Be Holy

1 Peter 1:13-25

"Be Holy"

Sermon by

Mark A. Horne

What a year we have had? We have seen turmoil abroad. America has been under scrutiny by the world for our position against Iraq. The conservative administration that leads our country has been under attack because of our economy and the war we seem to be engaging ourselves. We had a crazy person running rampant shooting people in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Fear of terrorism still looms about us. Christmas sales were down and unemployment is still high. And I am sure you could name other highlights that made an impression on you this year. These have been our headlines - headlines that had and still have people talking. One question always presents itself when such strife and turmoil arises, "what should we do?" Or another way to ask the question, "how are we to survive this next year when things look so dim?"

The Christians that Peter wrote to in Asia Minor were faced with the same question. However, their turmoil was a little more serious than ours. Not to take away from the hardships others have faced and may still be facing today, the Christians in Asia Minor were persecuted. The time was in the 60's A.D. Nero was in power and causing havoc throughout the empire, but especially in Rome. It is possible that Peter may have visited these areas in Asia Minor and knew to whom he was writing. It also seems possible that Peter had the Jewish converts in mind, but he doesn't neglect the Gentile Christians in this letter. What is interesting is that in the area Peter addresses this letter, there was not an official persecution that was handed down by Nero. The kind of sufferings they were exposed to included insults, slander, fabricated accusations of wrongdoing, beatings, social ostracism, and mob violence. So their persecution was, for the most part, local; but, it was persecution nonetheless. Peter writes to these battered and oppressed brothers and sisters to offer them encouragement through Christ's example and the exhortation to "be holy."

It is this theme of "being holy" that I want to focus our attention on this morning, because I think it offers a sound basis for the crises and worries we may be facing this year. Whether we are concerned with improving personal health or the world at large, Peter offers us a clearly strong message of hope and assurance in our suffering. I think we can best focus on this message with three points from our passage:

1) Do not neglect the grace that is set before us.

2) Let the gospel of Jesus Christ shine in our daily lives.

3) As children in our Father's Kingdom, the gospel should reform our hearts.

Do not neglect the grace that is set before us. Peter in verses 13-16 offers us an expedient exhortation to receive the grace of God. Peter tells his Christian friends, "gird up your loins; but it is not the physical loins we often think of, it is the "loins of the mind." First question, what does Peter mean when he says "gird up your loins?" This was actually a slang expression during Peter's time that essentially is synonymous with our expressions of "roll up your shirt sleeve," or "fasten your belt," or "pull up your bootstraps." The expression came into being because the custom attire consisted of long garments, and to do any work would mean that one would have had to gird up the garments about their waist or each thigh. And Peter is calling for the Christian to prepare for work. If times of suffering is about you, do not just sit idle - get ready for work.

But the metaphor doesn't stop there, it is particular in that it consists of the mind. Second question, "what does girding up the loins have to do with the mind?" I think everything. Think about the picture Peter is trying to paint for his readers. If I was an ancient about to go to work, what would be the point of girding up my long garments about me? Exactly, they would get in the way. They would be a hindrance to one stooping down or getting up. One might get tools caught on them when performing his trade, or possibly drag them through the dirt or trip over them as he or she harvested. Even more likely of Peter's profession, when he drug the nets into the boats they would get wet and stick to his legs, binding them and causing him to trip possibly getting hurt or falling out of the boat.

I think it is interesting that Peter shows that when we prepare ourselves for work in God's kingdom, we have to be set free from those long garments that hang about us in our mind. There has to be a removal of the loose impediments that the world thinks are so special and we should desire to have the mind of God. When times are hard, we should not prepare our minds with what the world thinks is good, but only that which is Godly - "putting off the old lust," "the old man."

And when we are prepared as such, then we do not hope in vain. We are met by God with hope, assurance, and commitment. God seeks us and sets before us grace through Jesus Christ. All these worldly cares that get in our way will be gone when Jesus returns. So we direct our eyes to His Second Coming. We realize that we are adopted sons and daughters and strive for obedience in these tough times. The image of God should shine forth in our lives and distinguish us even more than we are. God has set us apart to be a particular people, and we should be free from this worldly pollution. God effectually calls us. That is the grace set before us, and we should strive to be holy.

Then as children set apart, we should let the gospel shine in our lives. Verses 17-22 provides a glimpse of what Christ has done for us and our duty to Him, our Savior. When we look at verse 17 the first thing we notice is that God sees right into our hearts. There is not any front or pretense we offer that He doesn't know that we are trying to deceive Him. When Peter speaks of our work, it isn't the merit we offer for reward, or the merit for salvation; but it is only the sincerity of the faithfulness we have toward Jesus Christ in our hearts. This is our pilgrimage. This is how we strive - calling on the Father with humbleness and reverence. As Christians we know that we won't be condemned for our sins, but we will be judged for the deeds we perform and the sincerity we perform them with.

Why should we strive to do such deeds when there is so much suffering and persecution around us, verses 18 and 19 tells us. Look at them with me.... You see, we are worth more than the most precious metals man can own. We were bought with a price, the price of Christ's blood. The price of the most perfect man that ever lived, he suffered and died for us. Christ suffered more than we can ever imagine so he could have us as His own. He chose us in order that we might obey the gospel and be cleansed from guilt of sin only by His blood and through the sanctifying process of the Spirit. Until a person knows Christ as their personal Lord and Savior as Peter describes here, that man or woman is desolate. And when one who knows Jesus understands fully the price paid for him or her, then the rules of life they tried to abide by and the pagan rituals they performed are nothing more than vain attempts at useless religion. God needed Christ to be perfect for us because that is the only acceptable wrath to Him for our transgressions.

Peter wants us to know that this could be the only way since it was foreordained from the beginning of the world. Verses 20-21 explains this. Wow! How much does this amplify the grace of God. It was not a small favor that God waited until His due time to manifest Christ as He did. This is His ordained plan. This is what the eternal council chose to make Christ Savior. It was no sudden thing. And we must be convinced that eternal salvation is in Christ and has always been in Christ. What would be the stability of our faith, if we believed that God suddenly had a remedy for salvation - "poof, I'll make Christ." No, God knew man could not be perfect. He anticipated our disease and provides grace through Jesus Christ.

Who do you believe in? Do you believe in the greatest amplitude of grace? Do you have reverence and awe for the one who "died and was raised up from the dead?" Do you understand that it is only by Christ that you can belong in His Kingdom and the gospel can shine? He is the one who gives us the faith and hope to understand what is incomprehensible - that is God. Our faith in Christ unites us to God. It is only through Christ 1) can we believe, 2) that God accommodates himself to us, and 3) we have confidence to enter God's presence. Christ was raised up from the dead that our faith and hope might have a firm foundation.

Calvin says "Hope is the anchor of the soul, which enter into the inner part of the sanctuary; but not without Christ going before. Faith is our victory against the world and what is it that makes it victorious, except that Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth, has us under his guardianship and protection?"

III

And when we let the gospel of Jesus Christ shine in our lives verse 22 states that it should reform our hearts. Here Peter states what ought to be done as children in the kingdom. The soul is incapable of being purified until grace is received, and once grace is received then our uncleanness is proved. When our hearts are purified by the washing of the blood of the unblemished lamb, our obedience towards Him grows. We allow truth to be the rule. We search out brotherly love for one another, the evidence that God uses to prove us to the world who we really are. We love each other sincerely and fervently.

Where is this genuine love born, only by the seed of truth, the Word of God. This is the vital principle of grace, the new nature of the restored image of God. The Word is the instrument by which the seed is implanted. This "living" word that "abides" in us is the truth that stands opposed to the invalid - that which is dead and will be blown away like the wind. How miserable is the first birth of man, and how great is the new birth through Jesus Christ? Our first birth leads only the miseries of the world. Our first birth makes us like grass, and if we are so fortunate we are like the flower that grows with the grass. By our own effort we can do no more than be as glorious as a flower - what seems so beautiful only will vanish. Man seems to be something, until he comes to God. Those who persecute and oppress in what they think is bright, becomes nothing in His presence. The glory of this world has no place in the heavenly kingdom.

The Word of God is set in opposition to the these flowers. It has authority, power, and efficacy. It is the Word of God that confers on us what is real, solid, and eternal.

Yes, in this troubled time, the Christian has assurance. He and she has hope and faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. Though suffering is about us, the spotless lamb suffered the more, carrying the burden of all mankind's sins so that His chosen will know Him and obey Him, striving to be holy. We love one another because of the seed planted in our hearts through hearing the Word. What have you heard today? Do you think you are safe from hell because of your own goodness? Do you think you can endure the suffering this world dishes out without Christ and expect to be in heaven when it is over? If that is what you think you haven't heard anything this morning. You will be blown like the grass and flower only to vanish in separation from God. I pray though that you have heard the gospel and Jesus is reaching down and touching your heart. Believe in Him this day. Accept the grace set before you, and put off the worldly affections and hindrances.