The Calling to Purity: Be Holy, for I Am Holy: Part 1

Notice all the songs that have been selected as the theme is holiness. Holiness, and this is exactly where Peter is taking us in this wonderful chapter, 1

Peter 1. 1 Peter 1. This has been a wonderful study as we return back to this as we took a small little break.

We looked at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and we'll show you in these verses today that the

Apostle Peter is talking about living holy before the Lord, before God our

Father in the light of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is exactly where he points us to. So 1

Peter 1, beginning with verse 13, I'd like everybody to stand in honor of God's word, please.

Just three verses of scripture, these three verses of scripture are loaded up.

They are loaded. Word of the living God, hear God's living word.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober. Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lust as in your ignorance.

But as he who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written,

Be holy for I am holy. Let us pray and seek the

Lord's help this morning through his Holy Spirit.

Our Father, we thank you this morning for your holy word. Everything about you,

Lord, is holy. Your name is holy and actually we are to pray, hallowed be thy name.

For your name is most holy. You are the most holy God. The city in which you dwell and you are made is holy.

A holy city. And you will have a holy bride, a holy people unto yourself.

Through the holy Son, through the holy blood of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.

Father, we thank you again for your holy word. A means, a holy agent in which we can keep ourselves pure and holy from sin and defilement.

Father, for it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Showing us,

O Lord, by the light in which it gives, the light our way which we should walk in this dark and sin -sick and troubled world.

Father, I pray this morning that you alone would give us the hearts to obey you.

And to be a holy people unto yourself, a peculiar people. Called out of darkness unto your marvelous light.

A distinct people. Father, set apart from this world as light shining in darkness.

To live those lives which are being shipwrecked, Lord, that we would set an example. Because of such or disregarding the heavenly wisdom through the word.

Father, we pray that we would ask you now to teach us by your blessed Holy Spirit, the

Spirit of truth, our teacher be. Showing us the things of Christ to be.

That by your word and by your spirit to teach us and give us a heart again to love you and to live a holy life unto you.

That would be pleasing in your sight by your grace. And Father, we would ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen and Amen. Thank you so much. This particular section of scripture deals with the believer's response to God's great salvation.

In our Lord Jesus' parable, in Luke chapter 12 verse 48, the

Lord says this, and this is speaking of the parable of the steward, the faithful steward.

And then Jesus says this, From everyone who has been given much, much will be required.

This principle surely also relates to the Christian's response to salvation.

Everything we've seen up until this point is the greatness of God's salvation. You can read that all the way through the doxology in which he begins and after the introduction in verse 1 and 2.

But the doxology he speaks of is from verse 3, actually all the way to verse 12.

A wonderful doxology of the greatness of God and the greatness of His salvation. And speaking of our

Lord's words, Much that has been given, much will be required.

This principle surely relates to the Christian's response to our salvation. I'd like for you to keep that before you as we look at this because this is so gravely important.

I tremble before you as I bring this word because of the great importance that is required of each

Christian and believer to live a holy life. And to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

And let me begin by saying this, that since no gift is greater than God's great gift of salvation, forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ through the blood, nothing could demand a greater response.

In other words, the greatest gift that carries with it is the greatest obligation.

Salvation by grace alone then brings us to the greatest responsibility.

By grace, daily, we owe much. And we owe our lives as believers to the

Lord Jesus Christ. We owe our all to Him and nothing less. And this is how we should live our lives before God and before others.

And if you notice I said before others. Ultimately before God. But it is also before others.

There's a vertical and there's a horizontal. You have a cross. That is the cross life. In which we should take up daily.

How should we then live? Peter gives us the instructions from verse 13 to verse 16.

Writing to many Christians who had come from pagan backgrounds. Living in a pagan society where there were great pressure upon them to conform to the world.

And by worldly ways of practice. The apostle Peter calls us, his readers, to holiness in light of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

And by the way, the second coming of Jesus Christ is the blessed hope. That is the blessed hope and he speaks of this hope.

And the holy character of God who calls us to that salvation.

Now this is what we're going to look at. Peter summarizes three very important points. The first being, to be holy people we must be focused on Christ's second coming.

The blessed hope. Second, is to be obedient children to God in all life.

And third, is an ever growing knowledge of God's holiness.

In which we believers, in which we walk and live before God and before others.

We should be growing in maturity. Growing in holiness. If you're not growing in holiness, there's something wrong.

That's where we need to examine our hearts before God and see if we're into faith. Because holiness always follows sanctification.

Another word for holiness. Always follows regeneration. Always follows justification.

And J .C. Rowles says actually a sanctified life is really the only outward evidence that we have.

The knowing that we're justified. We're justified by faith. But that justification works its way out.

And which is an instant, once and for all act that has already been done for eternity.

It has happened. God has declared us justified, righteous before Him.

In Jesus Christ. His imputed righteousness to us by faith. But what follows that is sanctification.

Not the other way around, right? A lot of people believe that the other way around. Actually our

Roman Catholic friends believe that. Unfortunately, in other words, you've got to be somehow holy enough and good enough to get your way to heaven.

Like holiness is the way to God, but no, it's the other way around. Christ is the way to holiness. So sanctification always follows out from justification.

I think it was a great commentator years ago that said,

Where justification ends, sanctification begins. That is so true.

So we need not to forget these three points of great truth. To help us to remind us on our journey to the celestial holy city.

Where a holy God lives. And if we do not have a desire to be holy. Then there's no reason for people to live there in that holy city.

And unfortunately to say, hell is full of people. That knew about holiness, folks.

And they're in hell forever right now because they were not made holy. They did not desire holiness.

They did not love holiness. They did not hate their sin. And now because they love their sin.

They are being burned and purified. Their souls will be purified from the horrors of hell forever and ever.

Because they were never made holy. Our God is a consuming fire. Keep that in mind. And by the way, for the purification effect to take place.

It takes fire. God is a consuming fire. And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

But the fire purges us. The purging and the purification.

And this may be some hard words for all of us this morning. It's hard words for myself. Because we live in a dirty world.

And our hearts are dirty. And the world is dirty. Because of sin. And rebellion. And hatred toward God.

And God's holiness comes on the scene. And it's traumatic. Isn't it? And people want to back away from it.

Because they are terrified of it. I don't know about you. But when I first heard the law of God.

There was a terror that came to my heart. It revealed my sin. It revealed for who

I really was. And I looked in the mirror of the perfect law of liberty. And I saw myself. And if you really want to see a sinner.

Just look in the mirror every morning. We have all fallen short.

And we have come short of the glory of God. I was witnessing to someone yesterday.

And Brother Keith was speaking. And this particular man, an older fellow. Was agreeing with us.

With everything Brother Keith was saying about the gospel. And then he said, but you can't overlook the goodness of man.

And I love what Brother Keith did. And he thought the same thing I did. I was over there praying while he was speaking. And he took him right to the gospel.

About the rich young ruler that came to Jesus. And said, good teacher. And even the

Lord Jesus Christ himself says. There is no one good but God. Our goodness and our righteousness is filthy rags before God.

Amen. People say, what about the good deeds people do? But you know if there is anything good out of it.

It is because of God. Every good and every perfect gift.

Every one comes from God. The Father of lights. Which is no variable and is a shadow of turning.

And that is what we are to do. We are to point people to the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, people say.

You can't overlook the goodness of man. What are you talking about? Look at this world. People devouring one another.

Killing one another. Violence fills the earth. Hatred every place you can see. And yet he talks about the goodness of man.

Really? Well, we need to point people to Jesus.

Amen. Jesus said that in a sense. He was the perfectly holy

God. The Son of God in flesh. And he didn't stand and say before this religious band.

That was seeking eternal life. He didn't say, I am holy. He would have been right.

But what Jesus did. In a winsome way. Was pointing to the holiness and the goodness of man.

And the holiness and goodness of God. Well, Peter does this. Let's look at our first point.

To be holy people. We must be focused on Christ's second coming. Christ's second coming.

And the first thing Peter says. Therefore. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober.

And rest your hope fully. Upon the grace that is to be brought to you. At the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Look at this first word he begins. The transitional word. The conjunction. Therefore.

He moves the reader from the statement to application. He moves them from truth to application.

Now this is application. From fact. To interference. It directs the believers to the main emphasis of this verse.

Which is. To gird up the loins of your mind. Another translation says.

To fix their hope. Peter exhorts believers.

In a military fashion. In a military style. Battle language. This is battle language.

Have you noticed it's a battle? We just sung every thought. Every motive.

To be pure and holy before God. It's a battle. To keep your mind holy. And thoughts.

And by the way the thought life. That's where he begins. It's a decisive kind of action.

To a hope. That is to act. Of the will. It's an act of the will.

And it is a command to live expectantly. Anticipating. The living hope.

Christ coming back. The inheritance that is reserved in heaven. That is to be revealed at the last time.

Beloved this is a call. To live holy. It's a battle. Call. It's a battle call to holiness.

Have you found out in this world yet? That it's a battle to live holy? It is a constant battle.

To live holy. But God is here to help us. Beloved. To help us every step of the way.

Holy living. The first thing is. Holy living in the light of Christ's coming. Begins in the mind.

The mind. Do not forget this. There is an order. That the spirit of God gives Peter.

The apostle Peter. Therefore in the light of the great salvation. That he speaks of the past.

He directs to live in the light of the future salvation to come. Notice this. God has.

Been merciful to you. He's given you his salvation. But it's something that has happened in the past.

But it's also something that's going to happen in the future. There's going to be a. Fulfillment.

That's the blessed hope. When Jesus returns. And he says. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind.

Let's look at this. Just as people in biblical times would gather up their long robes. In that culture.

They would tie their robes up around them. And around their way. So that they could be more quick.

And more free. To do. Whatever it takes for them to run.

And to focus their. Way through. They couldn't run in robes.

They would trip up. Back then in that culture. Yes the men wore robes.

But he would say. Gird up the loins. Gird up. The loins of your mind.

That's interesting isn't it? The way he puts this. And what he's saying is.

He's saying. To focus our thoughts and minds. On those things that would allow us. To serve

God more and more. All the while eliminating the thoughts. That would trip us up.

There's a verse. Chapter and verse for this. Hebrews 12. One and two. You can turn there if you like to.

It's one of my favorite verses. I've preached on it several times. I know it's Miss Lillian's favorite verse.

And he says this. He speaks that therefore. Of all those saints that lived by faith.

By the way. And then all these saints that lived by faith. And he says. Now he's going to point them to the ultimate one.

In which they kept their faith. And their eyes were their faith upon. And anticipated for them to come.

Now we look back to the one who has come. He says. Therefore we also since we are surrounded.

By so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight. And the sin which so easily.

You hear that? Easily ensnares us. In other words. It would trip you up.

And let us run with patience. With endurance. The race. It's a race. That is set before us.

Verse two. Looking unto Jesus. Three words you need not forget.

Looking unto Jesus. The author and the finisher. Of our faith.

He started us off. He's going to finish us. Who for the joy that was set before him.

He endured the cross. Despising the shame. Has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In other words. The writer of Hebrews says. He has made it into glory. He's at the right hand of God.

And you're going to make it to glory. He's going to keep you. He's going to hold you fast. But you got to live holy.

Now. Holiness is not going to get us into heaven. But the scripture says. Without holiness no one shall see the

Lord. What does that mean? Basically it means you're justified. But you need to continue to be sanctified.

There's times the scripture does say. If you continue. In these words.

If you continue. Jesus says. He that endures to the end. Shall be saved.

We're saved to the uttermost. But we shall be saved. When we ultimately arrive.

To the end. And we're going to talk about this in a minute.

But there are many people. In the Christian faith. That has been shipwrecked. And a cast away. That means disqualified.

In the race. They're in the race. And then all of a sudden. They're tripped up. They're ensnared.

They're in a pit of sin. And they become disqualified. They can be forgiven.

They can recover. But there's grave discipline to be taking place. In the process of that.

But God keeps his people to the end. But there's something at the same time. We need to do. We need to continue in the faith.

And all along. When we see that the continuing is not our power. It's God's power.

Even though there's a responsibility. For us to do. It's God and his sovereignty.

That keeps us and preserves us. And God's a keeping God. Right? But is it because he's a keeping

God. That I back off and do nothing. And sit down and do nothing. Well actually if I do nothing.

Something's wrong. What is Peter saying? Gird up the loins of your mind.

Battle spiritually against the world. The flesh. The devil. To gird up the loins of your mind.

You know what he's saying? Prepare your mind for action. This is action.

The meaning here is metaphorically. He's speaking metaphorically. And it's applied to one's thought process.

One's thought life. I don't know about you. This is where sin begins. Read it in the scriptures.

The seeds of sin are in our minds. Beloved. And because what comes from the mind.

Is an overflow from the heart. And to.

What he's saying is. Pull up. Pull in all the loose ends. Of one's thinking.

By rejecting the hindrances of the world. And focusing on the future. Blessed hope of the grace.

That is to come. Ephesians 6 .14 Stand therefore.

Having girded your waist with truth. That's what you gird up.

With. His truth. How do you do that? Colossians 3 .2

Set. Don't miss these small words. That means lock in.

Set your mind. On things above. If you've been born from above.

You're going to think about the things above. You're going to think about the heavenly city. You're going to think about Christ above.

God above. All that's above. Not on the earth. Not on the things.

Of the earth. The point is this. Holiness begins in the thought life.

Holiness begins in the thought life. What you think. Is who you are. What you think.

Determines how you live. How you live out your life. Is what you think. You've heard the saying.

Garbage in. Garbage out. Right? What people put in their minds. Is the way they live out.

Before a person commits adultery. An act of sin. An act of adultery. An act of fornication.

They have already went through the thought process. Beloved. It has entered their thought life.

Right here. Because it's a cesspool of sin. Within the hearts of man. And within that heart.

It goes to the mind. When God redeems us. We have to continually renew our mind.

I think of it like a computer. You get on the computer. You want to delete the trash. You get trash on your computer.

Delete it. Erase it. Well you erase these things. These bad thoughts.

And how do you feel? You fill it with good things. And we're going to look at that in a few minutes. So your thought processes determine how you live.

One of the most practical things I can tell you this morning. Is that the Christian life is this.

You have to deal with the sin on your thought level. You've got to judge yourselves.

Beloved. You must examine yourselves in the faith. I cannot do this for you.

But you can do this. By the word of God. You must judge yourself. And this is the standard in which you judge yourself.

The word of God. You know people in the world today. Who are you my judge?

And you know all you've got to do is just read scripture. And automatically you've got people. Judge not least you be judged.

Use that word. It's about the only scripture they know by the way. That's the truth isn't it?

You give them the word of God. And I'm telling you. This word will cut you up. And if you haven't already noticed.

As Brother Key says. It cuts yourself up too. It's so pure. It's razor sharp.

It cuts in. It cuts out. And it heals. It not only cuts. There's a healing process.

But the instant you have. You have to judge your thoughts. And at that instant.

You have to bring them before God. And confess them to God. And agree with God. And replace those thoughts with Him.

And His word. Renew your mind day by day. That's what the scripture says.

Renew your mind. With the word of God. Take every thought captive.

To the obedience of Christ. That makes me think of 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Go with me there please. 2

Corinthians chapter 10. You talk about real spiritual warfare. This is real spiritual warfare right here.

It's not just battling devils. It's battling the fleshly thoughts. You got to fortify.

The walls. The fortresses of your mind. This is a battle. Of the mind beloved.

There are strongholds. And those strongholds. Must be taken down.

Verse 3. 2 Corinthians. Chapter 10. For though we walk in the flesh.

We do not war according to the flesh. Listen to the word of God here. For the weapons of our warfare.

Are not carnal. They are not fleshly in other words. They are not worldly. But it's mighty in God.

For the pulling down of strongholds. God wants to help you pull these strongholds down. The weapons of our warfare.

See there are weapons. What's the weapon? The truth. And Paul goes through that list.

As well in Ephesians 6. But look at what he says here. Verse 5. Casting down arguments.

And every high thing that exalts itself. Against the knowledge of God. Bringing every thought.

Notice there. Every thought into captivity. To the obedience of Christ.

Verse 6. And being ready to punish all disobedience. When your obedience is fulfilled.

It's interesting. He brought this out. About every high thing. The strongholds. Overlooking the ancient city of Corinth.

Corinth can relate to the high places. There was a hill. That was 1 ,857 feet high.

And on top of it was a fortress. They understood. What Paul was talking about.

So he uses this illustration. And Paul used that imagery. As an illustration of the spiritual warfare.

He waged. You've got to destroy strongholds. Cast down the towers.

You've got to take them captive. You've got to take them captive. And bring them down. The fortress towers.

Captives represent the arguments. The thoughts. The plans that Paul was opposing. And Paul.

Cast down all rationalizations. Philosophies. Anything that would be against the knowledge of God.

Take it captive. To the obedience of Christ. Every perception.

Every intention. Of the heart. That's against God. That's a battle.

That's a battle. That's why Peter says. Gird up the loins of your mind. In other words.

Roll up your sleeves. And this is a battle friend. You're going to have to battle. You've got to fight the good fight of faith.

Our actions reveal our thoughts beloved. So we should not cling to thoughts. That do not conform to the life.

And the teachings. We should not cling to the thoughts. That do not conform to the life.

And teachings of Christ. Paul did not walk according to the flesh. And his worldly desires.

But instead he conquered the flesh. He had to mortify it. He says I die daily.

I mortify. I put it to death. I beat it. I like what MacArthur says.

Brother Keith and myself uses this all the time. You don't buffet the body.

You beat it. Under subjection. You discipline it. And it explains the strategy.

I discipline my body. And I bring it into subjection. Well. That says a lot.

This is a real spiritual warfare beloved. It's the battle for the mind. That's where the real battle is. Believers need to cultivate holy thoughts.

Into the mind. And to be holy. And we must reprogram our minds.

With the word of God. Not with good stories. But with the word.

Master this word. And it will master you. Master the word of God. Know this book.

Meditate on this book. Eat this book. Like it's your necessary food.

You know. Doesn't our physical body. Starve for food. Go without food for a couple days.

And see what happens. Your stomach begins to growl. Say I got to have food.

Doesn't it. Try to go. I don't know. A lot of people can't go without one meal. But. Go several days without food.

Have you neglected God's word? How many days. If you neglect God's word.

A whole week. You have starved your spiritual man. To skin and bones.

You must feed that spiritual man. Just like you feed your body. We need to guard what enters our mind.

As carefully as we guard what we eat. We live in a world today.

Everybody is guarding what we eat. I need to guard what I eat. All this fattening stuff. I need to eat healthy.

Here's the healthiest thing you can feed your spiritual man. It's the word of God. Feed it. Holiness begins in our mind.

As we think often of our Savior and our Lord. And the gracious salvation we will fully experience.

When our Lord comes. And we will. Be changed into his likeness.

The next point is. Holy living in the light of Christ's second coming. Requires spiritual alertness.

Spiritual alertness. Let's see what he says here. 1 Peter. He says be sober.

Verse 13 be sober. Be sober. This is an important word. This is a favorite word for Peter by the way.

He uses it three of the six uses in the New Testament. Verse 13 which is here. Verse 7 of chapter 4.

And verse 8 of 5. And 1 Peter 4 .7. But the end of all things is at hand.

Therefore be serious. In other words be sober and watchful in your prayers. 1

Peter 5 .8. Be sober. Be vigilant. Because your adversary the devil roams about.

He walks about like a roaring lion. Seeking whom he may devour. We have an enemy.

We have an adversary. Folks. He does not play by the rules. And Peter says by the

Holy Spirit. You got to be sober. You got to be self disciplined. And the NASB says be sober spirited.

Be on the alert. Disciplined spirit. You must be disciplined of mind.

On alert. Strong confidence by the way in the sovereign care of God. Does not as I've already mentioned.

Does not mean that the believer may live carelessly. On the contrary. The believer should live more self disciplined.

And more alert. Can I give an illustration here.

If a literal lion was walking out there. Right this moment. On the loose. And you know that lion could tear you to pieces.

Wouldn't you be careful. And on alert. And sober. Not to go out these doors.

Wouldn't it be wise to control. And not to go for a stroll here. And to warn your children.

Or let the little ones go out there. And roam about when there's a lion on the loose.

We wouldn't be goofing off would we. We would be on the lookout. For any sign of it.

We would be on the alert. For the enemy. For the creature out there that could literally tear you to shreds.

And the lion can do it. We would take every precaution.

So that we would. Would not allow that lion. To be our next victim.

He's on the prowl. He sees you and he sees a big piece of steak. Like we see steak. Well the point is this.

In that illustration. We live in enemy territory. Don't we.

We do. It's a battle. And you and I.

Need to feed our minds. On the good things of the word of God. And not feed our minds on the garbage of the world.

If we feed our minds on the garbage of the world. And don't feed our minds on the holy word of God.

It's like getting drunk. And losing your senses. And going out there staggering. If there's a lion ready on the prowl.

And to eat you up. I mean that's a crude. Simple illustration. But you're dead meat.

You're not going to be a holy person. I'm not going to be a holy person. With some.

Would think that this is sounding very legalistic. But notice the next point.

And by the way. What I was about to say is. The only way you can be holy. Is first of all you got to be born again.

You got to have a holy desire to be holy. You think these people out here.

That are walking zombies and dead. And their sins and trespassers. Has a desire to be holy. Not on your life.

You mentioned holiness. It's a get away from me. I don't want to hear it. And a lot of people in the church.

You start preaching about holiness. You're legalistic. Ask them what they think about the

Puritans. They're legalistic. Really? They had a loving desire.

They had a longing to love God. And a desire to be holy. Oh my.

That we need so desperately today. Well my next point is this. Holy living in the light of second coming of Jesus Christ.

Is also motivated by grace. And that's where I want to take you here. It's not legalistic here. Peter says rest your hope fully.

Upon the grace that is to be brought to you. At the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words fix your hope.

Completely on the grace. Can I encourage you today.

It's God's grace that motivates you. And I to be holy. It's not.

Mustering up under and saying. Well I'm going to make myself holy. Well you know.

You got to have a desire for that. But what gives you the desire? God's grace. Notice what

God's grace does. It motivates holy living. The word brought. To you.

Brought. Illustrates or emphasizes. I should say. That it is the grace of God.

In context. The context here. That speaks of the grace of God. And Jesus Christ himself.

God's supreme gift. The gracious gift is Jesus Christ. That's the grace.

Can I give you another scripture for this? Go to Titus chapter 2. You know. I quote this quite often.

You should know where I'm going here. Right after 2 Timothy. You'll be there.

Notice what it says. And I'm going to show you by scripture right now. That it is God's grace that teaches us to live holy.

Titus chapter 2. Notice verse 11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. We should live soberly.

There's that word again. Righteously and godly in this present age. Looking for the blessed hope.

And the glorious appearing of our great God. And Savior Jesus Christ. Notice he calls him great God. He is God. And Savior Jesus Christ.

Who gave himself for us. That he might redeem us from every lawless deed. And purify for himself his own special people.

Zealous for good works. Stop right there. And notice what he speaks of. The father has sent the son.

The son has brought salvation to all men. That does not mean universal salvation beloved.

Basically what he's saying in general to humanity. Not to every individual. Jesus Christ had made a sufficient sacrifice to cover every sin of everyone who believes in him.

That's what he's saying. Notice what he says. First of all, to deny ungodliness.

This is exactly what God's grace teaches us to do because how do we know this? Notice what he says.

The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared. Verse 12, teaching us.

What teaches us? God's grace. Number one, denying ungodliness.

Number one. That means anything, you turn away from anything and everything that is unlike God.

Wow, that'll eliminate a lot of things. In other words, it's ungodly.

Ungodly. It's not God -like. It's ungodly. Ungodliness.

Second, worldly desires, worldly lust. The word lust means desires, fleshly desires.

Ungodliness, fleshly desires, worldly lust, anything and everything that is fleshly, carnal.

We should live soberly, righteously, godly. Notice he fills it with the positive. You turn away negatively from these undenying ungodliness, anything that's un -God -like, these worldly desires, the flesh, the world, the flesh and the devil, and anything that is opposite of God and godliness.

And then he says you live soberly, righteously, godly.

And the world to come? No. This present age. This present world.

You know what he's saying? Right now. You are to live like this. And Paul brings this positive out in verse 13, 14.

And he gives us, to the believers, how we should live. How should we live?

In the light of the blessed hope. And by the way, this is in the light of the second coming of Jesus Christ. By the grace of God.

Notice first, we are to resist the evil temptations of this world, living godly lives in the present world.

And second, we are to look for Christ's return as we live a godly life. And then he says this, because, notice this, in verse 14, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from what?

From every lawless deed. He saves you from your sins.

He saves you from lawlessness. Remember when Brother Keith brought this out again today.

Sorry for using your name so many times, Brother Keith. But he brought this up yesterday about chapter 7.

When Jesus says, in the conclusion of the

Sermon on the Mount, many will stand before me in that day and say, Lord, Lord, we cast out devils.

We prophesied in your name. We did all these things in your name. And he doesn't deny that they didn't do those things.

They made a profession. And they said, Lord, Lord, but these were the ones that did not obey him.

And Jesus has a confession for them. Then I will profess unto them, I never knew you. The words you never want to hear, beloved.

And we can do something about that now and come into a relationship with God and to know him.

That means intimacy. You see? And Jesus makes the point, they called me

Lord. They're religious. How many doors you go to? How many people you go to and you ask them, are you a born -again

Christian? Oh, yes, I go to such and such Baptist church, I go to Methodist church, I go to the Baptist. No, no, no, no, no. Are you born again?

I say that with emphasis, but you want to say it graciously. I know I'm raising my voice here, but are you born again?

That's what Jesus told Nicodemus. He was a very religious man. And Jesus says, you've got to start over.

You've come up the ladder of religious society. You obey the rules. You go by the standards externally, but you don't have a heart.

You must be born from above. That's what Jesus says.

And then Jesus gave a simple, simple illustration to Nicodemus, a new birth.

And then he said, if you don't understand these earthly illustrations, you don't understand the heavenly illustrations.

And Jesus brought it down so simple. And that's what we've got to do. We've got to bring the cookies low, amen?

Well, there's much that could be said about this, but we must live holy, and it's the grace of God that brings us to this point.

The purpose of salvation is for God to have a peculiar people unto Himself.

A peculiar people called out of darkness into His marvelous light. He redeems us.

He purchased us. He purchased us by the blood of Jesus. And by the way, that word purchased, there is something beautiful here.

To purify, and then He says, purify for Himself His own special people.

It's God's people is His possession. He has purchased them with the blood of Christ.

It came at a high cost. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you are purchased with a high cost.

I don't know about you, when you pay a lot of money for something, don't you value it?

You care for it. You cherish it. And there's the picture also of the bridegroom and the bride.

And that's actually more of the picture, just not a thing, but a valued person.

Like a bride to the bridegroom. Purify for Himself. God will have,

Jesus will have a holy bride, amen? And His bride will be without spot, without wrinkle.

They will be unblemished from the world, and that's what Jesus is doing right now. He's preparing His bride before He comes.

He purifies for Himself, for Himself, His own special people.

Isn't that wonderful to see that? That He loves you, you're

God's love gift. He has purchased you, He's valued you. He says, you are my own special possession.

And by the way, not only that, He's jealous over you too. He's not going to share you with the filth of the world.

And that's why it says you've got to be separate. Light and darkness don't mix. Zealous for good works.

There's a purpose. Zealous for good works. Go with me very quickly, I've got to go fast here.

Ephesians chapter 2. If you go to Ephesians chapter 2, notice what it says.

It's a very familiar verse we always quote. If you want to speak to someone about salvation. But he speaks in verse 4, but God.

Stop and stop right there and preach folks. But anyway, that's great. But God, who is rich in mercy.

Verse 4 chapter 2 of Ephesians. Because of His great love with which He loved us.

It's God's love. Even when we were dead in our trespasses. You were dead, a dead man cannot make himself alive.

He made us alive. See, He made us alive together with Christ. In other words, when

Christ rose again, you rose again. His death is your death.

His resurrection is your resurrection. That's what He's saying, you identify. People have a hard time identifying, finding an identity in this world.

Folks, we find our identity in Jesus Christ. By grace you have been saved and raised us up together.

Made us to sit together, together, together. In the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come.

He's talking about eternity. He might show exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness.

Toward us in Christ Jesus. Glorious. And then He says this.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. That not and that not of yourselves.

You had nothing to do with it. It is God's gift. It's talking about being born from above.

Not of works. At least anyone should boast. Now note, you're not saved by works. And He turns right around and He says in verse 10.

For we are His workmanship created. Why did

He create you? Created in Christ Jesus for good works. Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

In other words, you gotta live holy. You live holy before the Lord. And it's holiness that God loves because it's

His beauty. You reflect that upon a sin -cursed world. A world that is in darkness.

How can they see the beauty of God? You know, I love what J .C. Rouse says. He says, if anything, the gospel demonstrates and shows the beauty of God to lost sinners.

We should demonstrate God's beauty. Well, my next point is this.

To be holy people, we must be obedient children. Amen? Let's go back to verse 14 and 15 of 1

Peter chapter 1. I gotta hurry here. As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the form of lust as in your ignorance.

All parents love to have obedient children, don't they? Not disobedient? We were disobedient to God in our natural state.

Now we are obedient to God in our spiritual state of our new birth. There are three things involved in such obedience to God.

Number one, we must make a break with the past lifestyle. Break with the past lifestyle.

And then two, we must establish a habit of obedience to God. Then third, we must erase this distinction between sacred and secular.

Now this is so critical. I'm almost tempted just to do a part two here on this because this really goes into detail.

But I'm going to quickly go through this. First of all, we must make a break with our past lifestyle.

And Romans 12, 1 and 2 speaks of this. A very familiar verse. But again, right after Paul gives a doxology in the end of chapter 11, he says,

For of him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory forever. Amen. A great verse of Scripture that all glory belongs to God.

And then, after the doxology comes to practical application, right here is a transition.

All the theology that everything that Paul spoke of, Romans chapter 1 all the way to the end of chapter 11, is theology.

And then Paul says, Now I beseech you. I beseech you of everything

I've said beforehand. Therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God. And he's beseeching them by God's mercies.

That you present your bodies. Notice, your bodies. A living sacrifice.

Holy. I mean set apart. Acceptable to God. Which is your reasonable act of service.

You've got to do this by the mercies of God. He's pleading with them. Living sacrifice.

And verse 2, Do not be conformed to this world. Don't let the world squeeze you into its molding.

But be transformed. Metamorphosis must take place by the renewing of your mind. That you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

That's glorious. Don't let the world conform you into its molding.

You've got to be transformed. You've got to be changed. By the way, you've got to change your mind. The renewing of your mind.

Isn't that what he said right here? I don't think I missed this. The renewing of your mind.

Spiritual transformation starts in the mind and the heart. We must do this.

Next, we've got to erase the distinction between sacred and secular. It refers not only to sexual lust in the sense of, he's talking about being called to holiness in the form of lust of your ignorance.

By the way, a lot of times when we think of lust, we think about sexual desires. It's more to it than this. It speaks of all kinds of self -seeking pleasures.

All kinds of the love of money. The love of power.

The love of glory. Self -glorying. Have you ever seen a world that loves the glory in themselves?

You know why? Because they're in love with themselves. It's sad to say

I've even heard preachers say you've got to love yourself. That's not what Jesus said.

Jesus says you must deny yourself if you're going to be my disciple. Take up your cross.

Your cross. And follow me. You don't preach that today. These self -help and motivational speakers will look at you cross -eyed and say, get out.

They don't want to hear it. But it says, thus says the Lord. I didn't say it.

God said it. That's bottom line of what it means to follow

Jesus. You've got to deny yourself. And by the way, that's what he's talking about here. All these sexual desires. All these self -seeking desires.

All these desires to be wealthy. The love of money. How many times in scripture he talks about the love of money?

Jesus spoke more about that issue outside of the kingdom of God and hell than anything else.

It is a snare. Amen. I can camp right there, but I've got to move on.

As obedient children. This is a Hebrew expression, beloved. A Hebrew expression that characterizes, the children of God is characterized by obedience.

And Jesus says, if you love me, you will what? Keep my commandments. In other words, you will take heed.

You will love me. You will obey my commandments. Habitual obedience.

Even if you don't feel like it. Such obedience is not legalism, but rather should characterize those that are under grace, by the way.

Peter gives the quote from the law of God. From Leviticus 19 .2. It applies directly to the reader that's under grace.

That's what he's saying. You're under grace, but I'm going to give you God's word. I'm going to give you God's law. Be holy, for I am holy.

The Lord says. We're about ready, Brother Ben, to be reading

Lord willing through the whole book of Leviticus. As God would tarry. That whole book is about holiness.

Being separate. Being separate from the world. Grace gives us that higher standard, by the way.

And by the way, we should never measure our holiness. Luther said this. Our own personal holiness by other people's holiness.

We measure ourselves from Christ. Because we're not in competition with one another.

We stir up one another to good works and love. But we're not in competition, are we? We're together.

And we learn from one another. And we love one another. Now, what do I mean by the distinction between sacred and secular?

I need to bring this to a close. Verse 15. Be holy yourselves in all your behavior.

What he says, the word behavior is another important word for Peter. Six of thirteen times in the

New Testament uses it from 1 Peter. With two more in 2 Peter. This word refers to conduct.

How do you conduct yourself every day, beloved? How do you live?

How do you act? How do you talk? How do you respond?

How do you think? What's your lifestyle? From sun up to sun down.

The old King James says, in all manner of conversation. Now, a lot of people take that word conversation and think speaking and communication.

But Peter actually meant it in the old King James. All manner of conduct.

Lifestyle. Your lifestyle. The way you live.

That simple. How do you live? How do you live before God? How do you live before others?

Scripture says, follow peace. Isn't this interesting? Follow peace. I believe it's Hebrews 12, 14.

Follow peace. Jesus said what? Blessed are the peacemakers. For they shall be called the children of God.

Being a peacemaker does not mean you're a doormat. But being a peacemaker means you've made peace with God. And you seek to have peace with others.

But you speak about. And by the way, Jesus said, I did not come to send peace but a sword. In other words, the truth cuts.

It's mainly the gospel. But the only way you can have peace with God. Is through the prince of peace in Jesus Christ.

And by the sacrifice of Christ. But that, from the outflow of that is living peaceable.

God fights for us. We don't need to fight for ourselves in that sense. We fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Right? And our fighting is not against flesh and blood in that sense.

We fight spiritually. Where can we fight? On our knees. I tell you what.

There's sometimes when I've been hit by hard things in life. And I know about you. I'm sure you do the same.

Where do I fight it? I get on my face before God. And I say, God, I roll these burdens onto you.

You know how to handle it. Because we can't handle it. We're too helpless.

We're too weak. But God can handle it. And then, not only

Jesus said, blessed are the peacemakers. He also, blessed are the pure in heart.

For they shall see God. Follow peace with all men.

And Paul says in another verse, If it be all possible, live at peace. And sometimes what he's saying is,

Sometimes you can't live at peace with some people. They don't want it. Have you ran across people like that?

I have. You've got to make sure you do everything you can to make that peace.

And if they don't want peace, have a conscience clear. But with that, follow peace with all men.

And holiness without which no one, no man shall see the Lord. And what he's saying there, the writer of Hebrews says,

You've got to be holy. You've got to be holy. And the only way you can be holy is through Jesus Christ and through the blood.

I'm skipping a lot of points here. And to bring to a conclusion. I've got to come to a conclusion here.

Wow, so much I can say here. How can we fight this?

You know, how can we be holy? I like what Philippians, Paul says in Philippians chapter 1 verse 12.

Therefore, my beloved, as you always obeyed. There's the word. Obeyed. Not as in my presence only.

But now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation. You're responsible for this in the sense that you've got to work this out.

If it's in you, you've got to work it out. And you work it out with fear and trembling. We don't take it lightly.

We give reverence to God. It's a serious thing when we talk about eternal life or eternal death.

You've got to work out that salvation. Your own salvation. Your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Therefore, it is God who works in you. Don't miss this.

It's Christ in you, the hope of glory. Christ in you.

God who works in you. God is working in you, beloved, a believer. To will and to do for His good pleasure.

Can I tell you that's what holiness is? You are created for God's good pleasure. Not to live filthy, but to stay unspotted from the world, beloved.

To be separate. Let me go to one more verse in closing here. And I want us to go to two more verses,

I should say. Go with me very quickly to 2

Corinthians. And I believe it's chapter 7.

2 Corinthians 6. My mistake.

The church of Corinth. By the way, I've never seen a church that has disdained holiness as much as our generation.

But the Corinth church definitely disdained it. They didn't get it.

Paul had to set it right in verse 14 of 2 Corinthians chapter 6. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

You've got to be separate. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? Notice the questions he lays out before them.

What communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belal?

Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?

And then he points out the truth. For you are the temple of the living God. And as God has said,

I will dwell in them and I will walk among them and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the

Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you. I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the

Lord Almighty. And it can't stop there. Chapter 7 verse 1 gives us what he's saying here.

Therefore, on those promises, having these promises. He just gave a promise.

Promises. These promises. What promises? He just quoted them. Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

And what does he say? Perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Everything I just read to you from scripture, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Perfecting holiness in the fear of God. What's the remedy? There is a remedy.

And that remedy is the blood of Jesus. Very quickly. Isaiah 1.

Isaiah. My time is up, but I want to end with this. Because this is where God says to the religious people that defiled

Him, that was displeasing to Him, that were being religious,

He was fed up with their religion, with their worship coming before Him dirty, trying to worship their own way rather than God's way.

And He tells them in verse 11, What purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me, says the

Lord? I had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of the fed of cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls or the lambs or goats.

In other words, all your religion is... It makes Him sick. Verse 12.

When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand to trample My courts?

In other words, they're not holy. They're not coming before Him and worshiping the way God has commanded them to worship.

He says, bring no more futile sacrifices, incenses, abomination to Me, the new moons, the

Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies. I cannot endure iniquity. There's the key word.

Iniquity and the sacred meeting. In other words, that play in church. Notice, underscore this.

Verse 14. Your new moons, your appointed feast, My soul hates.

They are a trouble to Me, God says. I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands...

Notice, this is people trying to worship. I will hide My eyes from you even though you make many prayers.

I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. In other words, you kill innocent blood.

You murder. And then you say it's okay to come worship? In other words, you can't live like the world and hell and the flesh and then come and worship in My courts.

In verse 16, God has a remedy. And then He says, wash yourselves, make yourselves clean.

Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Here's the answer, folks.

Cease to do evil. This is repentance. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good.

Seek justice. Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow. Doesn't that sound like pure religion, undefiled, as James talked about?

Yep. Verse 18. God graciously says, come now.

You can hear God say, in all that He hates. And then He turns around and says, now you come now and let us reason together.

Says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.

Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.

But don't miss verse 20. But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.

For the mouth of the Lord is spoken. Let's pray. Oh God, our

Father. Lord, your holiness is so beautiful, it convicts us so much.

It's all through your scripture, Lord. And all through your word, your holy word.

And you teach us by your Holy Spirit. Everything about you, oh God, is holy. Lord, as I'm praying to you,

I tremble. I tremble because, Lord, I fear, and even myself,

Lord, we have so much defiled you in so many ways.

By our fleshly ways, our fleshly thinking, our fleshly talking, Lord. Carelessly living, not being sober, not being vigilant.

But, oh God, we are as holy as we desire to be holy. Lord, I pray that you would enlarge each one of our hearts today to be more holy.

Burn this within us, sanctify us, purge us, oh God. To be separated from the world.

May we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. For Jesus Christ died and shed his precious blood that he might have a holy possession.

That's why he redeemed us. To have a possession unto himself, unto yourself.

May we never forget that we can no way earn our way up to you through the ladder of holiness.

It is holiness that has come to us in Jesus Christ. By his shed precious blood.

Thank you, Father, for the imputed righteousness that you give us. Lord, there is nothing we can do to earn that.

But, Lord, we must continue to live a holy life. We think about what your word says.

Even the moon that you made, the stars are not even pure in your sight. And here we are standing in your holy presence.

And as you told Moses to take off his sandals for he stands on holy ground. Oh God, may we have that kind of reverence.

Lord, would you bring a revival today of your holiness. Oh God, move within your people to live a holy life.

That people would see the beauty of your holiness. Not legalism, not phariseeism.

Not forcing people to come to religion. But to show them the beauties of Jesus Christ.

By your grace. Help us, oh God. Burn this within our soul today, I pray.

We would ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen and Amen. Praise God.