A Call to Holiness pt 4
01-17-2019
.. The last part of 1 Peter 3 tells us of Christ’s suffering once for our sins so that we may be brought to God through the same process of being put to death in the flesh (fleshly desires, worldly conduct, sinful nature) but made alive by the Spirit! Just as Christ suffered on this earth, he is letting us know that those who follow Him will suffer in one way or another.
When we think about suffering for Christ a lot of times, we go back to the martyrs that have been put to death in some very gruesome ways and some will allow that to keep them from serving Him. But I want you to stop and think for a moment. To suffer for Christ may look like being condemned by those living in the world, being made fun of or misunderstood. It may look like loneliness because those who used to like the old, worldly person suddenly do not like the new person God is creating you to be. It may also look like being disowned by family that don’t believe. It may be many different things but one thing the Word promises us is this… It is better to suffer for God then it is to suffer in the world.
In 1 Peter 4, Peter is pretty much telling us that enough of our time has been spent living like the world and that it’s time to arm ourselves with the mind of Jesus Christ and start living as He lived on this earth! And I couldn’t agree more! He was willing to suffer persecution in order to walk a holy life. This is the reason I have called this blog series “A Call to Holiness”, because so much of the church has allowed so much of the world into their lives that we can’t tell a difference anymore.
Please know that this is as much for my knowledge as it is for anyone else. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I was seeking God asking Him to show me what I was doing wrong, what was keeping me from walking in the true holiness, the character and the love of Jesus Christ (that’s our purpose, right? To bring the culture of heaven to this earth?) and what was keeping me from experiencing the manifestation of His Glory like Peter did and He sent me on this journey. Not all have understood my decisions and convictions but I’m okay with that, those who God wants surrounding me will understand and grow along with me.
So, Peter informs us that ignorance (spiritual), lusts (unbridled desires), drunkenness, gossip, reveling, carousing, and idolatry (allowing idols in our lives – these idols can be many, many things – status, people, material things, emotions, anything that takes the place of God in your life… anything that you seek first before seeking Him) are all the ways of the world and that none of this should be in those who truly understand the holiness of God and follow Him. When all of these things are removed from our lives the world will look at us as strange, they will not understand your decision to not join in to what they believe as fun. This is okay! To suffer for Christ is gain!
This morning I was reading in 1 John 2 and he made it very clear in vs 15-17 that those who love the ways of the world, the love of the Father is not in them. Those who abide in the Father will not walk in the lusts of the flesh (those things mentioned above), the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. This has been a very hard pill for me to swallow as I have studied this out. The more I learn and ask God to guide me into His holiness the more I realize what all I was caught up in. Many times, this is innocent, especially for those who are new Christians and they are following more seasoned Christians. If the more seasoned Christians are allowing this in their lives, they are more than likely going to lead the new Christians astray.
If you are finding yourself in a dry, lifeless season… I dare you to take the time and ask God, “What have I allowed in my life that is keeping me from tapping into the fullness of You?” He will reveal it!
One of my favorite parts of chapter 4 is towards the end when he says, “do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you… but rejoice that you partake of Christ’s sufferings because WHEN HIS GLORY IS REVEALED you may also be glad with exceeding joy! Those who have been reproached for Christ have the Spirit of GLORY and of GOD resting upon them.” He reminds us not to be ashamed when suffering for Christ but do not let yourself get caught up suffering as a murderer (1 John 3:15 – to hate a brother is the same as murder), a thief or a busy body in other peoples matters.
It’s time to learn what it means to truly abide in Him! 1 John 3 informs us that those who ABIDE in Him, there is no habitual sin and that those who ABIDE in Him love each other in deed and in truth.
Going back a few verses in 1 Peter 4 he tells us “Above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” How on earth does love cover a multitude of sins? I believe it’s because those walking in love, just as John tells us, can not desire a sinful life and it covers, protects, keeps us from entering into a that sinful behavior. Ultimately sin is not believing who you are in Christ, it is doubting the truths that God has given you! Look at Eve, the sin wasn’t eating the fruit, the sin was questioning who God already said she was. He said they were created in His image, but the serpent made her question her identity. He said, “God knows that in the day you eat of the tree your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The result of her disbelief was sin behavior. When we are walking in His love, abiding in His love and allowing Him to revolutionize us from the inside out through His holiness and glory we get a ‘knowing’ in our spirit, we know who and whose we are and the desire for a life of purposeful sin nature is replaced with His righteousness nature. Will we mess up? Absolutely, but it won’t be on purpose and that is where His amazing grace covers us.
We are to love each other, encourage each other in our individual giftings, be good stewards of His grace not abusing it to live a life of habitual sin behavior in the name of “freedom in Christ” (boundaries are there for a reason!) and we are to serve one another without grumbling and complaining (that would preach!).
Friends, none of this can be done if we aren’t truly walking in the love, holiness and the glory of God. How are we going to reach a lost world when most of the church acts just like them?
My heart is to lead and disciple people into the kingdom culture of God! I desire so deeply to lead people as Jesus led them and this honestly should be the desire of anyone who serves God! It’s part of our mandate to GO and make disciples of all nations… but first, we have to get a new revelation of His holiness and gain a new perspective of the reverential fear of God!
Let God have His way IN YOU!! There is nothing like it on this earth! In order to walk in God’s glory and live a holy lifestyle, we have to be different! We should rejoice in that because we know that we will walk in His glory!
How do we live in the very shadows of God’s glory just like Peter did?
· Have a pure heart
· A Holy lifestyle
· Loving all