen is one of our best Biblical examples.
3. While being chewed on by an angry mob and stoned, Stephen
glowed with kindness, mercy, love, and holiness.
D. And we must also point out that Peter makes it clear that
holiness is not a suggestion but a commandment.
1Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy;
for I am holy.
1. Whenever the New Testament says, "Tt is written," it means
this is a quote from the Old Testament.
2. According to Leviticus, God made this command at least
three times \\#Lev 11:44, 19:2, 20:7\\.
3. Do you think God is trying to tell us something?
VI. \\#17\\ Be Fearful
1Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who
without respect of persons judgeth according to
every man’s work, pass the time of your
sojourning here in fear:
A. It might seem strange to you that Peter would mention fear.
After all, were these Christians not afraid enough already?
B. Not necessarily.
1. The greatest fear that a human being should have is a fear
of God; but since God is not visible here and other
enemies are, it is easier to allow the fear of men to
make us forget the fear of God.
2. Jesus addressed this fear head on.
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the
body, but are not able to kill the soul: but
rather fear him which is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell.
3. Simply put, both Peter and Jesus were saying…
a. "Don’t let the fear of death outweigh the fear of
hell."
b. "Don’t let the fear of now outweigh the fear of
eternity."
c. "Don’t let the fear of man outweigh the fear of God.
d. "Don’t let the fear of the lesser outweigh the fear
of the Greatest."
At present, you and I are not in any life threatening situations,
but we may soon be. If those days come, remember that is not the
time to blend in with the world but to stand out like a Christian.
May God give us that kind of grace.
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