Taking time to be faithful / The Mindset Of the Faithful

Illustration of time.

Sleep and time Illustration?

Unfortunately, when we returned to the States, we caught up again in the clockwork prison of deadlines and schedules.

Peter had a great deal to say about time (1:5, 11, 17, 20; 4:2-3, 17; 5:6). Certainly, the awareness of his own impending martyrdom had something to do with this emphasis (John 21:15-19; 2 Peter 1:12ff). If a person really believes in eternity, then he will make the best use of time.

Revelation 20:11–12 KJV 1900

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

If we are convinced that Jesus is coming, then we will want to live faithful lives. Whether Jesus comes first, or death comes first, we want to make "the rest of the time" count for eternity.

And we can! Peter described four attitudes that a Christian can cultivate in his lifetime ("the rest of his time") if he desires to make his life all that God wants it to be.

1. A militant attitude toward sin (4:1-3) A WARRIOR MINDSET

The picture is that of a soldier who puts on his equipment and arms himself for battle. Our attitudes are weapons, and weak or wrong attitudes will lead us to defeat. Outlook determines the outcome, and a believer must have the right attitude to live the proper life.

Illustration about eyes adjusting to the darkness

"it doesn't take us long to get accustomed to the darkness."

There is a sermon in that sentence:

It is easy for Christians to get accustomed to sin. Instead of having a militant attitude that hates and oppose it, we gradually get used to sin, sometimes without even realizing it. The one thing that will destroy "the rest of our time" is sin. A believer living in sin is a terrible weapon in the hands of Satan.

Yield yourselves as members of righteousness.

Peter presented several arguments to convince us to oppose sin in our lives.

A. THINK OF WHAT SIN DID TO JESUS (4:1).

He suffered because of sin (see 2:21; 3:18). How can we enjoy that which made Jesus suffer and die on the cross? If a vicious criminal stabbed your child to death, would you preserve that knife in a glass case on your mantle? I doubt it. You would never want to see that knife again.

Our Lord came to earth to deal with sin and to conquer it forever. He dealt with the ignorance of sin by teaching the truth and by living it before men's eyes. He dealt with the consequences of sin by healing and forgiving, and, on the cross, He dealt the final death blow to sin itself. He was armed, as it were, with a militant attitude toward sin, even though He had great compassion for lost sinners.

Our goal in life is to "cease from sin." We will only reach this goal once we die, or are called Home when the Lord returns, but this should not keep us from striving (1 John 2:28 3:9). Peter did not say that suffering of itself would cause a person to stop sinning. Pharaoh in Egypt suffered great suffering in the plagues, yet he sinned even more! I have visited suffering people who cursed God and grew increasingly bitter because of their pain.

Suffering, plus Christ in our lives, can help us win over sin. But the central idea here seems to be the same truth taught in Romans 6: We are identified with Christ in His suffering and death, and, therefore can have victory over sin. As we yield ourselves to God, and have the same attitude toward sin that Jesus had, we can overcome the old life and manifest the new life.

B. ENJOY THE WILL OF GOD (4:2.

The contrast is between the desires of men and the will of God. Our longtime friends cannot understand the change in our lives, and they want us to return to the same "excess of riot" that we used to enjoy. But the will of God is so much better! If we do the will of God, then we will invest "the rest of our time" in that which is lasting and satisfying; but if we give in to the world around us, we will waste "the rest of our time" and regret it when we stand before Jesus.

The will of God is not a burden that the Father places on us. Instead, it is the divine enjoyment and enablement that makes all burdens light. The will ot God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11) and therefore is an expression of the love of God. We may only sometimes understand what He is doing, but we know that He is doing what is best for us.

“All things work together for good to them that love God”

We do not live on explanations; we live on promises.

C. REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE BEFORE YOU MET CHRIST (4:3).

Sometimes, looking back at your past life would be wrong, because Satan could use those memories to discourage you. But God urged Israel to remember that they had once been slaves in Egypt (Deut. 5:15). Paul remembered that he had been a persecutor of believers (1 Tim. 1:12ff), which encouraged him to do even more for Christ. We sometimes forget the bondage of sin and remember only the passing pleasures of sin.

"The will of the Gentiles" means "the will of the unsaved world" (see 1 Peter 2:12). Lost sinners imitate each other as they conform to the fashions of this world (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 3:1-3). "Lasciviousness" and "lusts" describe all kinds of evil appetites, not just sexual sins. "Revelings and banquetings" refer to pagan orgies where the wine flowed freely. Of course, all of this could be a part of pagan worship since "religious prostitution" was an accepted thing. Even though these practices were forbidden by law ("abominable" =illegal), they were

often practiced in secret.

We may not have been guilty of such gross sins in our pre-conversion days, but we were still sinners-and our sins helped to crucify Christ. How foolish to go back to that kind of life!

2. A patient attitude toward the lost (4:4-6)

Unsaved people do not understand the radical change their friends experience when they trust Christ and become children of God. They do not think it strange when people wreck their bodies, destroy their homes, and ruin their lives by running from one sin to another! But let a drunkard become sober, or an immoral person pure, and the family thinks he has lost his mind! Festus told Paul, "You are out of your mind!" (Acts 26:24

Acts 26:24 KJV 1900

24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

and people even thought the same thing of our Lord

Mark 3:21 KJV 1900

21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

We must be patient with the lost, even though we do not agree with their lifestyles or participate in their sins. After all, unsaved people are blind to spiritual truth (2 Cor. 4:3-4) and dead to spiritual enjoyment (Eph. 2:1). In fact, our contact with the lost is important to them since we are the bearers of the truth that they need. When unsaved friends attack us, we can witness to them (1 Peter 3:15).

The unsaved may judge us, but one day, God will judge them. Instead of arguing with them, we should pray for them, knowing that the final judgment is with God. This was the attitude that Jesus took (2:23) and the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

We must not interpret verse 6 apart from the context of suffering; otherwise, we will get the idea that there is a second chance for salvation after death. Peter reminded his readers of the Christians martyred for their faith. Men had falsely judged them, but now, in the presence of God, they received their proper judgment.

"'Them that are dead" means "them that are now dead" when Peter wrote. The Gospel is preached only to the living (1 Peter 1:25) because there is no opportunity for salvation after death (Heb. 9:27)

Unsaved friends may speak evil of us and even oppose us, but the final Judge is God. We may sacrifice our lives amid persecution, but God will honor and reward us. We must fear God and not men (1 Peter 3:13-17; and see Matt. 10:24-

33). While we are in these human bodies (in the flesh""), we are judged by human standards. One day, we shall be with the Lord ("in the spirit") and receive the true and final judgment.

3. An expectant attitude toward Christ (4:7) A MINDSET OF EXPECTATION / HOPE

Christians in the early church expected Jesus to return in their lifetime (Rom. 13:12; 1 John 2:18). The fact that He did not return does not invalidate His promise (2 Peter 3; Rev. 22:20). No matter what interpretation we give to the prophetic Scriptures, we must all live in expectancy. The important thing is that we shall see the Lord one day and stand before Him. How we live and serve today will determine how we are judged and rewarded.

This attitude of expectancy must not turn us into lazy dreamers (2 Thes. 3:6ff or zealous fanatics.

Peter gave "ten commandments" to his readers to keep them in balance as far as the Lord's return was concerned

1. Be sober-v. 7

2. Watch unto prayer-v. 7

3. Have fervent love- v. 8

4. Use hospitality v. 9

5. Minister your spiritual gifts. 10-11

6. Think it not strange v. 12

7. Rejoice v. 13

8. Do not be ashamed v. 15-16

9. Glorify God-vv. 16-18

10. Commit yourself to God-v. 19

"be sober" means "be sober-minded, keep your mind steady and clear." Perhaps a modern equivalent would be "keep cool." It warned against wild thinking about the prophecy that could lead to an unbalanced life and ministry. Often we hear of sincere people who go "off balance" because of an unbiblical emphasis on prophecy or a misinterpretation of prophecy.

Some people set dates for Christ's return, contrary to His warning (Matt. 25:13, and see Acts 1:6-8); or they claim to know the name of the beast of Revelation 13. I have books in my library, written by sincere and godly men, in which all sorts of claims are made, only to the embarrassment of the writers.

The opposite of "be sober-minded" is "frenzy, madness." It is the Greek word mania, which has come into our English vocabulary via psychology. If we are sober-minded, we will be intellectually sound and not off on a tangent because of some "new" interpretation of the Scriptures. We will also face things realistically and be free from delusions. The sober-minded saint will have a purposeful life and not be drifting; he will exercise restraint and not be impulsive. He will have "sound judgment" not only about doctrinal matters but also about the practical affairs of life.

Ten times in the pastoral epistles, Paul admonished people to "be sober-minded." It is one of the qualifications for pastors (1 Tim. 3:2) and for church members (Titus 2:1-6). In a world susceptible to wild thinking, the church must be sober-minded.

I suggest we not allow ourselves to get out of balance because of an abuse of prophecy. There is a practical application to the prophetic Scriptures. Peter's emphasis on hope and the glory of God ought to encourage us to be faithful today in whatever work God has given us to do Luke 12:31-48

If you want to make the best use of "the rest of your time," live in the light of the return of Jesus Christ. All Christians may not agree on the event’s details, but we can agree on the demands of the experience. We shall stand before the Lord! Read Romans 14:10-23 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 for the practical meaning of this.

If we are sober-minded, we will "watch unto prayer." If our prayer life is clear, the mind is clear. Dr. Kenneth Wuest, in his translation, shows the vital relationship between the two: "Be calm and collected in spirit to give yourself to prayer." The word "watch" carries with it the idea of alertness and self-control. It is the opposite of drunk or asleep (1 Thess. 5:6-8). This admonition had special meaning to Peter because he went to sleep when he should have been "watching unto prayer" (Mark 14:37-40).

You find the phrase "watch and pray" often in the New Testament (Mark 13:33; 14:38; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2). It simply means to "be alert in our praying, to be controlled." There is no place in the Christian life for lazy, listless, routine praying. We must have a conservative attitude and be on guard, just like the workers in Nehemiah's day (Neh. 4:9).

An expectant attitude toward Christ's return involves a severe, balanced mind and an alert, awake prayer life. The test of our commitment to the doctrine of Christ's return is not our ability to draw charts or discern signs but our thinking and praying.

If our thinking and praying are right, our living should be right.

4. A fervent attitude toward the saints (4:8-11)

If we look for the return of Christ, then we shall think of others and properly relate to them.

Love for the saints is essential, "above [before] all things." Love is the badge of a believer in this world (John 13:34-35). Especially in testing and persecution, Christians need to love one another and be united in heart.

This love should be "fervent." The word pictures an athlete straining to reach the goal. It speaks of eagerness and intensity. We must work at Christian love, just like an athlete works on his skills. It is not a matter of emotional feeling, though that is included, but of dedicated will. Christian love means we treat others the way God treats us, obeying His commandments in the Word.

It is even possible to love people that we do not like!

Christian love is forgiving. Peter quoted Proverbs 10:12-"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." This verse is alluded to in James 5:20 and 1 Corinthians 13:4 and 7. Love does not condone sin; for, if we love somebody, we will be grieved to see him sin and hurt himself and others.

Instead, love covers sin, motivating us to hide it from others and not spread it abroad.

Where there is hatred, there is malice; malice causes a person to want to tear down his enemy’s reputation. This leads to gossip and slander (Prov.

11:13; 17:9, and see 1 Peter 2:1). Sometimes we try to make our gossip sound "spiritual" by telling people things "so they might pray more intelligently."

No one can hide his sins from God, but believers ought to try, in love, to cover each other's sins at least from the eyes of the unsaved. After all, if the unsaved crowd finds ammunition for persecuting us because of our good words and works (1 Peter 2:19-20; 3:14); what would they do if they knew the bad things Christians say and do!

Genesis 9:18-27 gives us a beautiful illustration of this principle. Noah got drunk and shamefully uncovered himself. His son Ham saw his father's shame and told the matter to the family. Ham’s two brothers covered their father and his shame in loving concern. It should not be too difficult for us to cover the sins of others; after all, Jesus Christ died, so our sins might be washed away.

Our Christian love should not only be fervent and forgiving, but it should also be practical. We should share our homes with others in generous (and un-complaining) hospitality and use our spiritual gifts in ministry to one another. In New Testament times, hospitality was an important thing, because there were few inns, and poor Christians could not afford to stay at them anyway. Persecuted saints, in particular, would need places to stay where they could be assisted and encouraged.

Hospitality is a virtue that is commanded and commended throughout the Scriptures. Moses included it in the Law (Ex. 22:21; Deut. 14:28-29).

Jesus enjoyed hospitality when He was on earth, as did the apostles in their ministry (Acts 28:7; Phile.22). Human hospitality reflects God's hospitality to us (Luke 14:16ff). Christian leaders should be "given to hospitality" (1 Tim.3:2; Titus 1:8).

Abraham was hospitable to three strangers and discovered that he had entertained the Lord and two angels (Gen. 18; Heb. 13:2). We help to promote the truth when we open our homes to God's servants (3 John 5-8). When we share with others, we share with Christ (Matt. 25:35, 43). We should not open our homes to others just so that others will invite us over (Luke 14:12-14). We should do it to glorify the Lord.

In my itinerant ministry, I have often enjoyed staying in Christian homes. I have appreciated the kindness and (in some cases) sacrifice of dear saints who loved Christ and wanted to share with others. My wife and I have made new friends in many countries, and our children have been blessed because we have enjoyed and practiced Christian hospitality.

Finally, Christian love must result in service. Each Christian has at least one spiritual gift that he must use to the glory of God and the building up of the church (see Rom. 12:1-13; Eph. 4:1-16; and 1 Cor 12). We are stewards. God has entrusted these gifts to us so that we might use them for the good of His church. He even gives us the spiritual ability to develop our gifts and be faithful servants.

There are speaking and serving gifts, which are essential to the church. Not everybody is a teacher or preacher, though all can be witnesses for Christ. There are those "behind-the-scenes" ministries that help to make the public ministries possible. God gives us the gifts, the abilities, and the opportunities to use the gifts, and He alone must get the glory.

The phrase "oracles of God" in 1 Peter 4:11 does not suggest that everything a preacher or teacher says today is God's truth because human speakers are fallible. In the early church, some prophets had the unique gift of uttering God's Word, but we do not have this gift today since the Word of God has been completed. Whoever shares God's Word must be careful about what he says and how he says it, and all must conform to the written Word of God.

While on our way home from the African trip I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, we were delayed in London by a typical English fog. London is one of my favorite places, so I was not disturbed! Imagine trying to see that marvelous city in one day!

We had to make the most of the time- and we did! Our friends saw many exciting sites in the city.

How long is "the rest of your time"? Only God knows.

Please don’t waste it! Invest it by doing the will of God.

Revelation 7:9–12 KJV 1900

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.