Be Holy in All Your Conduct

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

“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, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:13-19 ESV)

The subject matter here is that of our salvation, which Peter said was a salvation “ready to be revealed in the last time.” Then he spoke of the tested genuiness of our faith, that it may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (when he returns). And he said that through these trials which test the genuiness of our faith, if our faith is found to be genuine, then the outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls. 

For we are saved (past), we are being saved (present active), and we will be saved (future) when Jesus returns, which is when our salvation will be complete, but provided we have been crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness, and that we are denying self, dying daily to sin, by the Spirit, and actively obeying our Lord.

[John 8:31-32; John 10:27-30; John 14:15,21,23-24; John 15:10; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14,24; Romans 11:17-24; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:2; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 2:10-13; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Peter 1:5-11; Hebrews 3:6-15; Hebrews 5:9; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15,24-25; 1 John 3:4-10,24; 1 John 4:19-20]

And this is why we must be those who are actively preparing our minds for action, who are serious-minded about God and the teachings of the Scriptures, which are for us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord (Owner-Master) and Savior of our lives. And this is why we must be those who are actively setting our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And that is because God’s grace and his salvation and our faith are still in process and won’t be complete until Jesus returns.

For we don’t “get saved” once and then we are good to go to heaven regardless of how we live on this earth. The Scriptures teach progressive salvation and faith and grace. And God’s grace is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” 

[see Titus 2:11-14; cf. Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 John 3:4-10]

And this is why we have these kinds of instructions given to the church all throughout the New Testament, because it is possible for us to fall away from the faith, and because it is possible that our salvation was not genuine biblical salvation to begin with. So we need to know that the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. For if we walk according to the flesh it leads to death, not life with God (Romans 8:1-14).

And Paul, Peter, and John wrote strongly to the churches to let them know that a profession of Christ alone is not enough to save them from their sins and to guarantee them life eternal with God. In fact, Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For he said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God the Father in heaven (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

So these instructions of Peter are not just mere suggestions nor are they just recommendations. They are commands of God. As obedient children (yes, obedience is required), we are not to be conformed to the passions of the flesh. For God called us to be holy in all our conduct, and to be holy is to live separate (unlike, different) from the world because we who believe in Jesus with genuine faith are being conformed to the likeness of character of Jesus Christ. So we are to be Christlike in what we do now.

For Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). And he died that we might now live for him and no longer for self (2 Corinthians 5:15). And he shed his blood for us to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our slavery to sin so that we might now honor (glorify) God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). So we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its desires, for if we obey sin, it leads to death, not to life (Romans 6:1-23).

Trust and Obey  

Words by John H. Sammis, 1887

Music by Daniel B. Towner, 1887

When we walk with the Lord 

in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, 

He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey. 

Not a shadow can rise, 

not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, 

not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, 

not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, 

not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove 

the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, 

for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet 

We will sit at His feet.

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.

What He says we will do, 

Where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB4KcleYiWM

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