Helps to Holiness Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Books
Write your name
Church (Take me Back) by Cochren and Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eTOcrWu8mQ
There was a time that I swore I would never go back
I was blind to the truth, didn't know what I had
I was running, I was searching
But every place I turned for healing
Left me more broken than the last
Take me back
To the place that feels like home
To the people I can depend on
To the faith that's in my bones
Take me back
To a preacher and a verse
Where they've seen me at my worst
To the love I had at first
Oh, I want to go to church
Tried to walk on my own but I wound up lost
Now I'm making my way to the foot of the cross
It's not a trophy for the winners
It's a shelter for the sinners
And it's right where I belong
Oh, more than an obligation
It's our foundation
The family of God
I know it's hard
But we need each other
We're sisters and brothers
Intro: Family?
In the next section of our studies, Peter uses five comparisons
children
strangers
brothers
babies
and stones
His word pictures help us grasp truth
today we are going to look at the first two comparisons in this section:
children and strangers
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.”
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Preparing your minds for action
is literally translated as gird your loins
a more understandable saying might be roll up your sleeves
Sober minded- clear headed, without alcohol
1. As Obedient Children
1. As Obedient Children
be holy like your Father in all you do
Holiness is a major characteristic of God. The Scriptures emphasize that God is holy in three ways.
1 God is holy in His position.
Holy is the opposite of common.
We say that God is holy because He is separate
high above all else.
He is holy because there is none like Him.
In His position,
God is holy-divine,
supreme,
exalted,
glorious above all creation.
God’s holiness includes His might
that makes people tremble
and nations dread (Exod. 15:11-18;
“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
In His position above all,
at the top,
God alone is holy,
for He alone is God (Rev. 15:4)!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
2 God is holy in His actions, ethics, and morals-
holy in all He does.
His decrees and actions are completely holy-
altogether just, righteous, and true.
3 God is holy in His nature.
He is Light in whom there is no darkness.
His character is 100 percent pure,
unmixed with any trace of evil.
He is holy through and through.
Throughout the New Testament, the many references to the Holy Spirit emphasize that God is holy.
As God the Father is holy in three ways,
He requires His children to be like Him-
holy in position, action, and nature.
We become holy in our position
when we become God’s children.
He justifies us and washes away our sins
when we received Jesus by faith.
Likewise, our holiness of nature begins at the new birth,
as we partake of our Father’s holy nature (1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Pet. 1:4).
Our position and nature at the new birth are the basis of our holiness.
Then, for the rest of our lives,
we grow in holiness of character,
attitudes, and actions.
Most of 1 Peter is about holiness of attitudes and action. Peter
emphasizes “be holy in all you do” (1 Pet. 1:15).
All of our salvation is by grace, from start to finish.
In our own strength we can do nothing but fail.
We must depend on God to be born again,
and to live in holiness as obedient children.
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus,
and through the power of the Holy Spirit,
God makes our new birth
and our obedience possible.
As Peter wrote: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24).
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
Our part, is practicing godly attitudes
by obeying God’s Word and Spirit.
As we use our gift of choice,
we are faithful stewards of the abundant grace God offers us (1 Pet. 1:2; 4:10).
God requires His children to be holy because He is holy.
In other words, God our Father is our role model.
One of the distinctions of a relationship with a father is imitation.
There’s this joke that raising kids is a series of watching your kids do something wierd
then looking at your spouse and saying
“They get that from you”
Under the old covenant, God required the Israelites to be holy, like Him (Lev. 11:44).
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.
Likewise, under the new covenant,
God requires His children to be holy, like Him (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
So we see that the standard of holiness for God’s people
is the same in the old and new covenants.
We would expect this, since God, the role model, does not change (James 1:17).
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
God remains the same,
so His requirement of holiness remains the same.
Expressions of holiness were sometimes different under the old covenant.
For example, they did not eat pork
But many of the expressions of holiness,
such as sexual purity,
are the same under both covenants.
Peter emphasizes that holiness is a sign of obedience.
This obedience has a negative and a positive side-
a do not,
and a do.
14 “As obedient children, do not conform to the holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Pet. 1:14-15).
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,
Small children lack self-control.
Parents evil help their children mature by teaching obedience
through praise and discipline.
Children cannot mature if they do not learn to obey.
Likewise, believers must learn to obey.
Once we were children of disobedience, objects of God’s wrath (Eph. 2:2-3).
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
We “lived in ignorance.”
Our evil desires shaped our lives. Now, we must become “obedient children” (1 Pet. 1:14).
Obedience to our parents produces maturity.
Obedience to our Heavenly Father reveals itself in holy living.
Peter contrasts the lifestyles of sinners with those who become God’s holy children (1 Pet. 1:14).
3. A Mirror and Dirty Cloth (Verses 15-16 – "Be holy...")
Illustration: Hold up a mirror and a dirty cloth.
Dirty from fingerprints
Wipe the mirror, explaining that holiness is not about perfection but reflecting Christ more clearly by removing sin.
Application: Encourage self-examination and confession, asking what areas need cleansing to reflect God's holiness.
Obedience begins as an attitude in the mind.
Remember Girding your Loins
Be prepared
Likewise, as God’s obedient children,
we need to be self-controlled.
That is, we need to bring our loose thoughts under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Today we might say, “Roll up the shirt sleeves of your mind.”
We must not be lazy
and just float or drift through life,
thinking about whatever the world puts before us.
This mindset was drilled into me young by my parents dislike of commercials
I like to call out product placement when watching a show
Rather, we must discipline our thoughts,
steering them as a driver guides a car
or a bicycle-turning away from what is evil,
toward what our Father says is right.
Obedience is easier if you
“Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
In other words, Think ahead!
Do not be like Esau, who lived only for the moment and lost his inheritance.
God has a glorious reward for His obedient children.
So let us not live with both eyes on today.
Rather, let us keep one eye on the future.
“Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pet. 1:13).
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.
Our assurance of Christ’s return motivates us to walk in holiness.
Holiness is not just a duty, it is a beauty.
God’s plan of obedience is better than Satan’s plan of rebellion.
As believers are holy,
there is love and peace in the home and the community.
Sexual holiness prevents sexual diseases;
strengthens trust,
love,
and peace;
and builds strong families.
Holiness of heart enables our light to shine on the path from hell to heaven.
Holiness in daily living makes it possible for us to fellowship with our Holy Father,
and to enjoy His Holy Spirit in our lives.
The road of disobedience is littered with
broken relationships,
disappointment,
sorrow,
fighting,
sickness,
filth,
perversion,
malice,
drunkenness,
emptiness,
slavery,
shame,
and eternal condemnation.
In contrast, God’s path of obedience
and holiness leads us to
purity,
health,
peace,
joy,
happiness,
freedom,
honor,
and glory.
The road of holy living leads beyond Eden
to eternal heaven in the presence of our Holy Father.
Holiness is not just a duty-it is a beauty beyond description.
Love it and live it.
Helps to Holiness by Samuel L. Brengle
Don’t waste time trying to make holiness popular
There is no such thing as holines separate from “Christ in You”
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
2. A Compass or GPS (Verse 14 – "Do not conform...")
Illustration: Show a compass or GPS and explain how it provides direction.
Compare this to the world’s influence versus God's call to holiness.
To use a map, you must know where you are
what mile markers
what direction is your life going?
reset their "spiritual GPS" toward God’s standard.
Application: Ask, “What is directing your life? The culture or Christ?” Encourage them to
2. As strangers on earth
2. As strangers on earth
live in reverent fear (1 Pet. 1:17-21; 2:11-12).
(1 Pet. 1:17-21
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.
(1 Pet. 2:11-12
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
We are studying five comparisons in 1 Peter 1:13-2:10.
Peter’s first comparison is for us to be like obedient children-
holy, as our Father is holy.
His second comparison is for us to be like strangers,
living our short time on earth with godly fear.
Recall that 1 Peter is written to the strangers on earth, scattered in five provinces (1 Pet. 1:1).
Peter gives two reasons to motivate believers to live as strangers in godly fear or reverence.
First:
WE ARE ALL ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD
First, we are all accountable to God.
Although God loves us as His children,
He will show no partiality toward us.
God does not have one standard of right and wrong for sinners,
and another one for believers.
God judges sin wherever He finds it.
The fear (respect, reverence) of God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10).
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
The God who is our Father is also our Judge.
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,
Some versions, such as the NIV, add the word reverent, seeking to clarify.
live in reverent fear during the time of your exile.
But the Greek uses the common word for fear, phobos-
as in 2 Corinthians 5:11, translated terror (See also Heb. 10:27, 31).
but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
When we come to Jesus,
He washes away our sins.
But this does not mean that we continue to practice sinning.
Paul asks, “Shall we go on sinning?”
Then he answers the question by saying: “By no means. We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Rom. 6:1-2).
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Likewise, Peter says,
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
In other words, forgiveness is not the main reason why Jesus died on the cross for us.
His goal was higher.
Jesus died so that we can be transformed into His image.
He died to free us from the penalty and power of sin.
Both Peter and Paul warn believers not to abuse the grace of God.
Rather, we are to live our lives on earth as aliens
showing respect to the God
who will call every person into account for his or her deeds.
God’s love and grace do not do away with personal responsibility.
Our Father frees us from the penalty and power of sin.
His Spirit guides and enables us to serve Him with reverence and respect.
Peter, like Jesus, James, and Paul, warns believers of future judgment.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Fear of judgment is a vital theme missing in much modern Christianity.
It’s no wonder why the church is a copy of the world.
Statistics on divorce, pornography, substance abuse etc.
Some think that grace means there is nothing to fear in the way we live.
Many today think the warning of judgment has no place in our lives.
They think 1 Peter 1:17 does not apply to our shallow culture.
God is gracious, but 1 Peter 1:17 calls us to fear the behavior that leads to destruction.
Six Commands in 1 Peter 1:13-2:10
Live in hope. 1:13
Live in holiness. 1:15
Live in fear of God. 1:17
Live in love for each other 1:22
Live craving the Word of God. 2:2
Live beholding God’s precious Cornerstone. 2:6
(In Greek, the verbs of these six commands appear as *imperatives.)
LIVE IN HOPE. LIVE IN HOLINESS. LIVE IN FEAR.
A mother was having trouble with her small children.
They would not obey her.
She pleaded with them,
but they paid little attention to her.
Finally she said, “Your father will be coming home soon.
And then you will learn to quit mocking me.
He will teach you to respect your mother.”
These words brought a change of mood to the children.
They knew their dad loved them.
But they also knew that he would not tolerate bad behavior.
So they repented,
asked mom to forgive them,
and changed their behavior before it was too late.
Peter gives two reasons to motivate believers to live as strangers in godly fear or reverence.
WE ARE ALL ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD
BELIEVERS ARE REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
Second, believers are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
4. A Price Tag or Receipt (Verses 18-19 – "Redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ")
Illustration: Show a receipt or a price tag from an expensive item.
Talk about how we determine value by price.
Explain that Jesus paid for us with His blood,
showing our worth to God.
Application: Ask, “Do we live as if we were bought with a price, or do we live cheaply?”
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.
We were enslaved in the old way of life.
Our relatives passed it on to us.
Then God redeemed us.
To redeem means “to purchase freedom by paying a price.”
In biblical times, a person might redeem or buy a slave with money.
In modern times, someone might pay a ransom to free or redeem a hostage.
But the price paid for us was far greater than silver or gold.
All of the wealth on earth could not redeem one sinner.
The price of our freedom was
“the precious blood of Christ.”
The term “blood” refers to our Savior’s death.
Jesus was the Lamb of God.
He gave His life as a ransom to redeem us (Matt. 20:28; Rev. 5:6-9).
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Consider the price God paid to redeem us-
the blood of His One and Only Son!
The ransom God paid for us was precious-
of infinite value.
By our actions, let us show how much we value the blood of our Savior.
And let us fear living as though we do not value Christ’s blood.
Our “faith and hope are in God” (1 Pet. 1:13, 21).
And our hope purifies us.
(1 John 3:3
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
(Heb. 10:26-31).
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
5. A Candle or Flashlight (Verse 21 – "Your faith and hope are in God")
Illustration: Light a candle or turn on a flashlight in a dark room.
Show how a small light overcomes darkness,
representing hope in God.
Application:
place their faith in God’s unshakable hope rather than worldly uncertainties.
Communion:
The price God Paid
Confession
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
Bread
The Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
CUP
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
