Wednesday Summer Series Giving Christ the Victory, 1 Peter

The Battle for Holiness,

The Battle for Holiness,

Once you win the “holiness” battle in your mind you will begin to observe changes in your behavior.

So, that challenge is to learn to “think holy”.

• Gloss over .

• Note :3 … we have been born again to a living hope. Identify the hope theme.

• How does this help you in your effort to live a holy life?

• Name as many encouragements as you see in this passage.

Discovery

· Is Holiness a trending topic in today’s culture?

· Is holiness a gift or a command? .

· Must we wait for this gift or fight for it?

o How do we fight?

· First, we must discover what “holiness” means?

o Holiness is s__ a____ for God’s service.

· Who want to be Holy? How long does this decision IN THE MIND take?

o So, how do we think Holy?

Romans 12:2 ESV

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.

(ESV) — 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.

Discussion

· What comes to your mind when you hear the word holy? Why do you think that is your perception?

· Does it seem impossible to be holy? Why or why not?

· Describe the life of someone you consider to be a holy person. What makes them holy?

Dig

1 Peter 1:13 ESV

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.

(ESV) — 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.

· Gird up (ἀναζωσάμενοι). Lit., having girded up. Used here only. The metaphor is suggested by the girding up of the loose eastern robes preparatory to running or other exertion.[1]

· Gird up (ἀναζωσάμενοι). Lit., having girded up. Used here only. The metaphor is suggested by the girding up of the loose eastern robes preparatory to running or other exertion.[1]

o How do you “prepare your minds” for battle or strenuous activity?

o How many overt or subtle battles come to you in a day?

o How does GIGO apply?

o Is this a Command, promise, M.S.G., or timeless principle?

Discussion

· What are some practical ways we can prepare our minds for holiness? Scripture, prayer, uplifting music, good books, sermons, and edifying conversation.

· Look again at verse 13. νήφω in the NT only fig.=be free fr. every form of mental and spiritual ‘drunkenness’, fr. excess, passion, rashness, confusion, etc. be well-balanced, self-controlled[2]. What does self-control have to do with being holy?

· What does it mean to be “drunk emotionally or mentally” in a figurative sense?

· We need to keep our head of straight. How do we detach our emotions – during temptation?

· How would this lesson or stop our emotions from controlling us? How is this similar to detaching ourselves from possessions?

· What might you need to say no to, to prepare your mind for holiness?

· According to verse 13, what has God given us to help us be holy? Why would that help?

Mini Workshop

• Shannon spends at least three hours a day watching TV. What might she do to break this habit and replace it with better things?

• Cornelius spends every waking minute with people. He can’t stand to be alone. How might he learn to face alone time so that he can learn to listen to God?

• Frank uses alcohol to numb the guilt he constantly feels. How can he find relief from guilt so that he can depend on God instead of alcohol?

Dig

(ESV) — 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

• Peter compares us to obedient children. Why would we want to be such?

• Peter compares us to obedient children. Why would we want to be such?

• What are the evil desires Peter mentions in verse 14?

o What does it mean to conform to those passions/desires?

• Why were we in ignorance before?

o What brought us out of ignorance?

• What do you think it means to be “holy in all your conduct”?

• How can you learn to separate your thoughts from your emotions? Give practical examples.

• Which of the following best describes a holy life?

a) Never indulging in anything pleasurable

b) Never sinning

c) Only thinking about spiritual things

d) Being passionately in love with Christ, which colors the way you think and act

• Why did you pick the statement you did?

• How does it affect the way you view holiness?

• What would be the difference between d. and the other choices?

• What is wrong with choices a.–c.?

Cheat Notes:

a) God created pleasure and delights in our enjoyment of the good gifts he has given us, if our pleasure doesn’t lead us to sin.

b) Although we should avoid sin, we will still sin and need to ask forgiveness.

c) Although we should be consumed with pleasing God, we will necessarily have to think of earthly things to survive.

d) As we fall in love with Christ, we will naturally want to please him. Love is a far greater motivator than fear.

Amplifying the Battle:

Have you ever watched a kid run to 2nd base for the first time? How focused are they on that 2nd base?

• How is this similar to verse 13’s “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”?

• How can you run undistracted towards Christ with all your power?

• How can focusing on God’s kindness help us stay in the battle?

• If you were to die tonight, would you get into heaven because:

• You are better than others?

• You work harder than others?

• You curse like a sailor so that you can have more grace than others?

• God’s grace?

Discussion

• Why must we have God’s grace to live a holy life? Why are our own efforts doomed to fail?

• How can we learn to depend on God’s grace, rather than our own efforts (legalism, judgmentalism, hedonism)?

• For instance: You cannot forgive someone. How can leaning on God’s grace help you?

• Why do you think God said, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”?

• How can we obey that without becoming discouraged?

• Does he mean that we must be as perfect as He is?

• If not, what does he mean?

Application

According to , what is your final grade for this Battle? (ESV) — 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

• Since we already are Holy, what is the object of the battle?

What did we learn about:

• Preparing our minds?

• Separating our thoughts from our emotions?

• Fixing our eyes on God’s grace?

Did anyone learn something new tonight?

Father in Heaven help us to rethink our ideas of the Holiness you have given us. Give us the ability to prepare our minds for battle so that nothing can cause us to lose this invaluable gift. We ask that you will help retrain each person’s thinking.

In Jesus name – amen.

[1] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 635–636). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

[2] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1979). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature : a translation and adaption of the fourth revised and augmented edition of Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-deutsches Worterbuch zu den Schrift en des Neuen Testaments und der ubrigen urchristlichen Literatur (p. 538). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.