1 Peter 1:13-16
Called to be Holy
My friend Bill, who is hanging out with Jesus in heaven, has
no limit on the questions or the time spent learning the mysteries that were
hidden while he was in his earthsuit.
Bill was a teacher, and he taught that the old man died when we came
into Christ, but that the flesh, what many wrongly call the sin nature that
lives in us, or the old man is very much alive, and is warring with the Spirit.
As
we examine 1 Peter 1:13-16, it is a battle of the will, the flesh or the
Spirit, but do not be deceived, you and I have been called to be holy.
Let us examine what the Spirit of God is telling us that we
must do in order to walk in holiness.
First, we must prepare our minds for action, as a person who made his living
in sales, it required studying the account, looking at things from the accounts
standpoint, and asking the right questions.
It’s the same approach we need to study the Scriptures to renew our
minds, our minds are not centered on the will of God, but on self-will, so
begin your journey to being holy, and a great place to begin is the book of
John. We may refer to this as studying
the account, and then ask the Holy Spirit, who is called the “Helper” to help
you understand what the Bible is telling you.
Remember this; the Holy Spirit’s job is to guide you to Christ. We are called to apply the truths found in
Scripture, to be sober-minded, setting our sight on Christ who lives in us.
Unlike the world system, where often we set our hope on a
trip, a new job, a friend, a new home, and the list just keeps going, and we
end up with an empty knot in our stomach because it went wrong, so wrong. When we set our hope on the grace of God, it
is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and our heart will desire to follow Him.
We as obedient children, yes, it will require obedience to
be holy, for the essence of holiness is found in turning from self-will and
walking under the authority of the new manager, and not in the passions of our
former ignorance. For God who is holy
has called each of us to be holy in our conduct. That is going to change something, and it is
the battleground, ask only the Holy Spirit what behavior or habit needs
changing. He has shown me that I must
learn not to be quick to judge those who God has made in His own image.
Holiness is not being better than others, it is not about
looking holy, but it is about being holy.
So what is the search engine (computer term), it begins with agreement
with God that He is holy, that He is good, that He is merciful, that He is the
Creator, and that you and I are sinful an in need of help. The answer can only be found in the actions
of Jesus Christ who has ransomed us by His precious blood. I do not know what needs are in your life,
but this I do know that the one who called you and I to be holy, will do that
in our life, because without holiness our light will not shine, and the message
of Christ will not be seen in this present darkness. In Jesus high priestly prayer, Jesus ask this
of the Father: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who
will believe in me through the word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father,
are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may
believe that you have sent me.
God’s
calling on your life is to walk in this world under the authority and control
of the Holy Spirit, verse 16 states; “since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
From
the Back Porch,
Bob
Rice
No comments:
Post a Comment