"Committed To Holiness"
1 Peter 1:3-25; 2:1-10
Read As Text: 1 Peter 1:3-16
INTRO. The apostle Paul in Philippians 1:21 declares, "For to me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain." Paul's main purpose in life was to glorify
Christ. Christ was the essence of his life. As strongly as Saul was
committed to the arrest and imprisonment of Christians before his
conversion; now, after his conversion, he is just as deeply committed
to a life of holiness to God!
But what do I mean by commitment? Commitment means “to devote
oneself without reservation to a cause.” That's what Paul did and
what we must do as God's dear children! Romans 12:1-2 tells us, "I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Now
that's commitment!
I want to title the message tonight, “Committed to Holiness.” This
should be the desire of each child of God here. To live a life of total
commitment to God! Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let
him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23).
Notice our LORD said "daily." We must take up our cross daily,
showing our love and commitment to Him. The Christian life is not a 3
or 4 day per week devotion, but an everyday devotion to a Holy God
and His Holy Word!
Peter in our text in v15, says, "But as he which hath called you is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." Peter uses the word
“conversation" which in the Greek means “behavior, or lifestyle.” Thus,
we should be holy in all our manner of life. But how do we live holy
lives, when the old flesh seems so often to dominate in our lives? Well,
in our strength we can't, but if we allow Christ to live in and through
us we can!
TO BE HOLY:
‘
WE MUST:
(1) Prepare Ourselves For Obedience
Text: 1 Peter 1:13-16
Romans 12:1-2
*Peter Mentions 5 ways To Prepare:
A. Gird up the loins of the mind (vl3a). To be girded means to be ready
and prepared. It implies we are alert and anticipate Christ’s soon
coming.
B. Be Sober (vl3b). We should be directed from within by the Spirit, not
from without by the flesh nor by the influences of the world. As
Ephesians 5:18 commands us, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein
is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8).
C. Set Your Hope Fully on God's Grace (vl3c; 1 John 3:1-3).
D. Be Obedient Children (v14). We read in Ephesians 5:1-2—“Be ye
therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ
also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
E. Be Holy in Everything (v15).
WE MUST REMEMBER THE:
(2) The Price Paid For Our Redemption
Text: 1 Peter 1:17-21
A. THE COST (vv. 18-19; Hebrews 9:22). The blood of Christ redeems!
B. THE COMPASSION (vv. 20-21). Oh what compassion we see on the Cross the displayed. He died that we might live! This should motivate our holiness! (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5).
WE MUST:
(3) Purify Ourselves
Text: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3
A. BY OBLIGATION TO THE WORD (1 Peter 1:22-25; 2 TIMOTHY 2:15).
B. BY OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD (1 Peter 2:1-3; Psalms 119:9, 11, 105).
WE MUST:
(4) Practice Holy Living
Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10
*HOW? PETER GIVES 5 WAYS:
A. By Fellowship With Christ (v4; Matthew 11:25-30).
B. By Identification With Christ (v5a; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
C. By Offering Spiritual Sacrifices to Christ (v5b; Romans 12:1).
D. By Acknowledging Christ's Preciousness (vv. 6-8).
E. By Showing Forth Christ's Praises (vv. 9-1O; Matthew 5:16—“Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in Heaven”).
CLOSING: Paul told the Church at Colosse, "Whatsoever ye do in word, or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and
the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17). I pray each child of God in
this place is doing just that: honoring God in all we do in our body!
How committed are we to God and the things of God? Are we
PREPARING OURSELVES FOR OBEDIENCE? Do We REMEMBER
THE PRICE PAID FOR OUR REDEMPTION? Do we PURIFY
OURSELVES by spending time in the Word and obeying it? Do we
PRACTICE HOLY LIVING? Can we say as Paul, "For to me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain?" Is Christ our main love, Our main
loyalty, and our main longing? If not, why not come and draw
closer to Him tonight! James 4:8a says, "Draw nigh to God, and he
will draw nigh to you.." Will you come tonight?