Godly Living - Holy Conduct

Introduction

We’ve spoken of the joy we have because God chose to save us before the world was created. We also spoke of the joy we have knowing that God is guarding us so we make it to eternity. And we spoke about the joy we may have especially when we feel the world is against us. That the suffering and pain we go through is temporary when we think of how long we will be when Jesus returns at the end of time.

We now come to the right response we are to have to God’s grace toward us. God has poured out His grace upon us in many ways, and the greatest of these is the death of Jesus for our sins. For this reason Peter now encourages all Christians to live every minute of their lives for Him.

Prepare Your Mind

True believers are called by God, Saved by God, and set apart by God, for obedience to Him.

Obedience to God begins with our minds. Peter now tells us to “gird up the loins of your mind.” People of the Ancient Roman Empire never wore denim jeans. Instead they wore a long flowing garment, that went down past their knees. Soldiers would hitch up the bottom of their robes above their knees and into their belts to move more freely in battle. This girding up of the robe allowed them to move their legs freely in battle without tripping on it. Peter is challenging his readers to prepare their minds for action.

What does this look like?

We are to fill our minds with godly things, instead of on the world around us. If our lives do not look any different as the world then we don’t have prepared minds. This means that we are numb to the things of God, while the attractions of the world give us greater delight. It means our minds are drowsy, or drunk with the temporary things.

Is this you? Are you preoccupied with the world and your human desires?

The one who girds up the loins of their mind focuses on building their relationship with God and eagerly awaits Christ’s return. This person is better equipped and ready to live in obedience to Christ, and wants nothing more than to fulfill God desires and will.

If our outlook is toward Heaven then we will be less weighed down by the temptations of the world, and better equipped to serve the Living God. By centering our minds on eternity with Christ we are more mindful and motivated to live in obedience to God in the present.

Sobriety

Not only are we to have disciplined minds but also “be sober...” I don’t know how many here have family members who are addicted to alcohol. Drunkenness takes control away, and we may end up doing things we would never do when sober. Peter isn’t talking about alcohol though but all the temptations the world offers. Peter says do not to allow yourself to be seduced by the world and its temporary happiness.

Bad news / Good news

The bad news is that our minds sometimes still get drowsy and we take our eyes of Jesus. So Peter

He continues in verse 13, “and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Rest your hope. Let’s recap what this word hope is. in its basic form hope is similar to faith. Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Both hope and faith refer to trusting God for His work of salvation.

Faith and Hope

We distinguish between hope and faith in that faith is trusting God in the present.

We see this in Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith,’”

and Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.”

Hope, on the other hand, is trusting God for the future. And we see this in Hebrews 3:6, “but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” This trust in God for the future is what Peter wants his readers to have full confidence in.

We are to rest our hope fully upon the future when the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory. This word fully here indicates that our devotion to the promises of God are not to be half-hearted or hesitant. Christians are to be fully devoted to God for it is by Him alone who gave us new life, who continues making us holy and Him alone who will take us through the heavenly gate.

Obedience

1 Peter 1:14-15 says, “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.””

If our hope is resting fully upon God’s grace, then we will be motivated to live our lives in accordance to God’s Word, in holiness. James chapter 2 teaches that those who are of the Faith are known by their obedience. We also see this in:

John 8:31, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”

1 John 5:2-3, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

All those whom Christ saves are to be obedient to Him, and is one way of showing our love to Him, for all that He did for us.

As obedient children we are not to conform our lives to the world. Instead Peter encourages us to be obedient to children. Every family has rules that everyone must live by. God does too, and when we are born again we become part of His family. Our response is to live by His rules. We all know the ten commandments, even if we don’t remember them all. If you want to obey God, then look at them as your guide. The good news is that God will not throw you out of His family if you don’t do them. Remember He chose to save us well before we were born.

Holy Living

But God calls His people to be obedient to Him, to be like Him, verse 16 says, “be holy, for I am holy.” I don’t know about you but this seems impossible. I can’t go 5 minutes without dirtying myself with some kind of sin.

So, How can God call me to be faithful and obedient to Him when I know I can’t? When I know that I do conform to the former lusts. Should we give up and just allow ourselves the false happiness of sin? Paul says in Romans, NO NO, God forbid. The obedience God calls us to comes through the work of the Word and the Spirit in our hearts and minds. Ephesians 5:15-18, “See then that you walk [carefully]… understand what the will of the Lord is… be filled with the Spirit.”

In Col. 3:16, And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Our holiness to God, our obedience to God is the fruit of our salvation. We don’t do this alone, but it comes from the Holy Spirit working within us. When we live obedient and holy lives we become lights on a hill, and the salt of the earth.

Conclusion

How are you living your life?

Are you living according to the World? or the Word?

God saves us, from beginning to end, and because of that we live lives that are obedient to Him as offerings of thanksgiving. Paul agrees in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” And this, according to Peter, is the correct response for so great a salvation.

LET US PRAY.