I Peter 1:13-16
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
I want to encourage you guys, dig into this book. I have been reading through it and have been blown away by the depth, the instruction and exhortation found in this book.
Before we even begin this study, we need to realize, Christianity is more than a prayer, it is fully trusting God, fully placing all of your faith in Him, becoming His masterpiece. This is not just saying that God is King over all, even the demons do that. This is fully believing that God is King, giving Him all of you, putting all of your faith in Him, placing everything on Him, from who you are, to your struggles, to your problems, to your gifts, Everything. It is not living half for God, half for you, it is being all for God. It is knowing God in a real and intimate way. Spending time with Him. Seeking Him. Following Him with all you are and all you have. Being a Christian is not a call to mediocrity and above average morals and church attendance, it is a real relationship with the King over all creation and giving Him everything. You must experience God. You will never be the same.
Since we have established a general idea of what being a Christian is, we need to realize that the calling of a Christian is not passive. It is a call to action. We are called to be holy as our King is holy. We are to strive to be perfect, because it pleases our King, because our King is perfect and sin is rebellion against Him and separates us from Him. We are told straightly here that we are not to conform to our evil desires as we formerly did. We are now children of the King. Our lives, our actions, our desires need to be different than they were when we lived in the world. It is heartbreaking family, that we so often live lives that are no different than we used to live. We are caught up in addictions, we are caught up pursuing sin more than our King. What is wrong with this picture? How is this pleasing to our King, that we would push Him aside in order to pursue treasonous actions? Yet, we so often act like our sin is no big deal. This is a huge problem in Christianity, that sin does not have the impact that it should on us because of how horrifying sin is. Consequences aside from sin, it is rebellion against our Father, who has given us a new spirit to pursue holiness rather than sin. This alone should encourage to us to forsake our lusts and turn to the King. If that is not enough, sin’s consequences paint a picture that we should desire to have no part of. It separates us from God, it puts up a wall between us and God, that keeps us from experiencing Him in ways that we can’t even being to imagine. Sin destroys us. It destroys our relationships, our gifts that God has given us are abused, it causes problems that are unnecessary. Lastly, your sin caused the need for a Savior, caused a need to be redeemed, and the only thing that could pay that price was the blood of God Himself, the One that warned us not to give into our passions, and He paid that price. He paid a debt that we could not pay. He did it so that you and I could know Him without sin’s destruction of the relationship. He did it to bring the Father glory in that you can be forgiven. Why would we ever want to deny that? Why would we not give Him our all? Why would we intentionally live lifestyles that are rebellious against Him? Why do we find pleasure in the things that break His heart?
Family, we know what our calling is. Let’s not brush it aside anymore. Let’s not be content Christians. Let today mark the beginning, or the continuation (depending on your walks), of your complete commitment to Christ, because only in Him will you ever find meaning. Only in Him will you ever find peace, satisfaction, purpose, love, restoration. You have a calling, what are you going to do with it? Will we pursue Him, allowing nothing, including ourselves, to hold us back? Will we live lives seeking our King, so that one day we can stand before Him and just thank Him, and we can sit at His feet, in tears of joy because of His great awe and glory, and just talk to Him like we did every other day we lived? Will we be a people unashamed of the God we serve and know that though we will make mistakes, we are giving god our all, we are seeking Him with all we are, and are never looking back.
Give God your all, even the core of who you are (the thoughts, regrets, struggles, burdens, depressions, brokeness, gifts, success, your everything), because only through Him can you become the masterpiece you were made to be.
Blessings family
May grace and peace abound with you from God our Father and may we experience this walk together, serving our King as one body.
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