1 Peter 1:13-16 NIV
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
We who are in Christ, by faith in him, have been chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work
of the Spirit, to be OBEDIENT to Jesus Christ (See vv. 1-2).
For, Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross that
we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died,
in fact, that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his
life up for us. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for
God so we would now glorify God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; 2 Co 5:15; 1 Co
6:19-20).
God’s grace, thus, is not free license to continue living in
sin without guilt and without consequence. His grace, which brings salvation,
trains us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts (passions) and to live
self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await Christ’s soon return
(Tit 2:11-14).
We who have been delivered from our slavery to sin, and who
have been born anew of the Spirit of God, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness, are not to live like we did before we believed in
Jesus. We are not to conform our lives to the evil desires we had before we met
Jesus.
[Eph 4:17-24; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; Gal
5:16-21]
Therefore, we are to have minds (thinking) that are alert
(vigilant, aware) and fully sober (self-controlled and serious-minded about
God). We have to do so, in this world of ours, or we won’t survive the
onslaught against us. We have to do so if we want to see Jesus face to face one
day, too.
For, when this says to set our hope on the grace to be
brought to us when Jesus is revealed at his coming, this is talking about when
our salvation is complete and we go to be with our Lord. But to make it to the
end we have to continue in Christ, in obedience to him, abiding in him and in
his word.
[Jn 8:31-32; Jn 15:1-12; Rom 11:17-24; 1 Co 15:2; Col
1:21-23; 2 Tim 2:10-13; Heb 3:6, 14-15; 2 Pet 1:5-11; 1 Jn 2:24-25]
For, as followers of Jesus Christ, we aren’t called to
believe in Jesus just so we can have our sins forgiven, escape hell, and just
so we can go to heaven when we die. We are called to be holy as God is holy,
and not just positionally, through faith in Jesus Christ, but in ALL YOU DO.
For, to be holy means to be set apart (unlike, different)
from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. So,
sin is not what we practice. Righteousness is what we practice. We no longer
walk (in conduct) according to the flesh, but now according to the Spirit of
God.
[Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Phil 4:9; Gal
5:16-21; 1 Jn 1:6; 1 Jn 2:29]
“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
This is how we are to live our lives during the time God has
given us to live on this earth. Our lives are not to be spent just doing what
we want to do. Our lives are to be lived for the glory of God in accordance
with his will for our lives. He is now to be Lord (owner-master) of our lives,
and we are to follow him wherever he leads us.
But notice with me here the clause preceding this
description of how we are to live our lives here on the earth. It says, “Since
you call on a Father who judges each person’s WORK impartially…” So, this has
something to do with why we are to live on this earth as foreigners in reverent
fear of God.
What is this saying? It is saying we are going to be judged
by our works.
[Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 15:1-12;
Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10]
If we make sin our practice, and righteousness is not what
we practice, we are not going to inherit eternal life with God. If we obey sin,
it will lead to death, but if we obey obedience, it will lead to righteousness,
and it will end in eternal life with God. Eternal life is conditional upon how
we live our lives.
So, what this is saying here is that since God is going to
judge us all by our deeds (our works), we must live out our time on this earth
as foreigners (holy, separate from the world) in reverent fear (honor, respect)
of God and in obedience to God.
1 Peter 1:22-23 NIV
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Our obedience to the truth is essential to our walks of
faith in Jesus Christ. We can’t have genuine faith in the Lord Jesus absent of
obedience, repentance, and submission to Christ as Lord. If we didn’t die with
Christ to sin, and if we haven’t lived to him and to his righteousness, then we
are not true believers in Jesus Christ (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9).
The result (fruit) of us being in genuine relationship with
Jesus Christ, via our obedience to the truth, is that we will have sincere love
for our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we hate them, instead, then we are
not true believers in Jesus (Jn 13:34-35; 1 Jn 4:19-20; 1 Jn 5:2-3; 1 Jn
2:9-11).
So, walk in the truth. Follow Jesus with your life. Obey his
commandments (New Covenant). Love your fellow believers and all other people,
including your enemies. Hate sin. Hate evil. But don’t hate people. Love them
as God has loved you and gave himself up for your freedom from bondage to sin.
Jesus,
Rescue Me
An
Original Work / September 18, 2011
Based
off of Romans 7:7-8:39
Jesus, rescue me today.
Listen while I bow and pray.
I need Your help to obey You;
Live for You always.
Meet me in my hour of need, Lord,
As I pray to You.
Help me walk in fellowship, Lord,
Living in Your truth.
Jesus, how I long for You to
Change my heart anew.
Father, God, my heart’s desire
Is to live for You this hour
In Your Holy Spirit’s power
Living in me now.
Teach me to walk in Your love, Lord,
Guiding me each day.
Help me to show love and kindness
To the lost, I pray.
Father, teach me to love others
As You love always.
Holy Spirit come in pow’r.
Revive our hearts in this hour.
Change our hearts to be like You, Lord;
Live for You each day.
Help us to forsake our sins, Lord,
As we humbly pray.
Teach us how to live for You, Lord,
Obey You always.
Holy Spirit come in power,
Revive us today.
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