How Then Shall We Live

1 Peter 1: 13-21

1Peter1:13-21

“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. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

In the last section of this letter the Apostle discussed how to remain joyful in times of hardship. In the face of increased hostility, not unlike what we are beginning to see in our own environment,

Peter reminded us that we should keep in mind that we live in an age that the prophets looked forward to and what the angels longed to know.

We were told, you might remember, that we were reborn into a new family with a new citizenship.

We were told that an inheritance waits for us that is being saved and protected in Heaven.

But now the Apostle is discussing, in the meantime, how we are to relate to the world we find ourselves in.

How are we to relate to God and to one another.

And what are we to strive after if we are to grow in the salvation he introduced us to.

In verse 13 Peter begins his paragraph with “Therefore”

Remember that the section breaks and verse numbers were added to scripture for the purpose of reference.

So when we see the word ‘therefore’ we should be asking “whats it there for”

In other words it means that what is about to be said is tied to the previous point.

Peter is proclaiming that because we now know of this plan of salvation in which the angels longed to look,

We should prepare our minds for action

Because this great act of salvation has been poured out for us and we have been told the final outcome.

Its time to get serious on how we are to conduct our lives.

Prepare our minds

Keep sober

Don’t conform to the world

Be Holy!

The king James version says “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind. " (EXPLAIN)

Back in the days of the ancient Near East, both men and women wore flowing tunics. Around the tunic, they’d wear a belt or girdle. While tunics were comfortable and breezy, the hem of the tunic would often get in the way when a man was fighting or performing hard labor. So when ancient Hebrew men had to battle the Philistines, the men would lift the hem of their tunic up and tuck it into their girdle or tie it in a knot to keep it off the ground. The effect basically created a pair of shorts that provided more freedom of movement. Thus to tell someone to “gird up their loins” was to tell them to get ready for hard work or battle. It was the ancient way of saying “man up!”

Be ready to rise above your circumstances and stand your ground.

In the face of fear

In the face of temptation

In the face of doubt.

Holiness starts in our minds. Our thought life.

Remember Paul’s words in

Romans 12:2

“Do 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.”

Q. What do you do to renew your mind or make it ready for action?

He goes on to say we should be sober minded.

When we think about being sober we usually think about alcohol or drugs.

Q. But what else could intoxicate us?

Patterns of Philosophy

Lust

Greed or envy

Vs 14 tells us that as obedient children we are not to be conformed to this word as we use to be.

We have often heard people say “Like father, Like son.”

In that sense we should reflect His likeness,

We are of a different citizenship and we have a different culture

And since He is holy, we should be Holy.

Q. What comes to your mind when you think of Holiness?

Holiness means “set apart for a Glorious purpose”

In the OT covenant God chose Isreal to be a “Holy Nation.”

In other words, she was set apart to reflect God’s Glory.

IN the NT Christ established His Church to be set apart for that very purpose.

Discussion:

Think of an area of your conduct where you often fail to obey God. Can you discern how your thinking in what you hope in, might be the problem

How do we manage to think and hope differently so that our conduct reflects our relationship with Him?

Verse 17 reads:

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

Q. What does Peter mean by conducting ourselves with fear?

Q. Has the concept of “fearing the Lord” changed in the Church of today? If so why?

We remember our Father for who He is. That He is Holy and will judge sin. as opposed to the God that we make up in our head that does not resemble in any way the God of the Bible.

Allester Begg story: Boy who was asked if he feared his father would hurt him and he said “No I am afraid I will hurt my Father.”

The Problem Today!

Man does not see his own depravity. And until we see who we are, we will be incapable of seeing who God is.

END