Plainly Speaking
Title: From Hope to Holiness
by Karl J. Forehand
From Hope to Holiness
From Hope to Holiness
(1 Peter 1:13-17)
Therefore, gird
your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on
the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient
children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your
ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also
in all your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am
holy." And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according
to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay
upon earth; (1 Peter 1:13-17)
The first word of this passage is “therefore.”
When we see this, we have to ask, “What is the ‘therefore’ there for?” It
causes us to look back. In verses 10-12 of this chapter, Peter talks about
the prophets. He explains how they only caught glimpses of certain things
that would happen in the kingdom. Even though they didn’t have all the information,
they sought the answers will all their strength. Being in our present situation,
we have the complete revelation. We have history and a complete revelation
of God’s Word. We have more information therefore….
I believe our current
study teaches us how to take this living hope (1:3-5) and our living faith
(1:6-9) and move to holiness.
1. Develop a Mind for God
God gave us
a wonderful tool that we often don’t use – our minds. Chuck Swindoll recently
quoted C. S. Lewis, when he said ““If all the world were Christian it might
not matter if all the world were uneducated. But a cultural life will exist
outside the Church whether it exists inside or not. To be ignorant and simple
now—not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground—would be to throw
down our weapons, and betray our uneducated brethren who have no defense
but us against intellectual attacks of the heathen.” Swindoll went on to
say, “Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy
needs to be answered.
Whether we are star pupils or slow learners, God
intends that we use our minds. This passage stresses three ways:
a. Have
a Disciplined Mind (prepared). The language literally says, “Gird up the
loins of your mind.” It is the picture of a man tucking his robe into his
belt when he is about to run somewhere. Our minds must be this way – we
have to get ready to run. Someone said, “It’s better to be prepared for
an opportunity and not have one, that to have an opportunity and not be
prepared.” You WILL have opportunities for the Lord even today. Are you
prepared?
b. Have a Sober Mind. I met many people that get hung up on
certain doctrines. They spend all their time in prophecy or all their time
in the Old Testament. Others study God’s Word 6 hours a day and never apply,
while still others try to apply it without ever studying it. We must maintain
a balance and stay sober (aware) of what is going on in our lives and in
those around us.
c. Have an Optimistic Mind. Pastors often get optimistic
about the size of the crowd on Sunday, only to be let down when many go
on vacation. We must be optimistic about the right things – the things that
won’t let us down. What does this passage say? It says “Set you hope firmly”.
What should we set our faith upon? God’s GRACE. Setting our faith on God’s
grace says, “I have observed how God displayed His grace to me and I believe
He is going to do it again. That is what my faith rests upon.
Before we
talk more about holiness – are you prepared? Is you mind sober enough to
receive what God wants to teach you? Are you optimistic about the future
because you know about God’s grace?
The first step in moving from hope
to holiness is to develop a mind for God. The second step is:
2. Enter
the Holiness of God.
The Greek word for holy is “hagios.” Hagios is translated
three ways into English. As an adjective is translated “holy.” It is used,
in this passage to describe God. He is holy and He is proclaimed as the
“Holy One.” As an adjective, holy describes God and the things that proceed
from Him, like His name. Hagios is also used as a verb when it is translated
“sanctify.” To sanctify is to set apart for a holy purpose. It describes
the process that we go through when we allow God to change us. As a noun,
hagios is used to describe something very interesting – In English, the
noun is translated “saint.” Saint is the noun that describes believers.
In this passage, Peter literally says ‘Holy in all conduct become ye.” We
say “I’ve tried to become more holy.” When we fall short of holiness, we
begin to compare ourselves to others. The old phrase “holier than thou”
is a bogus theology. First of all there is only one Holy One and holiness
is an absolute condition. How can you be more holy than someone else? How
then can a saint (believer) be holy?
First, we are positionally holy,
because of Jesus’ redemptive work in our lives. The designation “saint”
(hagios) confirms that. We are made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and we have been “raised us up
with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,”
(Eph 2:6).
Second, as God grows and changes us he actually begins to make
us more like Jesus. This is the process of sanctification.
Lastly though,
we enter into the holiness of God when we submit to Him. In the Old Testament,
the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and commune with God once
a year. But, by God’s spirit, the tabernacle of God is with man and we can
enter that place at any time. It would be real easy for me to take a passage
that says “be holy” and say “stop going to movies, don’t drink, etc. etc.”
But, holiness is an absolute state that we only experience when we submit
to God and fellowship with Him. Once we experience Him directly and personally,
He begins to change us dramatically.
Holiness is not something you attain
– it is something you enter into.
We must develop the right mind and enter
the holiness of God, but we must also:
3. Beware the Judgment of God
We often worry about what other people say. We also says that it is important
what we say about ourselves. Although those things might have a little value,
what is important is what God says of us. As far as salvation goes, that
judgment has already been passed. If we don’t believe in him, we are condemned;
if we have believed in him, the judgment is removed (John 3:17).
There
is another judgment that will take place. It is described in 1 Corinthians
3:13-15:
Each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it,
because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the
quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built upon it
remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall
suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.
Let’s
don’t get into a legalistic debate; but here is the truth: Only what is
done by God’s Spirit through you will stand. All else will be burned up.
We must ask ourselves each day, “How much of the things I did were God working
through me? How much of what I did today will burn up?”
How do we “conduct
ourselves in fear?”
1. Put your trust in the Holy One. There is only one
Holy One and he deserves all our attention.
2. Realize the Holy One has
a holy purpose for you. You may not feel that significant, but God has planned
specific things for you to do.
3. Allow the Holy One to do a holy work
in your life. If you will submit to Him, He can bring you into holiness
and work in your life.
Karl J. Forehand, 2001
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