Living Purposed to Hope Living Like You Mean It! 1 Peter 1:13-21

Living The word holy in its various forms occurs more than 600 times in the Bible. –The entire book of Leviticus is devoted to the subject Exactly how to be holy has suffered from many false concepts. –In some circles it is equated with a series of specific prohibitions –For others it means unattainable perfection

Living To be holy is to be morally blameless. –IT IS TO BE SEPARATED FROM SIN AND CONSECRATED TO GOD To live a holy life is to live in conformity to the moral precepts of the Bible in contrast to the sinful ways of the world.

Living Choosing to be holy in the midst of trial and suffering is often the very choice that enables us to stand in grace. –The choice of an unrighteous response to our suffering will send us down the path of anger, bitterness, evil speaking, etc. leading us away from God’s intended plan of Christ-likeness

Living Peter wants his readers to live triumphantly in the midst of a hostile culture without abandoning hope, becoming bitter, losing faith in Christ, or forgetting His second coming. –When believers live victoriously in a hostile world we are able to impact our culture for Christ. –When we are obedient to God's Word despite the world's antagonism, our lives will testify to the truth of the gospel.

Living Main Point If we want to stand firm in grace we must choose to be holy. Two keys toward living a holy life…

Living I.Holy living requires diligent preparation – (13-16) A.Starts with right thinking (13) –Remove the hindrances – gird up When the Roman soldier girded up his robe it indicated he was serious about the life and death battle of hand to hand combat. He wanted nothing to impede his victory. Peter is challenging all of his readers to take that same approach to life.

Living Make sound judgments – sober up –“keep sober” – literal rendering is “do not become intoxicated” Don’t lose control of thought or action Metaphorically it means don’t lose spiritual control by swallowing the world’s sinful system Balancing your life so that you not are influenced by the fleshly allurements

Living Focus your attention – look up –Completely = ‎set your hope perfectly:" wholly and unchangeably; without doubt or despondency. Believers can endure trials and suffering because we know that our future is secure and at the completion of the salvation process, all of God’s grace will be revealed to us when we become exactly like him.

Living We don’t deserve to be like Him. Even after we are saved, having received eternal life, we still choose to sin. We develop bad attitudes, we speak hurtful things, we act selfishly. Yet the culmination of our salvation results in the gracious, COMPLETE transformation of our character into PERFECT Christ-likeness. So while we are here on earth we are confronted with the demand to live transformed lives which only the Word of God can produce in us.

Living B.Evidenced in right actions (14-16) –Believers living in anticipation of Jesus’ return and considering the full implications of that return are then motivated to live in holiness. –Obedient children –meaning that obedience characterizes every true child of God and distinguishes us from those who are not.

Living Don’t conform – loosen up (14) –“Conformed means “to be shaped by” or “fashioned after” The patterns of your life were all about conforming to the evil desires that are prominent the world. –There needs to be a noticeable change in the patterns of your life that reflect your relationship with God.

Living Be holy – straighten up (15-16) –God calls his people out of a world of sin to a life of holiness; and he expects that whatever we do, say or think is holy. Peter’s expectation of God’s people here is for us to be imitators of God in respect to holiness Because you have a relationship with God, and because God is holy, you must bear His image in everything you do.

Living II.Holy living requires decisive practice – (17-21) Conduct yourselves in fear –The believer’s relationship with God is not one of dread but of reverence, awe, wonder. –Our daily conduct will be focused on pleasing God because we have a relationship with God of deep affection and reverence for Him and His Word knowing what it took to provide that relationship.

Living A.Emancipated from bondage – Knowing you’re Redeemed (18-19) B.Enthralled by grace – Marveling in His Revelation (20) C.Empowered by Hope – Strengthened by His Resurrection (21)

Living Life Step – Be disciplined Holiness doesn’t just happen. –Positionally in Christ we are holy. –The rest of life here on earth is to be spent becoming in practice what we are in position –Holiness is an active choice of our will and is required in every aspect of our lives.

Living Final Thought The greatest testimony we can give of our relationship with God is to be progressively growing towards a more consistent holy response to life’s struggles