1 Peter 1:13-16; Eph. 1:3-6, Holiness (2)

·        Rest your hope.  We have already studied hope in 1 Peter.  We have a living hope through the resurrection of Christ guaranteeing an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven (1:3-4).  If we have this hope let us rest in this hope.  It is an issue of perspective.  We can rejoice greatly in our trials because our confidence is not in escaping the trial but in the reality that is on the other side of the trial.  It makes the trial seem light and short lived (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:16-18).  When Peter says to rest our hope on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ he is speaking of all the glory associated with the return of Christ.  It is then we receive the end of our faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Pt. 1:9).  It is then that our goal of Christlikeness is complete (1 Jn. 3:2).  It is then that the fullness of our adoption, the redemption of our body is fully experienced; we were saved in this hope (Rom. 8:23-24).  As we have seen in 1 Peter, the trial is refining us in the fire; we endure joyfully because we know that what God is doing is the very thing for which we were called.

·        As obedient children, not conforming but holy.  Believers are saints.  I don’t mean people with perfect, sinless lives or people of incredible accomplishments as we often use the term.  In the NT it refers to those God has set apart for Himself and His purposes.  Literally, a saint is a holy one.  Every way you think about it holiness is God’s plan for believers and He is at work to produce holiness in us.  In the PAST God chose us to be holy (Eph. 1:3-6).  In the PRESENT He calls us to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16).  In the FUTURE He will keep us so that we might be holy at the coming of Christ (1 Th. 3:13).  The pursuit of holiness is …

o      The pursuit of obedience (v14a).  As obedient children we are to be holy.  When God chose us to be holy and without blame He predestined us to adoption as sons (again, Eph. 1:3-6).  The definition of holiness is the character of Christ, the holy Son of God.  Thus God made us His sons when we were born again that we might be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). 

o      The pursuit of transformation (v14b).  Transformation (change from within) is the opposite of conformity (Rom. 12:2) and it is the result of a life focused on Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).  When we say that we mean our pursuit of holiness is …

o      The pursuit of God (v15-16).  What a powerful, bold command.  Be holy for I am holy.  It is God’s command.  And obedience to the command means being godly in the purest sense: bearing His character and glory.  Which brings us back to the first statement: gird up the loins of your mind.  There is absolutely no place for waste, for hindrances.  Let us close with Paul’s words in Rom. 6:19: For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.