HYMN
#307 – “Christ Arose!”
REVIEW
Recited 1 Peter 1:1-13
STUDY & PROPOSITIONS
1 Peter 1:14
Christians obey the Lord.
True believers are children of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 14:15 - “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.”
Romans 1:5 - the work of the apostles
1 John 1:6-7 - we are conforming to God and walking in His light, implying obedience to the Lord
1 John 2:4 - “whoever does not keep Christ’s commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Matthew 7 - one who listens to Jesus’s words and act on them is like a wise man who builds on a firm foundation that can resist great tempests
Matthew 28 - disciples of Christ are taught to observe all that Jesus has commanded
Do not be conformed to former lusts.
It is entirely conceivable for a Christian to relapse into conformity to former lusts. None of us should assume that we are totally beyond their tempting allure.
Lusts are anything that produce a strong desire in us. We must guard against all of our former lusts that may have been present in our life before salvation.
Pride, achievements, accolades
Fear of man, reputation, respect, honor
Various desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)
When we find ourselves being tempted by former lusts, we must run to the Lord in prayer and pour out our hearts before Him. If we don’t, we may find ourselves in bondage or addiction to those lusts.
How is it that former lusts are manifestations of ignorance?
Former lusts promote and advertise promises that are ultimately grounded in things that are perishing. We can ignorantly focus so much on things and distractions that will ultimately fade away that we don’t realize we can’t take these things with us into eternity. Such a one will find that they are unprepared and unequipped for eternity.
Acknowledging that succumbing to former lusts is a result of ignorance to reality, to actually do so would be foolishness.
1 Peter 1:15-16
Imitate God in His holiness.
We are to fashion ourselves to God, not after our former lusts. More than just ridding ourselves of former lusts, we are to refill ourselves in every area of life with God and His commandments.
The basis for why we should be holy as God is holy? Because it is written in Scripture. This is what God wants, and it is recorded in His word. Simply put: God told us to be holy, so we must obey and be holy!
To be holy is to be “set apart” from the world around us. God is set apart, because He is perfectly righteous and pure. We ought to be like God, and be holy.
Christ is the perfect model of holiness.