The Circuit of Holiness

Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-2:3

1 Peter 1:17–2:3 ESV

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, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. 1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Pray

ILL: Electrical Circuits

Every Circuit Needs a Power Source

Our Righteous Judge Is the Power Source

1 Peter 1:17 ESV

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,

Every Circuit Also Needs a Something to Utilize the Electrical Current - the “Load”

Our Holy Living Is the Load

The Manner of Holiness - Our Reverence

1 Peter 1:17 ESV

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,

The Mileage of Holiness - Our Lifetimes

1 Peter 1:17 ESV

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,

The Motivation of Holiness - Our Salvation

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

We are not saved by earthly treasures of silver and gold, but by the heavenly treasure of the shed blood of the Lamb.

The Model of Holiness - Our Savior

1 Peter 1:20–21 ESV

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.

Our faith and hope rest in the resurrected Son of God.

The Method of Holiness - Our Love

1 Peter 1:22 ESV

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

CHURCH VISION! - Meaningful Relationships as a Core Characteristic

The Mother of Holiness - God’s Word

1 Peter 1:23–25 ESV

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Every Circuit needs a power source and a load, but there’s something else it needs. Electricity does not flow just one-way. Just as it goes from the breaker to the light bulb, it has to return back to where it started. Without that loop, electricity wouldn’t work. And for that loop, electricity needs a conduit - a way to get from the power source to the load and back again.

Our Spiritual Health Is the Conduit

The Menace of Holiness - Wicked Works

1 Peter 2:1 ESV

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Spiritual faults cause danger in the circuit of holiness.

The Medium of Holiness - Spiritual Milk

1 Peter 2:2–3 ESV

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.