You ever have a parent or teacher come along a tell you just to do something..(Share a spelling story) They won’t or can’t tell you how... they simply say "JUST GET IT DONE!"
Gets you frustrated!! I think we can have similar frustration when we read 1 Peter 1:16.. Because it is written "You shall be Holy, for I am Holy." (A quote from Lev. 11:44)
R.C. Sproul says, " God is inescapable. There is no place we can hide from Him. Not only does He penetrate every aspect of our lives, but He penetrates it in his majestic holiness. Therefore we must seek to understand what the holy is. We dare not avoid it. There can be no worship, no spiritual growth, no true obedience without it. It defines our goal as Christians. God has declared, "Be holy, because I am holy" (Lev 11:44) 1
The question we want to discuss today is "How do we become Holy?"
1. Our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered.
2. "We misunderstand "living by faith"
3. We do not take some sin seriously
Jerry Bridges in his book "The Pursuit of Holiness"2 List three problems in our pursuit.
1. Our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered.
We must see our sin as being Against God... not simple as something we must strive to have victory over.
David: In Psalm 51: 4a states regarding his sin with Bathsheba, "Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight." The prodical son also stated in Luke 15:21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' When Joseph was approached by his master’s wife and she wanted him to lie with her he said. "How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?" (Gen 39:9")
Our sin is against God, not just a "bad thing."
Our sins cost!!
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Since our sin is against God our focus should be ones of obedience to God not victory over sin.
1 Peter 1:13-14 13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
Steps for Obedience
Prepare your minds for Action
Keep sober (Be alert) This idea is a present active verb-a on going action...
fix your hope completely on Grace to hope (in a religious sense, to wait for salvation with joy and full of confidence): (from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 2000 by Biblesoft)
Be obedient, don’t go back to doing what you did in the past
You are smarter now... You lived the way you did in the past because you didn’t know any better
Are you understanding that Your sin is sin against God?
You can find help by going to HIM and receiving the power He provides.
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