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you you you well good evening everyone nice to come in out of the cold and into a warm building and thank the lord that the heater is working today just a couple a couple announcements quickly one is that um is that there is no wednesday night bible study this week um as well that will resume next week and the other is that pastor butler is under the weather a little bit not uh not much but just uh he's feeling under the weather so he's uh so i'll be preaching tonight so uh with that we will we can turn our bibles to psalm 57 psalm 57 for our call to worship all right psalm 57 to the chief musician set to do not destroy a miktam of david when he fled from saul into the cave be merciful to me o god be merciful to me for my soul trusts in you and in the shadow of your wings i will make my refuge until these calamities have passed by i will cry out to god most high to god who performs all things for me he shall send from heaven and save me he reproaches the one who would swallow me up sila god shall send forth his mercy and his truth my soul is among lions i lie among the sons of men who are set on fire whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue is a sharp sword be exalted oh god above the heavens let your glory be above all the earth they have they have prepared a net for my steps my soul is bowed down they have dug a pit before me in the midst of it they themselves have fallen sila my heart is steadfast oh god my heart is steadfast i will sing and give praise awake my glory awake loot and harp i will awaken the dawn i will praise you o lord among the peoples i will sing to you among the nations for your mercy reaches unto the heavens and your truth unto the clouds be exalted oh god above the heavens let your glory be above all the earth amen well we can uh turn our hymnals to uh psalm 98 c 98 c you can stand and sing together please [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] is [Music] yes [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] right you may be seated let us go to god in prayer our loving and our gracious heavenly father we do thank you that we can come in today into your house to worship you and lord we praise you for that we we thank you that the weather is is not bad enough where we could we might have to stay home all day but we could come together on on this evening to worship you together with your people here and lord we we like the psalmist says it is a joy for us to when they said let us go up to the house of the lord so lord we we do thank you that we can come together now and that we can praise you and lord we do give you much praise for your that you are our father in heaven that you are that you are god of of gods king of kings lord of lords and and that we can come before you in worship to you and that you can that you receive our praises and that you hear our prayers and and that you look with favor upon us not because of not because we have done something to earn your favor but because of your son the lord jesus has cleansed us from from all unrighteousness that he has he has washed us as white as snow and he has given us we have been given his righteousness that avails with you and lord we are we are humbled by that but we are filled with love and with with wonder and with uh with amazement at your amazing grace that you are a god who is abundant in mercy a god who who loves to forgive all sin and iniquity and transgression that you're as you as you told to moses in your in your word and and lord yet by no means will you leave the guilty unpunished so lord we praise you for the gospel of our lord jesus christ for redemption that that our guilt was not left unpunished that our guilt was was taken upon our savior the lord jesus and paid in full on that cross of calvary and lord we are we are amazed at your grace and we we praise you lord for that and i pray that that our hearts will be filled with love for the savior that that we would that as the hymn says more love to thee oh christ more love to thee that that would be our earnest prayer that we would have a desire to to love you more for for what you have done for us and that we would grow in in the grace and knowledge of our lord and savior jesus christ lord we do we we thank you for your creation we praise you for creation all around us it tells us of a of a good god and of a of a an all-powerful god of a transcendent god who who has created and ordered this universe and and lord we we have witnessed so much so much power in nature in the last several months and whether it be fires or or floods and now cold weather lord we just we we have seen that you are the powerful god in that and that you you that the wind and the and the seas and everything obey your voice as your word tells us and lord we are we praise you that for for who you are as creator and lord and as we think of ourselves as as as creatures creatures that you have made in your image and yet we have broken that image and we have sinned against you and by nature we have we have fallen away from you by nature we are en enemies with you as your word tells us and yet lord you have in your grace you have you have condescended to us and that you have through through the gospel of the lord jesus christ you have made that way back to you possible and lord we praise you for that and we thank you that we have been saved from sin and we and we thank you that we are saved unto glory that we are that we are headed for glory as as uh as as your word tells us that that we have the hope of glory in our future that one day to be with you in the new jerusalem in the new heaven the new earth the inheritance that we will receive as as believers in christ and that we get to be with you for all of eternity and lord i pray that that thought would would still our hearts would calm our hearts as we as we deal with the various trials and difficulties in this life that we would know that ultimately you are that we will be with you in glory and that you are that you are that you are king of kings that you do win this battle of evil and good as we have heard last week from our pastor that you are that you are mighty god our our savior is is mighty god a warrior god who has vanquished his foes and has made peace through victory and lord in that we greatly rejoice that that is our savior and that we are his and that and that we are in christ as your as your word tells us so lord we we we get we are greatly encouraged by that and i pray that our hearts would be stilled as we as we contemplate these these great and glorious truths as we find in your word so lord we do pray for for those in our church here who are suffering and various trials various difficulties that that is that is part of this life here in this lower world that that there is sorrow and sighing and and sin and pain and suffering and and yet lord we do pray that you would you would take that away that you would he would strengthen those who are suffering we think of the elderly who who who who are struggling lord you know all the various needs and and the the the trials that that our older members and go through lords and we just pray that you would comfort them encourage them and and that you would that you would strengthen them as the body as the body slows down and as as the end of life approaches lord we just pray that that they would look to you and and with anticipation of of one day soon being with you in glory lord we do pray for all those all other among us who do suffer and lord there are so many and we just lift them up before you that you would strengthen that you would encourage them and and we just pray for your your your blessing to be upon each one lord we pray for our church as a whole here we pray for the unity that that there would be there would we would always strive to maintain the the unity in this of the spirit in the bond of peace as the bible tells us that that we would strive for that and we thank you for the unity that we do enjoy we praise you for that and i just pray that we would continue to enjoy that unity lord we we do we do pray for our other churches as well that that we know and love we think of the the group in vernon we pray your blessing on them as they as they week after week gather together there to worship you and lord we just pray that one day and hopefully in the near future we can see the church planted there officially and established and and that and that we'll be able to have a biblically ordered church there in that part of of the world we think of the the group in dryden as well we've asked those same things for for that group there lord that if it is your will that uh that a church be planted there under the oversight of this church here we just pray that you would make that all come to pass and that you would make it clear that you would provide direction and much wisdom lord we also pray for the church in surrey we pray for pastor mike and that you would strengthen him and that you would equip him to to proclaim the word of of god as he preaches week after week there the lord we pray that he would be a means for of blessing and edification for the saints in surrey and that it would he would be a means to of proclaiming the gospel of jesus christ and that many would come to know the savior through his preaching there lord we pray for the for the saints there as well that they would grow that they would be blessed with unity that they would strive to maintain unity and that they would and that they would be that they would be built up in their most holy faith as well through the through the faithful proclamation of the word there lord we pray for your church as a whole uh um we we think of the persecuted church as well we just lift them up before you lord we we we are so thankful that we do not experience what what so many of your people do suffer around this world and lord we i pray that you would strengthen and encourage your people around this world those who suffer so much physical harm and and and mental mental harm from the people from from the the enemies of the cross of christ from the from from those who hate you and those and those who seek to to hurt your people so lord we just pray that you would that you would strengthen your people we pray for an end to these various things that we that we hear about and pray about so often through the the the attacks in nigeria and in china and in afghanistan and and india pakistan lord the the list goes on and we just pray that there would be an end and that through the through this suffering that your church would grow as a as the the devil seeks to oppress and seeks to to to quench your church that it that it would grow mightily and lord we we we see that throughout history how that always happens and we are so encouraged by that and we just thank you for the for the truth that we find in your word that your that your church that you will build your church and it will march on and the gates of hades will not prevail against it so lord we are greatly encouraged by that and we thank you for that great truth lord we do ask that we also pray for the for the situation in myanmar lord we we again ask for protection and safety over that compound there that we that we hear from on regular basis lord we just thank you that you have protected him them so far and and lord we we hear reports of how the the those the army is is now going after charitable organizations and orphanages and things like that lord and we just we just cry out to you that you would protect that that compound there and all those children lord several hundred of them we have heard now that that are there that are under the care of these people and lord we just pray that you would protect them that you would that you would would put a hedge around that compound as it were that that the that the armies of either side of this of this this this this war would not harm them that no harm would be done that no bombs would fall on them or or and then that nothing would would come upon these these these suffering ones there and lord we do pray ultimately that that the gospel would go forth in that little compound there that through the work of those leaders there that they would proclaim the gospel of jesus christ and that and that these children would would be rescued out of the kingdom of darkness and and transferred into the kingdom of the son of your love lord that is our prayer and we pray that you would use this horrible situation to your glory through through the salvation of many many sinners in that in that country so lord we do we do pray that the gospel would go forth today around the around this world that that as as the good news of of of jesus christ is proclaimed that sinners would hear the gospel sinners would see christ as as savior and would flee to him as the only way of salvation and lord that is our prayer for tonight as well as we as we worship you and as we as we sing your praises that you would be glorified that we pray that as the word is preached that you would be or that that you would be glorified in that as well and that and that your people here would be edified and and built up and they're in their faith and lord we do pray that if there is any among us who have come in tonight who do not know you as savior who have not who have not fled for refuge in christ that today would be the day of salvation that they would see the savior that they would see him as the only way of salvation the one who has lived a perfect life because for us because we can't the one who has died on the cross to pay for our sins so we don't have to and through faith in him we can be we can be justified with you we can be made right with you lord that is our prayer tonight i pray that you would bless the rest of our service we pray this in christ's name amen our next hymn is number 417 417. you can stand and sing together please so this [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] uh [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] please [Music] [Music] [Music] me [Music] my wife [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] all right you may be seated for our scripture reading our old testament scripture reading we consecutively read through the old testament is in leviticus chapter 13 tonight leviticus 13 will finish off the chapter from where we left off last sunday if you remember it was in several laws many laws in regards to leprosy how to deal with with leprosy within uh within the the the israelites there now as we're in uh verse 47 tonight and um now it's dealing with lepros garments and and could that be a mold or what what what sort of a disease was in the garment um but it's it's dealing with that and you'll see um several times you'll see you'll see it talks about the warp the warp or woof of linen or wool and those words are are archaic words um hard to translate words there as we go through it it's something to do with with uh weaving the idea of could be woven woven layers or or woven threads different textures of thread in there but that's kind of that's what it talks about as a that's what it means when it says warp or woof of the of the cl of the fabric so keep that in mind as we read so we'll read um starting at verse 47 through to the end of the chapter leviticus 13. also if a garment has a leprous plague in it whether it is a woolen garment or a linen garment whether it is in the warp or woof of linen or wool whether in leather or in anything made of leather and if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather whether in the warp or in the woof or in anything made of leather it is a leprous plague and shall be shown to the priest the priest shall examine the plague and isolate that which has the plague seven days and he shall examine the plague on the seventh day if the plague has spread in the garment either in the warp or in the woof in the leather or in anything made of leather the plague is an act of leprosy it is unclean he shall therefore burn that garment in which is the plague whether warp or woof in wool or in linen or anything of leather for it is an act of leprosy the garment shall be burned in the fire but if the priest examines it and indeed the plague has not spread in the garment either in the warp or in the woof or in anything made of leather then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the plague and he shall isolate it another seven days then the priest shall examine the plague after it has been washed and indeed if the plague has not changed its color though the plague has the plague has not spread it is unclean and you shall burn it in the fire it continues eating away whether the damage is outside or inside if the priest examines it and indeed the plague has faded after washing it then he shall tear it out of the garment whether out of the warp or out of the woof or out of the leather but if it appears again in the garment either in the warp or in the woof or in anything made of leather it is a spreading plague you shall burn it with fire that is that that in which is the plague he shall burn with fire that in which is the plague and if you wash the garment either warp or woof or whatever is made of leather if the plague has disappeared from it then it shall be washed a second time and shall be clean this is the law of the leprous plague in a garment of wool or linen either in the warp or woof or in anything made of leather to pronounce it clean or to pronounce it unclean amen let us pray father again we thank you for your word we thank you for these things in the in the old testament that although they may not seem so practically applicable to us now in our time yet lord we know that all of this was part of of of separating your people your the nation of israel as a as a nation distinct from the rest of the nations as a nation set apart to to to honor you to glorify you as your special people and lord we know that is the that is that is our our responsibility as your people in this new covenant era that we are that as the church we are to be separate we are to be we are to be called out from among the world and to be separate from them and to be distinct to live our lives differently our lives of obedience to your law so lord we just we do pray that that that and as we hope to look at that tonight in our in the in in the book of peter as well these things will be applied to our hearts and we will take seriously that call to be to be separate from the world lord we we we ask that you would be with us now as we continue in worship we pray this in christ's name amen all right our final hymn then before the preaching is 242 242 please stand again [Music] oh oh [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] there are is [Music] well this evening we're going to continue our study of the book of first peter so you can turn the first peter in chapter one still first peter chapter one tonight we'll look at verses 13 through 16 but we'll read the entire chapter to to remind ourselves of the context here again so first peter chapter 1 beginning at verse 1. peter an apostle of jesus christ to the pilgrims of the dispersion in pontus galatia cappadocia asia and bithynia elect according to the foreknowledge of god the father in sanctification of the spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ grace to you and peace be multiplied blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of god through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time in this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while if need be you have been grieved by various trials that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to praise honor and glory at the revelation of jesus christ whom having not seen you love though now you do not see him yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully who prophesied of the grace that would come to you searching what or what manner of time the spirit of christ who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of christ and the glories that would follow to them it was revealed that not to themselves but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the holy spirit sent from heaven things which angels desire to look into therefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ as obedient children not conforming yourselves to the former lusts as in your ignorance but as he who called you is holy you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written be holy for i am holy and if you call on the father who without partiality judges according to each one's work conduct yourselves through throughout the time of your stay here in fear knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you who through him believe in god who raised him from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in god since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren love one another fervently with a pure heart having been born again not of corruptable seed but incorruptable through the word of god which lives and abides forever because all fleshes as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass the grass withers and its flower falls away but the word of the lord endures forever now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you thus far let us pray father we come before you now and lord we do ask that you would bless the preaching of your word we do pray that you would give strength from on high that your spirit would would be here lord that you would aid in preaching that you would aid in listening and that you would apply these things to to our hearts lord that we would that we would take seriously the exhortations that peter gives to to his readers here to us in in in this epistle the lord we do we do pray that that that you would be glorified that your people would be edified and that the sinners would be saved and we pray this in christ's name amen all right so as i said we'll be looking at verses 13 through 16 this uh this evening in first peter first peter chapter one and um and the first word that you notice there is he starts out by saying therefore and that's always a in an important word in uh in in our bibles when we see therefore it's what it's doing is connecting it to to the previous uh the previous discourse what he's been saying um previously there and and um and what peter has done in this in his epistles he started out with a a theological um doctrinal teaching here to of these um to the to the the his audience and and then now in this section he begins a a section of practical exhortations in light of that so so so therefore because of all this that that i've said therefore this is what you this is what you ought to do this is how this is what our response ought to be to that there so he gives the the the um the indicatives we call that the things that are that what is um what is telling us what is all these theological statements and truths and then the and then the imperatives the imperatives are commands and this is this is what you this is what you ought to do now so when we look back just in a brief review we've gone through this uh several times but just a another review there he's what peter has done is really highlighted their salvation the fact that they have been saved and and that that they have they've they've believed the gospel they're they're saved and this and he and he want he's calling them to just to be amazed by this to be to be in in all that this is this is this is huge that you've been saved and and he does so by by showing how this was worked out salvation was worked out by the triune god that that it was all of grace that that that they have been saved not not because of what they have done but that because of what god because of out of his abundant mercy that he says here that he that he saved them and then uh and then not only not only what they were saved from that they were but but uh but but highlighting what they were saved unto that they are headed for headed for glory that um that they have this glorious inheritance coming as believers that the inheritance here that he says in uh in verse four is an inheritance that's incorruptible undefiled and that does not fade away and if you remember we we said that that was incorruptible there means it's not subject to the effects of sin that there's there's no more no more death no more sorrow no more sighing um no more pain that we we find in the book of revelation saying the same things there about this about the what life in in the new heaven the new earth is where where we are headed there's there's there's none of those things that's not nothing none of the effects of sin there then and that is undefiled he says here meaning it's not subject to any any evil forces if we think of in the in the garden of eden that was defiled by by satan he came in and he and he caused um he he tricked adam and eve and caused them to to sin and and defiled through that way it was defiled in revelations 21 verse 27 it says there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie so that so our our future glory where we are headed cannot be cannot be undone it cannot what happened in the garden of eden cannot happen again in this in in this uh in this the the the new jerusalem the new heavens the new earth and then it is a it is an inheritance that does not fade away and that is meaning it is not subject to the effects of time as as we know it here in this fallen world everything changes there's there's so much it comes and goes through as time passes in revelation again it says that there shall be no more there shall be no more curse but the throne of god and the lamb shall be in it and his servant shall serve him and they shall reign forever and ever so that idea that there it is it's eternity it's eternal there's there's it's the same if there's constant there's no nothing changes over time so so then in light of this this glorious salvation here how do we how do we respond to that as as believers and that is uh and peter gives us two uh two exhortations then in light of this of this great salvation here two two imperatives we um we call them and the and the first we find in verse 13 is to have is that we are that we have a that we are future focused that our we have a future focused life here and he says that that we rest our hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ so that is the that is the imperative there and he gives two qualifiers um there that one that we gird up the loins of our mind and two that we are that we are sober and um and then our second our second imperative is that we are we're called to live a holy life and and again he gives these two qualifiers one that that because we are now children of obedience and um or our bible say obedient children but uh we'll look at that and when we get there children of obedience and then um and then also that we are not we are not conforming to the loss of our of our old life the former lusts there so so those are those are the two imperatives each with two sort of qualifiers given to them so we'll look at the at the first one um first there especially and and now when we when you look at that in verse 13 you think well there's more commands there we have gird up the loins of your mind and be sober but in the in the greek those two the those two what we find as commands are actually called participles now i don't want to give you a a a grammar lesson but a participle is like an adjective and it's describing the state of that of that thing whatever it is describing and here is describing the the the believers his audience there so that so it's um it's it's basically saying that you need to be in this state you need to be doing this in order for you or as a in order for you to be doing this this uh the the the imperative there of of resting your hope fully on the on the future of glory so um so we could maybe translate a little bit different than to to better understand that you you we it would say therefore having girded up the loins of your mind being self-controlled completely set your hope or set your hope fully on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ now now it's it's a it's a legitimate that it's given here as imperatives that's as commands because in the context they are they they carry a a a an imperative force that they are to be their commands but yet they are they are qualifiers they're it's it's you need to be doing this so that you can be doing this so that you can be resting your mind your hope fully setting your hope fully on the grace that is to come so um so it so he he says here then to gird up the loins of your mind um that is uh that's the the literal translation some of our other bibles might say our translations might say prepare your minds for action or something like that but but the the gird up the loins of your mind that's a very familiar phrase um both in the old testament and in the new testament of course and that's that's the idea of that you know they wore long robes in those in those days the girding up of the loins um that was a they they were a long robe and and then to grow up your lawns was to take that rope to fold it up and tuck it into your belt and then you were you were ready for action at that point so if you if you saw somebody with his with his loins girded with his long robe tucked in his belt you know he was he was a man on a mission he had he was he meant business there so um we think of the the few examples the eating of the passover they were to um they were to be they were to have their loins girded they were ready for action they were they were prepared um to to to go you think of elijah at mount carmel he had to after the the with the prophets of baal after he told ahab to or they had to head back to the city they have jumped in his chariot elijah girded up his loins and ran to the to there so it's uh the idea then signifies intention that there's a that there's an intention there and it's putting aside any any sort of hindrances anything that's going to slow you down now obviously when it comes to running that's that was the purpose but what does it mean then to gird up the loins of our mind um and it's the same thing it's putting aside hindrances putting aside distractions and and being intentional um intentional with with with what we are with what we're with our thoughts what we're to do and i've tried to bring this out in some of the previous sermons here as we've worked through this as that's what peter's trying to to get them to to understand as well that they that they need to be intentional and and setting their mind on these things thinking about these things so so that they can get through their trials and difficulties and whatever was was coming their way so you know and so they're to there to lay aside the distractions of this world and this in this particular circumstance it was their their their trials we we might have you know other other in our own circumstances various distractions various things like that that that can become obsessions that you know that would that would hinder us in our in our intentionality when it comes to our our setting our minds on on the things above as as we're as we're called to um hebrews 12 verse one paul or the writer of hebrews he says he says therefore we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking unto jesus the author and finisher of our faith so it's a different metaphor here he's speaking of a runner in a race that he wouldn't have been wearing you know a long robe but he wouldn't have to gird up his lawns but he's saying he's saying you you know you're going to set aside any extra weight you're not going to carry weights maybe some runners would carry weights in training but when it comes when it came time to the race when you're running you set aside those weights and you ran there was no distractions and that's the that's the that's what what paul is getting at or the writer of hebrews is getting at there is that is the same thing that peter's getting at here put aside these distractions and and how do we do that and i find it's interesting because paul uses the same analogy of of girding up the girding up the loins in um in ephesians chapter six speaking of putting on the whole armor of god he says gird your waist with the belt of truth so there he started giving the the uh the picture of a soldier and and the and the soldier had to gird up his gird up his loins gird up the his his um his long robe into what paul says a belt of truth there so um you know so the idea was that they were not to be hindered in any way they could be it would allow them to engage in whatever business they had to do so um so so what peter's saying here we don't is that we don't want our our minds to be bogged down with with the cares concerns and distractions um of this life and you know does that mean that it's wrong to have other other you know things to think about in life that's not um you know that's that's not at all what he's trying to say that we can't have you know we can't be concerned with anything that's not directly related to the kingdom of heaven that's that's not what he's saying at all there but it's is there something in our life that's that's an obsession or that you know that would take away take away the or take all our mental energy and then hinder us from focusing on the things above and and from being prepared and and and ready to engage in the spiritual warfare that is a reality um for us as believers so so we're to lay those things aside we're to gird up the loins of our mind be ready for action they're not not being hindered in any way and and and and it and that takes intention so as i mentioned earlier that's really the what the what he's speaking at here is getting at is intention because that's what the christian life the christian life is it's not it's not a sitting back on the couch and just hoping you're gonna feel you know warm and fuzzy feelings until jesus returns or until until you die that's that's not what it is a christian life takes intention it's it's it's conscious thought processes you know things that um things that we've looked at in the previous verses things that we need to think about we need to wrap our minds about around and and and set our minds on these things that set our minds on the things above that's what uh that's what paul says in colossians three set set your minds on on on things above not on the earthly things um i think of of uh jonathan edwards the the resolutions i know i've i've quoted this in the past here but i'll quote it again jonathan edwards wrote 69 68 69 resolutions which are which are worth reading um all these these things that he was resolved to do and he says here he's resolved to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as i possibly can with all the power might vigor and vehemence yay violence i am capable of or can bring myself to exert in any way that can be thought of so he's speaking here specifically of of this this joy and uh inexpressible joy unspeakable that we find in in verse 8 here that peter talks about that's how he is to get that joy is through is through is through focusing on the things from in the other world the spiritual realm there and um and as like i said he wrote these 68 other resolutions there and that and that in um that is intention if you read those things you see a man of intention here he with those various resolutions that he was set to do uh resolved to do you know you know every day in his walk with the lord so setting your mind on the on the things that are above and and and and again how do we do that and i think of the the lawyer that asked jesus jesus uh he said jesus what is the greatest commandment and jesus said you shall love the lord your god with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind so how do we how do we love how do we love the lord with all our mind and and think of what it what did paul say there he says that our loins are girded with the belt of what with the belt of truth so so so so we gird up our our mind we prepare our minds by in by studying learning comprehending the truths that he has revealed to us in in his word about himself you know about his about his promises about and and particularly here about the the future of glory that that is awaiting us these are things that we that we have to study we have to to learn about focus on and then and then as we as we saw in our previous studies this is what is this is what calms the the heart steals the soul and gives us that that inexpressible joy even even during the various trials so so you know being uh being uh uh what i call you know a couch christian uh you know just one who's gonna sit there you're not gonna you're not gonna try and grow you're not gonna grow in in in knowledge and grace and understanding of our of of these truths there you know what what happens then when trials come your way if you have no no solid grasp of the truth and you'll be like what james says is like a wave that's tossed to and fro um you know in by the uh driven and tossed by the wind you know so it's our it's our duty as believers to to grow in the grace and knowledge of our lord and savior jesus christ as peter says later in this epistle so so that's one that that's our that's our our right response um to this to these things that's as peter's saying here he's saying therefore therefore you need to do this because of all these things that i've talked about earlier therefore this is your responsibility and it's for our own benefit as well obviously there's we is the the joy and the peace that in that we can have in trials when when we when we set our mind on these things so that doesn't mean that then we ought to be you know we ought to all become monks and live in a monastery and only ever think about about you know the things of god and only ever study theology and doctrine that's that's not what um you know that's not what he's saying here but this is but studying truth and studying the the the these these things that we find in the word is not also just not for you know for pastors and seminary students either it's for all of us we're all commanded to do that we're all commanded to be intentional to be disciplined in our walk with the lord to have our the the the loins of our of our mind girded up and then he says here that we are to be sober as well now this is not in relation to drinking he's not talking about about you know don't you know that you that we're abstain from alcohol or not get drunk that's all he's talking about here um in the nasb it adds in spirit and that's the idea that um that that he's getting at be sober in spirit so what does that mean uh what does what does mean sober in spirit meaning um hebert he says here it's a it's a condition that's free from every form of mental or spiritual loss of self-control so it's a sort of we have a double negative there kind of but um but what he's saying is it's it's mental or spiritual self-control in a condition where you're where you're not going to lose that self-control so so so having prepared our minds for action having having you know being intentional being disciplined then we can then exercise this self-control here or this this level level-headedness maybe we could use that word here and that's uh that's important to us as believers that that we we need to be calm and collected as we deal with the various issues that uh that come our way because we are all we are all as part of the the kingdom of heaven we are all called to be useful in the kingdom of heaven and and if any little trial that would come our way you know would cause us to panic to lose our confidence in in in in the sovereignty of god in in the in the grace of god you know to lose sight of the future glory that we have um as believers you know then we're not going to be effective we're not going to be useful in our in our um in the kingdom of heaven there so we need to you know when we when we lose that self-control we lose our ability to to perform our our christian duties and and not only that we also lose our ability to to to obey these commands that peter says here are these exhortations to to set our minds um on on things above and to be holy if we if we're if we are not self-controlled when it comes to our spiritual spiritual life then then we will not be able to rightly obey these things as well and i know that's not it's not an easy it's not an easy thing it is there's some sometimes it just takes one news headline and we're just like we're just you know do do defeated again it seems like you know we read one thing about something that's going on in current events now in the world and and we seem to lose hope but that it shouldn't be that way we should really always be constantly constantly focused on these on these things then we won't be plunged into despair every time we we we read something like that you know so so if we prepare mind for action intentionally focused on the on the things above this the the spiritual realities of what it means to be in christ all these things peter has talked about earlier you know then we're at a place where we can exercise self-control because we're grounded we have this foundation of the truth that we know is is true and and we are we have that that solid foundation to be to be firmly grounded on so those are the two conditions that we have to that we need to be in the state that we need to be in prior to to this command that p that peter gives now and now so so now we come to the command then it is to rest your hope fully so so so so being intentional and prepared um for action exercising self-control then we said we can set our hope we can rightly have our hope set fully on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ and when he says grace here what he means by by grace is everything involved in salvation it's he's using these words you know synonymously with inheritance salvation all those things grace it's it's that what that we are saved that we are we are now his his people and that we are bound for glory so we we we set our mind on this future that that that we have fully fully set our minds on here uh on that on that um he says so and again i'm not gonna we're not gonna get into too much into this into the into the the future we've talked about that a lot of this and when we looked at the inheritance those types of things but that is again just this reminder to be to set our hope on that to set our to to be to be to be looking looking toward that as we as we saw in hebrews where he said um you know looking unto jesus the author and finisher of your faith same concept looking looking setting her mind on the things above not on the things of this earth here and then he says at the with these things that are to come at the revelation of jesus christ so this is this is the his speaking of his second coming here when jesus is when jesus comes again that the consummation of all things you know when the the the it's that the future glory that we have um in the presence of our savior forever when we receive this inheritance there so that it's when when christ is is revealed to us and we are we're no more walking by by faith but now we walk by sight as we physically lay eyes upon the savior at his return now of course when we die we know we go to be with the lord as well but he's but in this in this context here i believe he's speaking specifically of just the of the return of christ the the consummation of all things when when christ is revealed to to all of creation as as christ as as the as as king of kings and lord of lords there so so then so our lives then is are it must be eschatological must be future focused life looking looking to the future looking ahead in in faith and and i've said it in the past and i'll say it again is that that our our our hope is not a subjective desire of of our emotions our hope it's not i hope this happens i i hope i'm um you know that that one day i'm gonna uh you know this is all gonna come to pass but it's it's not it's objective reality that's based on the promises that we have in in the scripture here based on these truths that peter has been has been teaching us through this epistle so it's so the hope that we have is by faith we we we grasp these promises and and we believe in them knowing that they are our sure promises because we know we know who our god is we know um you know and that's because we've been preparing our minds for action we've girded up the the the loins of our mind through through our minds are prepared for this or we understand this through a careful studying of of of god and of his promises so so we can have this this firm hope of of future future glory so and and again he and peter tells us to to to rest our hope fully on this future glory here it's it's um because it's it's so easy to especially now in the times that we live in with such such political turmoil everywhere it's easy to rest our our hope on some sort of on a political figure to come in and you know solve the solve the world's problems solve our country's problems you know but but no no political figure can take away the effects of sin you know the the forces of evil and changes change of time that you know that we as of the like the inheritance that we have as believers no no no political figure can can give us something like that to look forward to so so we have to we we you know it's okay to have that desire of course that you know we can hope that that um you know we do get a leader who would who would who would rule according to god's to god's word and straighten some things out that's okay to be sure but our our but that's a that's a subjective hope that's you know um you know that it's um you know it's just that's just a hope that's just a wish uh desire but our hope as christians is not a wish or a desire but it's a firm reality that we have is in in our future it's a it's a it's it's solid it's concrete truths to to to grasp hold of that that we are christ that he has conquered sin the world the devil and that he's coming again in glory to to give us this inheritance that's free from all those things so that's our that's our hope our motivation to to persevere and our comfort as we face the challenges of this life so then when we are when that's our when that is our focus when we're we're resting fully on on that that reality then the the cares of this life you know they don't seem so bad they don't they don't go away you know the pain pain will still be there suffering will still be here but we can respond in peace and we can respond in joy knowing what we have in store for us so then we come now to the second imperative the second command and that is to live a holy life and then the first the first qualifier then that he gives here is that is that what he said you know what the the king james says is or the new king james king james says is obedient children here um that we are to be obedient children now he may be alluding to the to the the doctrine of adoption that god takes us and and makes us his his you know his his very children children of god not that he deifies us he doesn't make us gods but that we become you know partakers of special blessings and ultimately receive this inheritance you know the children are the heirs so we become children of god receiving this inheritance to enjoy with him forever now the the the confession the london baptist confessions uh states adoption in this way says all those that are justified god vouchsafed now that means to vouch safe means to to condescend to grant a special blessing so god vouchsafed in and for the sake of his only son jesus christ to make partakers of the grace of adoption by which they are taken into the number and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of god have his name put upon them receive the spirit of adoption have access to the throne of grace with boldness and are unable to cry abba father are pitied protected provided for and chastened by him as a father yet never cast off but sealed to the day of redemption and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation so so this is reality all these all the all these things that the confession says here that we are we are adopted as as children of god that's the foundation of our hope our future hope this this doctrine of adoption there so that and that as as children that we have we have access to the father and that we are and that we are protected and and and provided for and pitied by him and then that we become heirs receiving this inheritance um you know so this is this is this is true this is you know and things that we can take great comfort from to be sure but but i don't think peter is exactly meaning that in uh in this section here you know he you know is obviously alluding to it but but what he's what he's saying here literally in the in the greek it says children of obedience and and that's that there is a difference there it's not he's not just using it as a simple adjective but what he's doing is it's called a hebraism and where he's using the a hebrew phrase or hebrew idiom and um that has an implied meaning and then using that you know in another language in this case in in the greek language there so that is um the the the phrase you know the sons of or the children of whatever we see that many times through through the old testament and also in the new testament as well it's that um you know we see the sons of sons of belial sons of peace sons of the light um and that they even use that to tell age as well abraham was the son of 80 whatever years that's how they that's how they they told they uh gave ages in the old testament there so what it so that that hebraism now or that that that phrase the children of or the sons of is it's speaking more of of of their nature to deal with their very essence of of who of who it is so it's not so much dealing with what they what they do that they're just being obedient children but who they are so it's not that we're simply children obeying god but it's that by the by the regenerating power of the holy spirit our very nature has been changed so that we are now children of obedience we have a we have a and our nature as one of obedience and that's uh that's important to to understand as well as well because as believers we are called to a life of obedience uh to to the father but um you know in that life in outward action but that those outward actions stem from a heart or a nature of obedience you know as opposed to what we were prior to that is what paul says we were we were sons of sons of disobedience so so paul is contrasted um in several places that would by by saying what we were what we once were with sons of disobedience and peter says now you are sons of or children of of obedience so um for just for example here paul says let no one deceive you with empty words because for because of these things the wrath of god comes upon the sons of disobedience that's in ephesians chapter 5 verse 6. so so so that's important to understand that that is when when peter says here that that we are obedient children what he's saying is your children of obedience your nature has been changed to a nature that is an obedient nature to god and that obedience begins with the with obedience to the gospel obedience to the gospel call in in chapter 2 of first peter chapter 2 verse 7 here peter says to you who believe he is precious but to those who are disobedient the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling in a rock of offense so you can see what he's doing there is he's contrasting believers with those who disobey so so therefore then that that then believing is obedience so our faith as believers comes from a nature that has been changed to one of obedience to you know one that is able to believe the the and obey the gospel you know and that's that's what we call regeneration when that's what the holy spirit does is regenerates our hearts makes our gives us a new heart a heart that that what peter says here is a heart of obedience so once we've lived once we've obeyed the gospel call then we continue in a life of obedience so so justification is the beginning justification is is what happens upon through faith when we obey that gospel call that we are now justified and then sanctification is the process that follows after that a process of of uh continual obedience and and it's continual obedience now not to the gospel call of faith but it's it but it is um a life of obedience to the law of god and that is that is why our response then as peter says here is to be holy that we're called to be holy as as god is holy here because because our nature is is one that's changed to a nature of obedience and and i think that's much of modern evangelical christianity has has missed this the the idea that people can be saved but then but no change in obedience needs to needs to needs to follow there doesn't need to to nothing no change needs to happen you can continue to live your your life as you as you were but that's um you know we have to we have to we have to examine ourselves too when it comes to this is you know is our is our thought you know our our res our thought process you know that that we understand you know jesus died to pay for sin so we think well then that means i can just keep sinning then because you know because it's it's all forgiven and that's okay for me to keep sinning um you know that's if that's your if that's your thought process you should examine your heart because that that sign that your heart has not been changed to a heart of obedience a heart that desires to obey the lord and the desires to follow his his his law hebert again here he says this obedience indicates their character as true believers it is the motivating principle imparted at regeneration and that's that's why john can say in his first epistle for this is the love of god that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome because because obedience to god's commandments now comes from our very nature that is a nature of obedience that has a desire to obey his commands and therefore they're not burdensome now now i don't want to discourage you know discourage us when we we we examine ourselves and we see that we've you know we we do sin and you know but is it but but again we we we know we will sin that's um that's that's the bible tells us that we understand that we have that remaining we still have that remaining nature of disobedience that will sin you know but it is how do we respond to that you know do we do we do we feel conviction and do we do we respond to that conviction do we seek to deal with our sin or do we try to justify it try to make excuses for it and and continue to live in it with no desire to to repent and turn from that in first john 1 9 says if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness so so so be encouraged we're called to be holy but yet we we know that you know because of that remaining corruption we still will sin but yet when we confess our sins god is faithful and just to forgive us of that sin and that's because we still have we saw that advocate with the father jesus christ and then and then the the second qualifier that he gives here leading up to the to this command here he says that we um not conforming yourselves to the former lusts as in your as in your ignorance so and as paul says in in romans 2 um you know that we're we're not conformed to this world but we're transformed you know so it's speaking of following our our fleshly desires you know with the the desires we had as as children of sons of disobedience um you know but but now we have you know even though we our nature has been changed to a nature of obedience yet we still have those fleshly desires there so so so he's so so what but what peter's trying to say to them is that your new your new nature your new identity is is a child of obedience they are a new new creation in christ you know so and he wants them to understand that this is who you are now and therefore you know you have to strive to to do away with this past life and and to now live a life a life of obedience to god so um in in theological terms when we look at the uh at sanctification this process of of you know of of doing away with sin and and being being living a life of obedience there we have we have um we we talk about uh mortification and vivi vivification so that's sort of a negatively and positively looking at that um and again reminder that justification is is the the the legal declaration we're right with god sanctification is the process after that there and this is what i'm speaking of now of mortification and vivification within followeth in sanctification and and the mortification is is is is uh is leaving sin behind putting to putting to death that's what mortify means to put to death that old nature leaving behind the former sins that we that we once lived in and and it's putting to death that nature of disobedience and then vivification is is consciously doing good works and and obeying god's law vivification is to bring to life now we know that that the holy spirit is the one who who regenerates and gives the the life itself but yet i i like to say that we are to fan the flames of that of that fire um as it were that the flames of the new life as a new nature um in the new nature of obedience that we have here so so now when when when peter says here that we are to we are to not uh conform ourselves to the former lusts as as in your ignorance he's saying this this is what you know he's speaking of what we would call mortification so not not feeding those fleshly lusts that we have but rather putting them putting them to death and now it's interesting here is that some several commentators you know they kind of they get caught up in in this um in this verse here trying to you know try to understand it and they say that you know because his audience is primarily jewish then then he must have been directing this at um this at the gentiles this this uh this command here to the gentiles um you know who who were part of his audience now gentiles who had joined the church but um why do why do we think that the jews wouldn't indulge their their fleshly lusts um as as well you know because before before they became christians they were unregenerate they were children of disobedience you know they may have they may have read and believed the old testament but they still lived in sin and they still indulge those those fleshly lusts and i think the you know the church today is is filled with those kind of people um like that as well and i think many of us myself included were you know fell into that category as well you know professing to be you know outwardly to be a you know to believe the bible and to be a christian and but yet still engaging in all sorts of debauchery and and and and wickedness you know whether it's whatever it may be um you know but we we there's the church is full of those they're you know just stealing and cheating in business drunkenness fornication you name it you know fulfilling the lusts of of of the of our of our former life um you know so it's not it's not that just because you know prior to their salvation they were jews and they they believe they read the old testament and you know that they didn't run with uh with the wicked crowds um you know fulfilling their lust in fact that's exactly what they did in uh in chapter four i believe he says um yeah chapter four verse two he says that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men but for the will of god for we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the gentiles so living just like the gentiles when we walked in lewdness lost drunkenness revelries drinking parties and abominable idolatries so so peter knows full well you know whether even if his audience is jewish even if they did obey the law and or or under um read the laws in sense of the the torah that they they still fulfilled those those those lusts of the flesh there so he calls them to to forsake that way of life that's not who they are anymore they have been they have been changed and and again this this this change of heart it happens at regeneration yet the the process in so it's initiated by the holy spirit but yet the process of sanctification is is one where we're we are called to be disciplined and to make those those changes and that's why why peter gives that command here because it's it's we all need this reminder to be disciplined in in our walk with the lord we still have those fleshly lusts and we still need to be careful that we don't in indulge them there um and and then he says here that these these lusts um or were lust that came in the time of their ignorance and and this ultimately is ignorance of the gospel ignorance of this of this grace that he's been been speaking of in the in the previous verses here ignorance of the of the the kingdom of light the kingdom of heaven that they are are now part of there and and the bible often often gives many examples of of of calling that um contrasting believers with those who are ignorant ignorant means without knowledge so um in ephesians ephesians 4 17 you should no longer walk as the rest of the gentiles walk in the futility of their mind having their understanding darkened feeling alienated from the life of god because of the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart in hosea 4 verse 1 he indicts the israelites and says that the and says the the lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land there is no truth or mercy or knowledge of god in the land and then in verse four he goes on he says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge that's that is ignorance there my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge first timothy 2 4 god desires all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth so we know that the gospel is is the the power of god unto salvation and believing the gospel is is how one is saved but it's believing it's understanding the truth of the gospel it's it there's there's there's truth that needs to be comprehended that we must understand in order to be saved and and and what faith is what faith is built upon if turn to second corinthians chapter four for a minute and see paul paul uh paul speaking to that second corinthians four verse three he says but even if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing whose minds the god of this age is blinded who do not who do not believe lest the light of the gospel of the glory of christ who is the image of god should shine on them for we do not preach ourselves but christ jesus the lord and and ourselves your bond servants for jesus sake for it is it is the god who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ i mean jesus said the same thing that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free so ignorance of the truth is is what characterizes unregenerate people and therefore so therefore knowledge understanding and believing the truth as it is in jesus but you know by the power and the enabling of the holy spirit is is is what is what brings a person out of darkness into into this into this light and then because of that then we are we are called to be holy now we're actually turn to leviticus uh leviticus 18 for a minute we see we see uh god telling the people through moses the same thing in leviticus 18. 1 or sorry yeah verse 1 to 5. then the lord spoke to moses saying speak to the children of israel and say to them i am the lord your god according to the doings of the land of egypt where you dwelt you shall not do and according to the doings of the land of canaan where i am bringing you you shall not do nor shall you walk in their ordinances you shall observe my judgments and keep my ordinances and walk in them i am the lord your god. so so what he's saying there is is you don't return to the way of life that you were don't exactly like what peter what peter says here is to not return to the to the to the to our you know the the the lusts of our former life what it's the same thing what what the the israelites were not to return to their life as they as they had lived it in in egypt there and then further on in in leviticus then we then we we see that call to holiness and um and then in the the quote that that uh peter even gives here you know to be holy for i am holy so it was that that um that the to not return to the former life there and then um and then so so that's the that's the call for holiness stated stated negative negatively the through the mortification um not conforming ourselves to the former lust and then we have it now positively um as he who as he who called you is holy you also shall be holy in all your conduct so that's the the vivification so first he gives he gives the the example or the model of of holiness the one who called you here and that so speaking of of god himself god is the standard god is the model of holiness that peter peter gives here now sometimes when we speak of the of the the holiness of god we speak of his his transcendence his his otherness that you know by his inherent holiness that that by by very his very being is one that is distinct is set apart is is is other um you know and um that's that his very nature is that now um that can be meant by by that that's what we talk about when we talk about god's holiness or we also just just the idea of being set apart um being being um set apart from all that is morally impure and evil so not so much that peter's not saying you know you need to try and you know somehow you need to become a different in very essence of who you are very your nature needs to become like like gods that's not obviously not possible that's that's just a logical in you know impossibility and that's not what he's not what he's getting at what he's getting at here is is being set apart set apart from all that is morally impure and evil so god is the god is the model god is is set apart in that sense and so too should we and that is that and and and how we know the the model that we've been given is god and how we know is is through his law what that looks like is through his his law god's law is holy the bible tells us it's a reflection of the character of god and through obedience to that law is how we are to how we mimic the holiness of god in that sense they're so so um so we are we are to be like like paul says in romans 8 29 we are to be conformed to the image of his son so so set apart not not by order of being you know not trying to become transcendent but to be set apart from evil and to and to do good and first john 1 john 3 verse 3 it says that everyone who has this hope purifies himself just as he is pure just as as god is pure you know calvin says in bidding us to be holy like himself the proportion is not that of equals it's not that we become gods but we ought to advance in this direction as far as our condition will bear and even the most perfect are always very far from coming up to the mark yet we ought daily to strive more and more so it's a it's a it's a process there it's a continual conformity that you know it doesn't all happen at once it's not we're not saved and then we're immediately like that we have but we are called to be diligent to press on to be to be disciplined in in our in our life of sanctification i i can't i think it's uh bridges i can't remember but anyways gives the uh gives the analogy of an airplane um that has airplane has two wings one wing is discipline one wing is dependence and and we are to be dependent on god you know as jesus said apart from me you can do nothing but yet we're to be disciplined in our walk with the lord as well that we strive that we that we make conscious decisions conscious thought processes in order to in order to get rid of sin in our lives in order to make the right decisions because by our old nature we will always want to choose for the evil we have to consciously think no i need to i need to make this choice instead i i think of often think of when i was when i was younger growing up i lived at home when i when i worked when i came home from work i went to got to this four-way stop sign always turned right to go home and then when i when i got married i lived in the other side of town and when i got to the stop sign i had to turn left and every and that was that was different for me then every time i got to that stop sign i had to make a conscious decision you have to turn left now to go home home is not there anymore home is over there so that's um that that's that's gives us an example of how we ought to live as as christians we come to we come to a decision every decision in life our old nature wants us to go this way our new nature we have to consciously decide no we go that way is that's part of our our being disciplined in our walk with the lord and then um and then peter says here that in um we are to be holy in all your conduct he adds that there so it's because peter knows the tendency of of the human heart that um you know he it's it's it's he's he's he knows that we have a tendency when we're in certain other atmospheres that we might make different choices than we normally would you know if we're we're not called to be holy just at church or just at home around our family you know and then but it's when we're at work as well when we're when we're doing whatever it may be that we're doing you know do we act and talk and and and you know do act a certain way around certain friends in a way that isn't holy and then you know when we when we we're at home or we're at church and you know then we talk and act differently in a more holy way i think we're probably all guilty of that and and we all ought to you know confess and and and repent from that sin and and yet and then cry out to god for help to be to be dependent on him as well to be more holy now that doesn't mean that we can only we can only talk about theology and we only talk about you know gospel and and and with our friends and co-workers and stuff that's not that's not the the point here but is that is our conversation holy conversation are we are we separate are we distinct from from unbelievers do we do we look different from them in in all our conduct and then uh peter backs up his argument then with the with the old testament um they're saying saying for it is written because or because it is written be holy for i am holy so that's in that in leviticus 19. i mentioned already several several places earlier in leviticus 11 verse 44 verse 45. leviticus 20 verse 2 21 verse 2 we hear that same refrain over and over be holy for i am holy so this wasn't a novel idea for for the jews for peter's audience here that um you know they they understood that as a nation of israel they were called to be to be set apart from other nations they were called to be to be the you you shall be to me a holy nation god said to them in exodus 19. so that was the reason for these various ceremonial laws that um you know some that we read earlier with in regards to leprosy and how to deal with that it was all part of these um of them being visibly different and and visibly set apart from the other nations so um so the exodus of leaving leaving egypt leaving the old the old behind um you know giving and then giving a law notice how that happens they leave exodus first and then they're given the law as a means to to live um to live by there so um the law did not come first that's important to understand that that distinction um here that we're not saved by law we're saved by grace and then we obey the law um and so that's uh you know that's obviously though points forward to us as new covenant believers that that we are um you know and so that's why peter gives this reference to the old testament that um you know we are to be visibly different as well that we are you know we are to to love god and we are to love our neighbor and to do good and you know out of uh to do good to others out of a desire to obey god and and you know we're not to run with the same wicked crowd that we are that we did you know prior to our uh to our salvation there and you know sometimes especially those those who have been who've been saved um at a young age you know children here that we were raised in a in a christian home we might have not had such this such such visibly um you know wicked lifestyle those those former lusts may be different um you know than what others who were saved at in a later time in in life you know but either you know we have to we have to realize that that yet you know those lusts are still there those things are are are still there we may not have we may not have acted on them in the same way that um that you know others of us have in in life you know those who have come to be saved later yet those lusts are still there that old nature is still there and those things will will will creep up and and and you we have to be on guard that we that we that we put those things to death that we don't indulge those those former lusts because they will arise and believe you me now um so so we all we all are to be well to strive to be holy as as he is holy to be set apart in this world those who who look different who act different um because we we conduct ourselves in in all our conduct as children of obedience so we are to be distinct set apart from the world and now notice i didn't i didn't say um we were to be we were to look strange or you know i said we were to look different you know we don't need to wear funny hats or funny clothes or whatever it may be to try and look different in that in that sort of an outward way what separates us what makes us different is our actions is our obedience to to god's law that's that's what will make us distinct and different from the world because the world is they're they're they're characterized as sons of disobedience we are characterized as sons or children of obedience that's the that is the distinction there so so just in conclusion then a few thoughts before we go first of all the we ought to realize understand the the need to engage the mind when it comes to christian growth christian christianity is not about human experience it's not about your interpretation of your experience but rather it's about rational truths that we must understand and we must internalize we must take to heart i saw a social media post from john mcarthur a couple weeks ago and he said this he says authentic faith can never bypass the mind it cannot be irrational faith after all deals with truth truth is objective data to be known studied contemplated and understood all those activities all those are activities that engage the intellect so very important to understand that i think we on on on the church on on all ends of the spectrum misses that we you know where we focus on experiences we focus on what does this mean to me how do i interpret this thing that happened to me you know that's that is not how we are to live our christian life we are to live through through under engaging our mind understanding the truths as they are revealed to us in the word now the need for the need for in or we need to secondly then we need to appreciate the need for in intentional resolute determination in learning about the the the things of god christian growth does not happen by by osmosis it happens by an intentional study of of the of the word you know through and through church attendance um you know through the use of the means this is what we when we when we say the means of grace is that is what we mean is is is using these things that god has given as a means for our growth in grace that's probably the simplest way that that as believers that we can that we can grow in the the easiest you know the easiest thing you don't need to sit down and read you know calvin's institute's you know cover to cover in order to do this you can you just come to church and and god has gifted the the the church with with men you know pastors teachers we find that in ephesians 4 specifically for that purpose of of of the ministering to the saints for the growth in grace and knowledge so so that is the simplest thing we can do is come to church and of course you know reading our bibles studying our bibles through that so using the means of grace um you know we're we're we're commanded to you know to to grow we're not to we're not called to be to be stagnant there so so you know come come to come to church come with your come with the with you know having girded the loins of your mind um you know don't don't come to church and and just to check it off the list come there with the you know with the intention to learn something and to to listen and to pay attention so that you can leave here learning more about your savior and then we see we have to appreciate the need to fix our hope on the future that is where our perspective ought to to to always be as we navigate through the through this world that our minds are fixed on the things above not on the not on the things of of this lower world now we again as i mentioned we need to deal with life we have you know we have jobs we got everything that we have to to deal with but our our our our focus ought to be of uh eschatological focus future oriented focus and then the need for holiness that that our our new identity in christ is is uh children a child of obedience you know and we do that out of uh out of uh gratitude for what he has done for us out of and out of the out of our the responsibility that we are called to do to to to vivify that new nature of of of obedience to to fan those flames to bring it to life where we where where we have a and found that desire to obey him and again it's an important reminder before we close that is that this is we are not saved by obedience we you know we are saved by faith in the lord jesus christ you know that um you know in in our desire for holiness a desire um you know to be conformed to that image we have to never ever lose sight that we are justified we are declared right with god by the perfect work of christ you know by his by his righteousness that he that he lived in perfect obedience to that law of god that was the standard that had to be meant was perfect obedience christ did that for us and also we have to understand that you know his and then his atoning death on the cross as pain for all of our sin that is how we are justified our holiness our law keeping does not does not come into play in any part when it comes to our justification how we can be saved and made right with god we don't we do not add anything in a way you know in any way to the work of christ you know but rather our holiness is a response to that to being in christ so let's never lose sight of that so let us close in a word of prayer oh lord we do thank you for your word we thank you for these the the teachings that we find in in the book of first peter lord we thank you for the for the revelation of the future of glory that we have as believers as those who are in christ that we are headed for glory lord as the old as the old as the the children's song says this train is bound for glory lord we it really is that way and we are so thankful for that that we that we are headed for emmanuel's land to be for all of eternity in the new heaven the new earth new creation that we inherit and to be in the presence of our savior when he is revealed to us when we see him face to face lord we long for that day and we when we thank you that you have given us that that these these truths in our word that tell us of these things that we can that we can have our minds set on these things and our focus set on these things and lord i pray that you would help us to to do so lord we know that this world there is so many cares so many difficulties so many trials and so many distractions that we need your help to to focus on your son our savior to focus on the glory that he has obtained for us and that and that our minds would be would be fixed on these things as we go through our life and lord we do pray that you would also give us that desire to live a life that is of of holiness that where we that we take seriously this command to be holy as you are holy and lord and help us to never ever mix up the two or conflate the two where we think that our holiness somehow is it is earns our salvation with you lord we know that that is that is only through the work of your son the lord jesus that we are justified by faith in him and him alone nothing else so lord we do we do thank you for your your goodness to us we thank you for your grace and i pray that you would go with us now and in the rest of this week be with us this week lord and we just pray that you grant safety as we travel over the over the roads grant safety in the in the upcoming week with all the cold weather forecasted and we just look to you and we we thank you that you are our father in heaven who cares for us we thank you that you hear our prayers and lord we pray you be with us now we pray this in christ's name amen all right well let's close with uh singing the doxology you can stand and we'll sing it's 568. so please stand and sing together [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] but may the god of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by christ jesus after you have after you have suffered a while perfect establish strengthen and settle you to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever amen or you may be seated for a time of meditation you