9 Essentials to Living the Christian Life: Holiness

he was 16 years old when he stole the pears from a neighbor's tree with a group of teenage boys. He would write later of that incident. For of what I stole, I already had plenty and much better at that. And I had no wish to enjoy the things I coveted by stealing, but only to enjoy the theft itself and the sin. Our real pleasure consisted in doing something that was forbidden.

The evil in me was foul and I loved it. That same year he gave himself over, he says, to sexual lust. It was the year, he said, in which the, quote, frenzy, close quote, gripped me

entirely to lust. He would go to the big city and he would write of that, I went to the big city where I found myself in the midst of a hissing cauldron of lust. I muddied the stream of friendship with the filth of lewdness and clouded its clear waters with hell's black river of lust. I defied you even, he's talking to God, I defied you even so far as to relish the thought of lust within the walls of your church during the celebration of your mysteries. Apparently he engaged in some sort of sexual act in church.

He would pray, Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.

But he would become one of the great saints of Christian history. And we'll talk more about him in just a moment. living the Christian life we're up to essential number eight we've talked about Christ the word, prayer community purpose perseverance joy and today holiness

holiness if you're doing the little chart This goes down in the block on the bottom right.

Holiness.

You recall our text is in 1 Peter. Let me just remind you the background of 1 Peter. Peter writes to Jewish and Gentile Christians who are suffering persecution. There's a real danger for these persecuted Christians. and one of those dangers is that they become like the world around them.

Rather than remaining distinctive in the midst of this persecution, it would be easy to just start to be like everybody else, not be that distinctively different Christian. And Peter writes to this group of persecuted Christians that they have a real need, and that need is to remain and stay holy. And I want us to go to 1 Peter, and I'm going to read starting at verse 13. 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 13 to 16.

1 Peter chapter 1, verses 13 to 16.

Therefore, anytime you see therefore, we're going to have to talk about what came before in just a moment. But we're going to start with the therefore. Prepare your minds for action. Be self-controlled. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

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. Let's pray. Help us, Lord, to hear the teaching of Scripture today in a culture filled with unholiness. In a church filled with unholiness, may we seek after, may we desire to be holy.

For it is in Christ's name we pray. Amen.

The central admonition is simple and straightforward. Be holy because I am holy. It is an admonition that is rooted in the Old Testament, and I've given you some other passages of Scripture, particularly the book of Leviticus. Leviticus 19, too, explicitly gives this same command, and Peter here repeats it to those Christians to whom he writes. It is an imperative command.

Some translations translate this, you shall be holy, translating it sort of like a future tense. It's pretty clear, I think, here it should be be holy, more like a direct imperative command. I say that for two reasons. If you go to the Old Testament, it was an Old Testament imperative, be holy. And this command is a command that ends a series of commands that start in verse 13.

So this is an imperative command to be holy because He is holy. to be holy what does that term mean there are two aspects to it one is we are to be holy is to be set apart or dedicated consecrated to god but then the other aspect of it is to be separated from something separated from sin and the world meaning those worldly views that are opposed to the things of God. So there's sort of a positive aspect to holiness, that is being dedicated to God. And then the negative aspect, which is good, but it's a negative aspect, is to be separated from sin and from the world. When the text of scripture says God is holy, it means that God is dedicated solely to himself in an ultimate sense. He wants his own name to be lifted up.

He wants Himself to get glory. But He is completely separate from sin. In Him there is no darkness at all, 1 John tells us. He is completely light. He is separated from sin, separated from anything impure.

We are to also be holy as He is holy. We are, folks, as the scriptures call us, the saints. And that term translated saints is the translation of a Greek word, hagioi. I gave it to you in your outline. And that Greek word literally means holy ones.

We are the saints. We are the holy ones. That means we are dedicated to God. We are His. We are consecrated to His service.

And at the same time, we are separated from sin and the world. Or we're supposed to be.

Simple command, right? How do we do it? How do we live like the saints? And that's what I want us to think about for the next few moments. The foundation for our action in living like saints is gratitude to God.

And I've listed there in your handout those things that God has already done for us that lay the foundation for our grateful response to Him. Do you see in your handout? and these are the verses leading up to that therefore in verse 13. Folks, He chose us to be His children. He gave us a new birth, Peter says.

He gave us salvation through Christ. He gave us an imperishable inheritance. and He has given us an inexpressible joy.

Don't we owe Him our all? Should we not give ourselves completely to Him no matter what it takes because of what He has given to us?

Yes, we should. Our response in holiness is a response of gratitude. God has done so much for us. We should gratefully do what He has asked of us, and that is to be His saints, His holy ones in the world, dedicated to Him and separated from sin. Because of what He has done for us, Peter says, therefore, this is a therefore that says, in light of what he's done, therefore we should do certain things.

And there are four imperatives that are in our text that we've studied this morning that I want us to talk about. Things that we should be doing. The first imperative is prepare your minds for action. You see that in verse 13? Prepare your minds for action.

Literally, literally, it's a battle phrase. Prepare your minds for action. It literally says, gird your loins for action. The soldiers, before they would go into battle, would get those flowing robes and tie them around their waist so that they would be ready to move and do whatever they needed to do on the field of battle. Peter is saying, you're to get your minds ready for the battle.

Prepare your minds for action. You're in the race of the Christian life. in the battle of the Christian life, you better get your mind ready for the battle. How do you get your mind ready for action?

If we're going into this battle, we better have our minds full of what God has taught us about how we're to live, what's right versus what is wrong, what is good versus what is evil, versus what is false because when you get out in the battle the world is going to try to turn you all upside down and tell you what is false is true what is evil is good what is wrong is right and if your mind isn't prepared to sift through all of the stuff that is thrown at you you will fall in the battle. So you better have your mind prepared, ready, sharp, active to filter all the stuff that will come at you. The scriptures time and again are lifted up as the means by which we live holy lives. How does a young man cleanse his way? The psalmist asked. By taking heed according to your word.

Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It keeps me on the straight and the narrow. Unfortunately, we don't know our scriptures well enough.

So we're easily led astray. But then secondly, Secondly, too often we don't want to live like the saints. So you've got to get your mind prepared for action, which you've got to know, but then you've got to be prepared to do. So prepare your minds for action. Gird the loins of your mind for action.

The second imperative is be self-controlled. Controlled. Be self-controlled, the text says. This is a word that is opposite of the word for being intoxicated. Instead of being intoxicated, which when you're intoxicated, you're confused, you're disoriented.

Instead of being in that kind of state, we need to be self-controlled. Sin can so easily confuse us and make us disoriented.

so he's saying get your minds prepared know what is right know what is wrong know what is true know what is false but then be self-controlled don't get confused but exercise that mind to be self-controlled to be self-controlled is to be sober to be clear-headed to be steady

discerning, sifting through all the stuff that comes at you, to be reflective, to exercise good judgment, to make sound decisions. That's being self-controlled. Why do so many of us not think clearly before we act? Why do we jump off into these behaviors that are harmful and destructive

holy, let's pause to think before we jump. Let's pause to think before we act. Weigh God's word before you respond. What does it say? What are the consequences of the action I am about to take?

People do the stupidest things. If they would show some self-control, think clearly before they act and see the consequences of their actions

they would avoid so much misery and heartache. But it takes some self-control, folks. It takes some sound judgment. It takes reflection. So, prepare your minds for action.

Then be self-controlled. Thirdly, look forward to the consummation of God's grace at Christ's return. He talks about this in verse 14.

Excuse me, the end of verse 13. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Now why is he admonishing us, Peter admonishing us to do that? How does that help us be holy?

Well, there are two aspects here. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you. When we think about Christ and the grace that we have in Him and through Him, I think that helps us to be holy. How often do you stop to reflect about Jesus Christ on the cross? That He died for your sin and for my sin.

reflecting on what it cost for God to give us the pathway to be able to be made right with Him. It cost the life of His Son.

That should sober us before we launch into unholy actions. I've talked to a number of people in my lifetime who had gotten caught up in things that were just beyond the pale for Christians.

and I have said,

think about Christ on the cross. And when you're going out and getting ready to sin, why don't you just take your fist out and just hit Jesus in the face? Just hit him a couple more times before you do it. You might as well. That's what you're doing when you're sinning.

It's just like hitting Jesus in the face while he's hanging on the cross.

The other aspect to the consummation back folks. One day we're going to see him face to face. And as John tells us in 1 John 2, we don't want to shrink back in shame when we enter into his presence. He's coming back. He's returning.

We'll either meet him at our physical deaths or we'll meet him when he comes back if we are still physically alive at that time. But we're going to see him face to face. Think about that. Live in such a way that when you meet Him, you don't have to be ashamed.

Lastly, do not be shaped by evil desires. Verse 14, He says, As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in your ignorance. He says, as obedient children, the Father has said no to unholiness. He has said, don't do it. And since He has said don't do it, we should not be shaped by evil desires.

And He tells us we are no longer ignorant in the text. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

The evil desires are those lusts and desires that shaped us in our ignorance. That is, before our minds were renewed in Christ. Before we knew through Christ's word and through His Spirit what was right and what was wrong. What was good and what was evil. But now we know we don't live in ignorance any longer.

The truth has been revealed to us through Christ and His Word. So quit living like you're ignorant. You know the truth. You know what is right. You know what is good.

Live like you know it. Don't go back to the former days before you were enlightened, before you knew the truth. But live like people with knowledge. Live like people who have renewed minds. Live like people who know about the reality of heaven and hell.

Of eternity in glory and eternity in judgment. And let's live like those who desire the eternity in glory.

The imperative is pretty simple.

Here are my life's lessons.

life lesson number one observe Lent see everybody Baptists don't know what Lent is usually

some do how many know what Lent is okay excuse me

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March the 5th this year. Since at least the 4th century A.D., we can document it at least back that far, Christians have observed this period of the year called Lent. It's a period of 40 days, excluding Sundays, but about 40 days leading up to Easter. And what is the purpose of Lent? The purpose of Lent is for a time of the year when we specifically think about and examine our lives before God.

It's a time when people often talk about giving up something. You will hear people say, I gave up this for Lent. I gave up chocolate for Lent. I gave up Coca-Cola for Lent. that's not what he wants us to give up he wants us to give up sin it's a time to examine ourselves and say Lord before you shine your light upon my heart let me see what I'm really like and help me to be what you want me to be help me to set aside get rid of those things in my life that are not pleasing to you and help me to renew myself at this time of the year to you and to your service looking forward to that

great remembrance on Good Friday when my Savior died and that glorious day when he was resurrected. Let me prepare for those special days by getting my heart and mind right before you. Still the noise of life. Engage in some self-examination during that period and be what God wants you to be. Secondly, beware, sow a thought, reap an action.

The reality is that what we think influences our behavior. So we better be careful what fills our minds.

Philippians 4.8 says, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

Which means that for us in our culture, my third admonition is we must control the media, technology, and entertainment that is so pervasive in our lives. things bombard us and direct our thoughts in a certain direction, don't they? Who among us would not say that TV, movies, newspapers, and other media have a significant influence in our culture and even on us.

We need to be sure that we are letting our mind be filled with those things that are healthy and wholesome and as best we can filter out those things that are not. It's impossible to filter it all out.

But you know, we have those filters on our internet programs. I was so tired of getting people asking me if I wanted to have sex with them over the internet or if I wanted more Viagra or whatever I finally got figured out how to do my filters so I've screened out most of that stuff but you know your name gets on any mailing list you're going to start am I the only one that gets bombarded with that junk? it's out there I'm going to submit to you that one great method for improving what goes through our minds improving, I think, our behavior and our holiness is to control the media that we let come into our lives. That means watch less, not more TV. Get fewer, not more channels.

Desire less, not more. Usually the more you add, the worse they get. The more fees you pay, the worse it gets. You've got to pay for sin. And the advertisers know you're willing to, so they charge for it.

I'm not saying that we as adults don't have some abilities to filter out stuff. I'm not saying that Christians can only go to, you know, G movies. But I am arguing that we need to be a lot more up front with the fact that we do get influenced by what hits us. Guys, I don't care what you say. You cannot go watch stuff that's got nudity and all that stuff in it without your mind going in the wrong direction.

probably ladies too, but I'm a guy, and I know for certain with us it's the case. You've got to watch what you're saying. Guard your children. Guard your children and your grandchildren. Be willing to say no.

Be their parent and grandparent before you're their, quote, friend. Love them enough to control them and what they do.

don't let them get mired up in the muck I don't care how far down in it their friends are protect them and protect yourself

in our home we have over the years had fewer and fewer and fewer channels on our TV I finally took the antenna off so we couldn't even get the three or four that were coming through, and I was persuaded by my family to let us at least have three or four. So we've got three or four channels to see, but we have no cable, no nothing. We don't get a newspaper anymore. I cut that out. We still get the news.

You can go on the internet and get the news. But we made a decision not to get the paper because it's just bombarded with all the stuff. I'm not saying that's what you have to do, but that's the course we've chosen in this effort.

in the positive side immerse yourself in the Bible and listen to Christian music you need to be in the word need to come to Sunday school hopefully hear some good biblical content but you need to be reading yourself and I strongly urge you to listen to Christian music I'm not saying that's the only kind of music to listen to but there's something good about hearing those recurring phrases that we begin to sing and hum and hear that are so uplifting. There's some good contemporary Christian music for kids and grandchildren. Get them on it. It may not have the beat you like, but it's got a good message, or much of it does. Fifthly, delight in Christ and hate sin.

We need to get to the point that we don't think sin is funny. in our culture today you know the more the comedians talk about sinful stuff people laugh you know they make all these crude jokes we need to get to a point it's just not funny to us anymore that we don't want to listen to it that we we abhor it because we want christ we love him we like stuff that is pure and holy because that's what he wants us to love you can change what you desire if you work at it through God's Spirit. But you've got to ask Him to help you to delight more in Christ and to hate sin. We need to quit toying around with sin. We need to set it aside.

Sixthly, delight in being different. Peter called those to whom he wrote strangers in the world. Our problem today is we're not different. Christ statistically when you do polling it looks virtually no different than the world. George Barn has done all sorts of surveys about our behavior quote those who are in church versus those who are out of church. Very minute differences. We need to shun the self-seeking self-indulgent self-pleasing self-gratifying self-absorbed sinfulness of this world. We need but not of it, because it's not our home.

This is not our home. Our home is in heaven.

And because our home is in heaven as we live on earth, we are going to take the road less traveled by. We are not going to walk with the crowd. We're going to take a different path. and we need to relish and enjoy being different for our Lord. I'm not talking about being weird, but I'm talking about choosing a path of holiness.

I want us to march to the beat of a heavenly drummer. And that beat is far different from the beat of the worldly drummer.

I want my children to be different. your children to be so much like everybody else and fit in so much that they become just like the world. Enjoy and relish their being different. Lastly, let's always remember those who have been great sinners can become great saints. I don't care where you've been, what you've done, how you did it, how much you did it, how often you did it. Jesus Christ says, come to me, turn to me, repent, forget the past and be a great saint.

I love the Christian faith for many reasons, but one reason I love it is because it's a message of hope. It says we don't care what you're being, how mired in the filth you got, how deep in the stuff you were, come home, come home. And the Father is standing with outstretched arms for his prodigal sons and daughters to welcome you home with feasting banqueting. He says, come home. Some of you need to come home. St. Augustine was struggling with his own sin. That's the one who stole the pears and gave himself to lust. He one day would become St. Augustine. He was converted in a garden at a friend's house. He was in wrestling with his sin and about whether or not he should consider converting to the Christian faith.

When he heard a little child next door saying, apparently playing a game, take up and read, take up and read, take up and read, he viewed that as a command to open his Bible. So St. Augustine gets his Bible, he opens it and reads the first thing that he reads. Now remember this guy gave himself over to lust and this guy did everything.

he lived with a woman for many years had a child out of wedlock he had done it all folks but he opens his bible in the garden and he reads romans 13 13 to 14 let us behave decently as in the daytime not in orgies and drunkenness not in sexual immorality and debauchery not in dissension and jealousy rather clothe yourselves with the lord jesus christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature what are two verses to read for a guy

he said in his confessions, his tell-all book that he wrote after he became a Christian, in an instant, as I came to the end of the sentence, it was as though the light of confidence flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled. And he who wrote, Lord, our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee, came home to the Lord and found his rest in Christ. On August the 28th, 430 A.D., he died. And as one author wrote, he passed gently and happily into that eternity to which he had so long aspired. For the ten days before his death, he had laid in his bed praying and reading the Psalms that he had written on the walls and the ceiling of his room.

So when he would lay in bed, he didn't even have to get up. He could just look at the walls or the ceiling and read the Psalms. But as he died, this saint joined the company of saints in eternity. It is my prayer that we will live like the saints and look forward to the day when we with them will be praising our Holy Lord. Let us pray.

Lord, this day we acknowledge how far short we have fallen and how often we have fallen short. For that, I ask collectively for your forgiveness. But I pray that having come to you forgiveness, we will with a renewed vigor seek to live lives that honor you and honor what you have done for us. May we desire to be holy. May we desire purity.

May we desire that which is honorable and good. And may we oppose those things that are contrary to your truth. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.