Hope in Action

Because of the blessed hope that we have as born again believers, a hope into which even angels long to look, we are to jump into action.

In these verses we have 6 desciptions of the way we are to take action for Jesus Christ.

1. Girded Mind (13)

lit. = gather up the loins of your mind. Like a farmer, a wrestler, a runner, or a soldier.

2. Sober Spirit (13)

88.87 νηφάλιος, α, ον: (derivative of νήφωb ‘to be restrained,’ 88.86) pertaining to behaving in a sober, restrained manner—‘sober, restrained.’ ἐπίσκοπον … νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον ‘a church leader … must be sober, self-controlled, and orderly’ 1 Tm 3.2. In a number of languages νηφάλιος may be idiomatically rendered as ‘one who holds himself in’ or ‘one who always has a halter on himself.’

Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament : Based on semantic domains

νήφω 1aor. ἔνηψα; literally be sober, opposite μεθύω (be intoxicated); figuratively in the NT, of being free from every form of mental and spiritual excess and confusion be self-controlled, be clear-headed, be self-possessed

3. Optomistic Outlook (13)

what is the grace that wil be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus? We will be perfected in body and soul. We will be united with Christ in a relationship so intimate that it can only be compared to human marriage. We will obtain our inheritance in Him. Our enemies will be judged and destroyed. All of the wrongs done against us will be righted. We will recieve our rewards for the work that have done for Him. We will rule the world with Jesus. All of our tears will be wiped away.

Hope is not a wish like you hope to win the Publisher's clearing house sweepstakes. Hope is like waiting to open Christmas presents. You see them under the tree and you know that they have your name on them. You shake them and might even figure out what is in them, but you can't open them yet.

4. Obedient Lifestyle (14)

A. Like Children

All Right, Loving

Aretta Loving, Wycliffe missionary, was washing her breakfast dishes when she saw Jimmy, the five-year-old neighbor, headed straight toward the back porch. She had just finished painting the back-porch handrails, and she was proud of her work.

“Come around to the front door, Jimmy,” she shouted. “There’s wet paint on the porch rails.”

“I’ll be careful,” Jimmy replied, not turning from his path.

“No, Jimmy! Don’t come up the steps,” Aretta shouted, knowing of Jimmy’s tendency to mess things up.

“I’ll be careful,” he said again, by now dangerously close to the steps.

“Jimmy, stop!” Aretta shouted. “I don’t want carefulness. I want obedience!” As the words burst from her mouth, she suddenly remembered Samuel’s response to King Saul: To obey is better than sacrifice.

How would Jimmy respond, Aretta wondered. To her relief, he shouted back, “All right, Loving, I’ll go around to the front door.” He was the only one who called her by her last name like that, and it had endeared him to her from the beginning. As he turned around the house, Aretta thought to herself, “How often am I like Saul or like Jimmy, wanting to go my own way? I rationalize, ‘I’ll be careful, Lord’ as I proceed with my own plans.”

But He doesn’t want carefulness. He wants obedience.*

* Adapted from Aretta Loving, “Obedience is Better,” Decision, September 1990, 15.

Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson's complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed.) (589). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

B. Unlike the World

συσχηματίζω (and συνσχηματίζω) as fashioning something by using a shaped container form, mold; figuratively in the NT; (1) middle conform oneself to, change one’s behavior to be like (perhaps RO 12.2 and 1P 1.14); (2) passive allow oneself to be changed to be like, be conformed to, be made like (probably RO 12.2 and 1P 1.14)

5. Holy Behavior (15)

behavior = manner of life,

6. Biblical Perspective (16)

Written (perfect, passive, indicative)

The Word reveals God’s mind, so we should learn it; God’s heart, so we should love it; God’s will, so we should live it. Our whole being—mind, will, and heart—should be controlled by the Word of God.

In the Scriptures, we will find precepts, principles, promises, and persons to guide us in today’s decisions.

We do not study the Bible just to get to know the Bible. We study the Bible that we might get to know God better. Too many earnest Bible students are content with outlines and explanations, and do not really get to know God. It is good to know the Word of God, but this should help us better know the God of the Word.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (1 Pe 1:16). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

All practical living flows from proper theology.