LIVING HOLY LIVES IN AN UNHOLY WORLD #3 : 1 Peter 2: 1-12 "The Church - The Primary Context in which we exhibit our Holy Living"

 

We have previously considered 

(i)                 1 Peter 1: 1-12, the FOUNDATION  for holy living - our calling and election by God.

(ii)               1 Peter 1 :13-25,   the MOTIVE   for  holy living  -   be holy because your God is holy 

                   From 2 Peter 2:1-12 we will now consider  THE PRIMARY CONTEXT   in which we are called to be  holy – the Christian community – the church.  The key text here is 1 Peter 2:4,5. 

When God calls His people out of this fallen, sinful world, He not only calls them to belong to Himself but He also calls them to belong to His body, called here ‘a spiritual house’ - the church. This pastoral letter, addressed to the exiles in the dispersion is written not to an individual, but to a community of God’s people in these territories mentioned here. 

By way of extension, this letter is for the church in all ages.

Our primary thought now is the fact that God saves His people to belong to a spiritual house, in which they are called to serve as a holy priesthood, in the context of an unholy world.  

In the history of the Christian church there have been numerous attempts  to form holy communities apart or separate from  an unholy world.  These were known as monasteries. While the idea of separation is central in the Bible, we find that God separates His people for the purpose of sending them back into the world as born again believers and   as witnesses to the work of God.  Leonard Ravenhill says, “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.”

That point is clearly made in the Great Commission which Jesus has given to the church in Matthew 28:18-20.  God calls and saves His people out of the world, and then commissions them to go back into that world to proclaim the gospel to men and women in the world, alienated from God by virtue of the fall.  The church is not a monastery in which people retreat into holy huddles, waiting for the coming of the Lord. No! God calls His holy people, to proclaim the gospel far and wide because God loves this world!  (Jn. 3:16). For this reason He gave His Son, that ALL who would believe should not perish.  

In practical terms God then calls you and me to proclaim the gospel where we are, in season and out of season, using our abilities as best as we know.  Christians are called to do this in the midst of a very messy, unholy and hostile world, such as the world of Peter’s exiles in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia was.This world in which we live today, this global village now so  open and accessible and reachable through so many  means, in this world  we are called to be  God’s faithful witnesses (Rev. 2:13). To this world God has given   the church a commission to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world [Matt 5:13-16]. This letter from Peter is written to the community of saints living in unholy, worldly communities, “living”, as Paul writes to the Philippians, “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom they must shine as lights in the world.” [Phil. 2:14]. 

And now we shall consider the premium way in which the church’s evangelistic impact  may be seen and felt in the world… which may surprise you!

LIVING AS GOD’S HOLY COMMUNITY  (1 Peter 1:15,16 ; 2:5,9)

“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1.      The Importance Of Bearing Credible Christian Testimony: 2:1-3; 11-12

Peter reminds these churches that in the eyes of a watching world they would need to bear a credible testimony. 2:11,12 makes that point clear: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

Before Peter dwells on the glory and the holiness of the church, he provides us with some reality therapy. Life in the local church can be challenging! A profound poet once wrote,“ To live above with saints we love, oh Lord that will be glory. To live below with saints we know, well that’s a different story!”  You laugh … but unholy living in the church is a severe hindrance to the credibility of the gospel witness to the world.  That is why Peter makes this appeal in 2:1-3:  “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  Like new born infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 

No true Christian can remain  the way they were  once  they have been born again  through the living and abiding Word of God [1:23]. Our Salvation includes our sanctification. Sanctification is an inevitable accompaniment of our salvation, just as fruit are the proof of a healthy tree. Jesus reminds us that a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit [Matt. 7:18]. Here are some things that make churches, called to bear fruit for the glory of God diseased: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander. These things are not only church killers; they kill the effective witness of the church!  So we find here  that  the apostle Peter  with his God given wisdom firstly deals with  some  fundamental  spiritual diseases which rear  their head in the church as  she  lives in  an unholy world (2:1), followed by  a prescription  which will ensure  the steady progress, growth and health of the church  in 2:2.  

Note then in 2:1 that God’s holy people should put away (apothesthai –strip off) all malice (kakia – evil) and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. What a perennial source of trouble these destructive attitudes are, and how they hurt the testimony of the church. These spiritual diseases tend to invade the church from time to time, and they come from within the church, and they are linked to the passions of our former ignorance  (1:14) and from the  futile ways inherited from our forefathers  (i.e. our culture!) (1:18). This needs a remedy! 

2:2 The remedy is that we are to put off these things,  and  instead  we are  to long  for   pure spiritual milk, which helps us  to grow up into salvation. The antidote to is to  grow  up,  as we  feed on  that holy means of grace - the feeding  upon  spiritual milk – the Word of God.  Incidentally,Martin Luther said that three things were formative disciplines in a Christian person’s life: Prayer (ORATIO), Meditation (MEDITATIO)– the feeding on  God’s Word,  and  Trials (TENTATIO), and they are all found here  in Peter’s letter.  Peter exhorts us here,"feed on that spiritual milk, that you may grow up into salvation, and to grow out of the passions of  your former ignorance."  He finishes this thought with an allusion to Psalm 34:8. You are obliged to do this, he writes, "if you have tasted that the Lord is good.”(2:3).   The fact that God has been so very   good to you is a great motivator for us to live good. Our primary responsibility in having received such great grace is that we must make it work in terms of a positive testimony to the watching world.  With these important observations behind us we now can give attention to our key text.

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN AN UNHOLY WORLD (1 Peter 2:4-12)

2:4,5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,  you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

The Church in which we are called to live out our holy lives is built on the Living Stone, the Cornerstone  who is Christ. 2:6^[1]  is a quotation from Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22.  Jesus applies this to Himself, and so does Peter.   Please take note that a holy Church is not built upon tradition, or a denominational label or a certain culture, but she is built upon Christ. Christ is her identity. Isn’t it strange that so many Christian churches are known for their many distinctives and activities, but so few are known by their Christ-likeness. Christ is identified with His church as a living stone (2:4), and a cornerstone (2:6) that vital bit of masonry that holds everything together.  He is rejected by men, but in the sight of God chosen and precious (2:4). Though the world does not own Christ, He is owned by the church.  The church derives her identity from this Living stone.  But the church is not only a   spiritual building. Something happens in that spiritual building!  The Christian church is constituted as a holy priesthood (2:5b) to offer spiritual (holy) sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

That statement must have rocked the Jewish establishment. 

The role of a priest^[2]  in the OT was limited to an appointed order -  the Levitical priesthood. No unauthorised person would have ever dared  to interfere in their holy duties i.e. to facilitate between God and man in prayer and in the bringing of sacrifices for the purpose of making atonement.

This old system is abolished by Christ our High-priest, who as Offeror and Offering   has become the perfect sacrifice for sin. He has brought us near to God once and for all. Everyone  that believes  in  Christ  can now approach  God, and in that sense every true Christian  is  inducted into the priesthood “to offer  spiritual (holy) sacrifices  acceptable to God  through Jesus Christ.”   In fact, everything that the Christian does is an offering to God.  Your entire life is an act of holy worship. "Present your bodies," said Paul, "as a living sacrifice to God" (Rom. 12:1).  And  the church engages in holy worship, and so, when outsiders come into her midst, they  see this beautiful picture  of a  holy, worshipping congregation,  they declare, “God is really  among you.” (1 Cor. 14:25).  United, holy worship,  is one of the most powerful (and  often  most neglected)  tools of witness of the church. We need to work  at being  a holy community. God  has called us to be holy, and He has enabled us to be holy.  

In 1 Peter 2:9 we read of the things to which the Christian is a witness: “…that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  The world must hear this. The gentiles must hear this.  Their foolish slander must be silenced when they see this church proclaiming and living out the gospel of Christ. That is our PRIME witness! A holy church in an unholy world is God’s primary evangelistic method.  No amount of thoughtless and prayerless evangelistic schemes  and plans and activities will  bring people into the kingdom  of God. It cannot, Every other evangelistic activity flows from that. 

So the call then is to live such holy lives in this unholy world, with the help of the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, that this unholy world can do nothing but glorify God.  This is also what  Jesus said: 

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

Here then is our challenge. It is by the holiness of our daily life and conduct as a believing community, and as individuals in that community that we  make attractive the Lord Jesus Christ to those who do not believe. Amen!

 

 

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[1] See also Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17 ; see  also Isaiah 8:13-14

[2] the Latin word for priest is pontifex, which means bridge-builder; the priest is the man who builds a bridge for others to come to God; and the Christian has the duty and the privilege of bringing others to that Saviour whom he himself has found and loves.( William Barclay)

LIVING HOLY LIVES IN AN UNHOLY WORLD #2 : 1 Peter 1:13-25 "What motivates me to me holy?"

 

 Outline

1.   Who is holy?  1 Peter 1:1-12 - this text aims to show us the basis or foundation from which our quest for holy living proceeds. The key text here is 1:2,3

2.  Called to be holy.  1 Peter 1:13-25 – this text explains the motivation for holy living. The chief motivation for holy living is that we are called to imitate the God who is holy. The key text here is 1:15,16

3.  Living as a holy community.  1 Peter 2:1-12 - this text   examines the primary context of holy living - the Christian community.  If it doesn’t work at home, it is hard to export it! The key text here is 2:4,5

4. Living as holy citizens in an unholy world. 1 Peter 2:13-25 – this text  aims  to  help us to live as holy people in  an unholy world.  The key text here is 2:21

5.  Living a holy life even when life is unfair. This text helps us to formulate a Christian response to situations which we deem unfair.   1 Peter 3:8-22.  Key text – 3:15

The subject of holiness is of particular importance to every Christian.  We are called to live what God called us to be, and what we are called to be is described in the Bible. God is a holy God, and He saves us to be a holy (distinct) people. The sad truth is however that we tend to have a disconnect between our Christian profession and the way we live. The reason for this is,

(i)                 We don’t know the requirements of the Bible. The Word of Christ does not dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16. This text occurs in the context of putting on the ‘new self’)

(ii)                Our sinful inclination towards disobedience. It shows when our homes/ marriages show little difference to the world. It shows when our attitudes and desires reflect those of the world.   

The Bible insists that those that are born again to a living hope (1:3) are God’s holy people. Christ died “that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Cor. 5:15).  We were chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Eph. 1:4). Christ “loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her…so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27) 

It is wonderful to think about our great salvation. It is wonderful to know that we by virtue of our salvation are a holy people. It is wonderful to celebrate all that Christ saved us from, but we must also ask, “what has Christ saved us for?  That is the question we want to explore today. If you are a Christian, what is expected of you? The key text here is 1:15,16: “but as he who called you is holy , so also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written (Lev. 11:44), “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”   

You shall be holy! Our text is not only a call to positional holiness (objective) but it also is a clear call to personal holiness (subjective). The call is to live what we are! Our text begins with the conjunction “therefore". This joins our thoughts to that which has been said before in 1:1-12. We will need to briefly rehearse that.  Christians are “elected… according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ…” (1:1-2).These opening words teach us that Christian holiness begins with God.  Your status as a holy person (a saint/ ‘in Christ’) is rooted  in God’s prior  action. And that is FOUNDATIONAL. But that is not where it ends. Your positional holiness requires a response! The call to holiness BEGINS with God, but there must be evidence of this. A tree must bear fruit.  By your fruit you shall be known. (cf. Matt. 7:15-20).

I.                    THE CALL  TO HOLINESS IN vv.15,16  begins with   four challenges in vv.13,14:   

1.       “Therefore preparing your minds” (lit. gird up the loins of your mind) for action…” (1:13). This phrase needs some explanation. Men in the middle-east wore long flowing robes. When they wanted to get mobile they would simply pull up their robe and fasten it with a belt. The English equivalent would be to roll up one's sleeves or to take off one's jacket.  Peter is saying … get ready for action! The call to Holiness begins in your mind – your thought life.  What or how you think determines how you live in an unholy world.  And here we find much of the problem. Many Christians are not prepared to put their minds to work hard at understanding and applying the Bible. They just bumble along. It is clear that   Peter means us to use the Word of God, the logic of God, to shape our thinking (so also Rom. 12:2).

2.       “And being sober-minded”.   “Being sober” (1:13 see also  4:7; 5:8) means  literally “not drunk”. Drunkenness impairs our judgement. Here it obviously has a spiritual application.  If we are drugged with all sorts of worldly rubbish, our sanctified reasoning skills are impaired. Holiness implies that we need clarity of mind, and we get that from being rooted and grounded in the Scriptures.  Peter counsels us to keep our heads clear from worldly influence  and clutter. We need to be sober minded.

3.      “Set your hope fully on the grace which will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. As you think about how you ought to live your life in an unholy world, Peter counsels you to keep the ultimate end in view. Look at the finish line! Our ability for living a holy life in an unholy world is greatly strengthened if we know where it all leads to. Remember that the best is yet to come! (John 14:1-4)

4.       As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. Don’t be conformed to your past way of thinking. Let your mind be transformed (Rom. 12:2). The old things are gone. The new has come. “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” [Phil. 3:12]  Let your present knowledge of Christ govern your thinking.

II.                  THE CALL TO HOLINESS (vv.15,16)

It is significant that Peter quotes from the Law of Moses in Lev. 19:2,  and applies it directly to his readers under grace,  “... but  as he who called you is holy, you also  be holy  in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy ‘”.

A word of explanation: We are no longer living under the ceremonial or civil laws of Israel, by which Israel showed herself to be a distinct and holy people from the surrounding nations.  But we are still living under the rule of the same holy God. And while we can dispense with the ceremonial and civil laws of Israel, because they belonged to that unique holy culture, we cannot dispense with the overarching call to be holy. In that sense remember that Jesus, the perfectly holy man did not come to set aside the law, but He came to fulfil it, for He is the end of the law [Matt. 5:17]. The moral law (the 10 commandments) is the finest expression and summary of the holy life that God desires us to live, and again remember that the 10 commandments are not an end in themselves. They are an application of the faith that we profess in Christ. Living out the 10 commandments means that we live a life of love with respect to God (first four commandments) and a life of love towards our neighbours (last 6 commandments).  The moral law remains valid in its entirety. Sadly there is a tendency among some modern Christians to think that if we are truly gospel centred and grace centred  then   we ought not to talk about rules or imperatives or moral exertion. We are scared of words like diligence, effort or duty!

The question remains:  How do we Christians show our holiness?  How do the people of the unholy world know that there is a holy people among them, if the so called holy people of God live so much like the world?  What does it mean that “there must not even be a hint of immorality among the saints?” [Eph. 5:3]. And what about   Eph. 5:4 - “let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving?”  Does  our use of language matter?  Does it matter what movies, or You Tube clips we watch?  Does it matter what books we read?

Israel was a people called to be holy and different from the other nations. Their temple was holy because it was different/ separate from other buildings. Their Sabbath was holy   because it was separated from other ordinary days. Everything about Israel was different. Though the application varies, the principle does not. The Church is still called to be a holy people.  Peter presses this point home: “Be holy yourselves in all your conduct / behaviour” (1:15b).  Peter here links “holiness” with our “conduct/ behaviour”, and he adds the word “all”. This is important because of the pervasive tendency to separate the sacred from the secular. Are we not to regard all things sacred? Our holiness must extend to all areas of life, and we shall see a good many applications of this in the course of this letter. Integrated living (holding life and doctrine together) eliminates hypocrisy. One of the consistent argument of unholy men against Christians and the church is ironically when they see inconsistent, hypocritical, i.e.  unholy behaviour in Christians.

This does not mean that Christians will always be perfect in all our behaviour. But it does mean that when they do sin, that their repentance is as notorious as their sin. Christians keep short accounts with sin. Piled up sins  deny  that  we are holy men and  women.

Therefore, holiness must be studied and applied. That means that we must grow in our personal knowledge of God’s holiness (1:15, 16).  We need to study what is unholy and contemptible in God’s sight. We need to know what sin is and does. We need to understand the consequences of unholiness- God’s wrath. The extent to which we get to know and understand the holiness of God, to that extent we will gain insight into the enormity of our sin, and this has the effect of greatly humbling us.  And it helps us to be gracious and patient with others.

III. FURTHER INCENTIVES  FOR HOLINESS  (vv.17-25)

1. We should be holy because our Father is also our Judge. (v.17)

The God who according to his foreknowledge has loved us from eternity, and who elected us to the status of being His children, is also the Father  that warns us and exhorts us  to  stick to the family guidelines: Be holy, because I am holy! Peter reminds us that God our Father impartially judges according to each one’s work. Remember that God is both, loving Father and impartial Judge!  This should cause us to conduct ourselves with fear throughout  the time of our exile (i.e. during our stay on earth). Here it is important   to see that  the deeds God is going to judge  are not  so  much a list of particular good deeds as much as  our entire way of life- our inner life  and outer life, our  thoughts, words, deeds,  at home and in public.  The “fear” of which Peter speaks relates to the fact that we all must give an account of our life.  We must live in holy fear in this life  because our Father is also our Judge.

2. We should be holy because God redeemed us at infinite cost.(vv.18-21)

(i)                 We were ransomed from, “the futile way of life inherited from your forefathers.” [v.18]

(ii)               We were ransomed at great cost: Not with perishable things like silver and gold , but with the precious blood of Christ. [vv. 18b,19] Because God redeemed us at infinite cost, we owe Him our lives in holy living!

(iii)             A Particular Redemption for you!  God planned your redemption IN Christ before  you ever sinned: “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world” (1:20). At Pentecost, Peter said, “This Man [Jesus], delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God…” (Acts 2:23).  The cross wasn’t God’s last-minute plan put into place after man fell into sin. No! He ordained your redemption before the creation of the human race. Foreknowledge doesn’t just refer to God’s knowing in advance. It implies His purpose. God planned this redemption with you in mind: “he was made manifest for the sake of you.” [v. 20,21].

(iv)               Your redemption was sealed in the resurrection of Christ. [v.21]

(v)                The greatest manifestations of holy living is  obedience to the truth, which issues in a sincere brotherly love, loving one another earnestly from a pure heart” [v22]

(vi)              A realisation  of our true vulnerability, “All flesh is like grass” [v.24], and  our abiding  trust  in the Word of God – the promises of the  gospel [v.25]

The bottom line:  In the light of our great redemption from the bondage of sin and death-  our redemption which cost the Son of God His precious blood - our  redemption which God provided while we were still His enemies (apart from any merit on our part)  live   your lives  in holy reverence and serve this Holy God  who  loves  you for Jesus’ sake.

LIVING HOLY LIVES IN AN UNHOLY WORLD #1 : 1 PETER 1:1-12 “WHO IS HOLY?”

 

 

Series Outline

1.   Who is holy?  1 Peter 1:1-12 - this text aims to show us the basis or foundation from which our quest for holy living proceeds. The key text here is 1:2,3

2.  Called to be holy.  1 Peter 1:13-25 – this text explains the motivation for holy living. The chief motivation for holy living is that we are called to imitate the God who is holy. The key text here is 1:15,16

3.  Living as a holy community.  1 Peter 2:1-12 - this text   examines the primary context of holy living - the Christian community.  If it doesn’t work at home, it is hard to export it! The key text here is 2:4,5

4. Living as holy citizens in an unholy world. 1 Peter 2:13-25 – this text  aims  to  help us to live as holy people in  an unholy world.  The key text here is 2:21

5.  Living a holy life even when life is unfair. This text helps us to formulate a Christian response to situations which we deem unfair.   1 Peter 3:8-22.  Key text – 3:15

1.       1 PETER 1:1-12    “WHO IS HOLY?” 

Peter, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit^[1]  writes a pastoral letter to the scattered flock of the Lord Jesus in the diaspora^[2] - the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, in what is today known as Turkey.  Some of the 3000 converts, many of them Jews from the diaspora, were in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost [Acts 2:9]. They heard Peter preaching the gospel about Jesus there, they believed the gospel and they brought the gospel back to their homes in these regions.  But, things were not easy in their world. Those in the dispersion were facing various trials (e.g. 1:6; 3:13,14;  4:12-19; 5:10). And so Peter writes this pastoral letter to provide them with much needed perspective.  To be a practising Christian means to experience various trials.  We find examples of  various trials right here in Peter’s letter:  

·         They were exiles - because they were Christians, they were out of place and unwelcome in the world of their day. They were forced to move away. The trials would have included political persecution for some, for these were the days in which the cruel Roman emperor Nero ruled.

·         They suffered spiritual persecution by those opposed to the gospel. 1 Peter 4:13,14 speaks about sharing in Christ’s sufferings. 

·         Some trials are induced by the sinful nature. Peter makes reference to this in 4:15.   Some trials are the result of our own lack of wisdom. 

·         Some trials come from the hand of God our heavenly Father. He sometimes tests the genuineness of our faith, a testing by fire. Peter makes reference to this in 1:7. The process may be painful but the fruit is sweet. 

·         Christians have a sworn enemy, Satan. He is “a roaring lion, prowling around, seeking for all kinds of opportunities” - to do damage to any believer and to hinder the progress of the kingdom of God. [1 Pet.5:8]. 

In practical terms then it is very hard to be a Christian. Actually, without God’s help it is impossible to be a Christian, and so, one of the greatest trials and challenges for Christians is to stay holy in an unholy world. 

It was hard for the people that Peter was writing to. 

It was hard for the people that the writer to the Hebrews was writing to. 

It is hard to be a Christian in our times.  In recent times we have seen some high- profile apostasies from Christ, and at church level this COVID season has brought about a real purging. Many churches worldwide have reported people not returning to public worship. In addition there is a renewed anti-Christian spirit in the world, on many fronts. Looking at the recent edition  of the  Evangelical Times confirms that. 

But our greatest trial has been a false Christianity that has been invading the church, taking many people captive by its hollow teachings. These false teachers  do not encourage us to be like  our Lord Jesus, but they  have caused  many people in the churches to  become  “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” (2 Tim. 3:2-5).

The world cannot make a distinction between a holy church and an unholy church, and I fear that the prevalence of unholiness in the church has made the church obsolete  in the eyes of the world.  Already it is hard to find a God fearing, Bible preaching, Christ exalting, Spirit filled church. And if you are part of such a church, thank God, but know also that such a church will be challenged and booed and ridiculed by our growing cynical, a-moral, relativistic, atheistic society. It is hard to be a true Christian in our times, particularly when you want to hold to the Bible’s teachings. The world perceives us to be the enemy of our progressive modern society, and that in itself  can bring about strong trials.

Peter’s  primary message  for these  Christians (and  for  us) living  in the midst of various  trials, and  living in a world in which we often feel like exiles [we don’t belong here],   is to keep loving the Lord Jesus [1:8] and to  keep on  living holy and obedient lives, remembering that  God will  soon  deliver us  from our trials at the revelation of  Jesus Christ [1:13], whether it is by His physical appearing, or  by our  death.

Being a Christian means to be holy.  We have already said that this takes more than mere will-power and human effort. 

So where do we start? How can we be holy? And who is holy?  

We must start where the Bible starts. With God!  And with great relief we learn that God is responsible in the first place for our holiness.  Follow the logic of the text:

1:1,2: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood.

Now let us say immediately that there is no obvious mention made of the word ‘holy’ in the text which we have read.   But the concept  and the idea is right there. 

But first, let us try to understand the word, ‘holy’.  Holiness is a noun. Being holy, as used in 1:15,16, 2:5,9; 3:4,15, is an adjective.  However the verb, (the action word) in the English language is strangely translated in 1:2 as ‘sanctify’[3] (and not ‘holify’).  In both the Hebrew and Greek language holy/ sanctify mean “to be set apart” or “to be separated” for God.  God is the One who does that. Now it is important that we see this right away. God  transforms an unholy people into a holy  people. Leonard Ravenhill[4] once said, “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.”

The basis of our holiness is found in the work of the Holy Trinity, and in particular to that work of God  in salvation  which begins with  election.  Note, that Peter writes to the  “the elect exiles”.

The doctrine of election (the first aspect of the doctrine of salvation) underlies our first study of biblical holiness. Any attempt to explain the doctrine of holiness without placing it into the entire scope of the doctrine of salvation (from election to glorification) will quickly take us into a wrong direction. When I was a  young believer, and not well taught  in the Scriptures,  I  thought that justification was  God’s work in salvation and that  sanctification was to be my  work or contribution  to my salvation.  That is clearly wrong. The work of saving a person begins with election, and it includes our sanctification and ends with our glorification.[5] All of it is of God.  Holiness/ sanctification  is an integral component of our salvation! We are saved to be holy.  Whatever responsibility we have in working out our salvation with fear and trembling ^[6] must be worked out from that premise: Our holiness  or  sanctification  is  first of all from God!  Our ability to lead a holy life is from God. Our holiness proceeds from God’s own holy nature.

When  we were originally made in the image of God we were originally set aside for holy purposes. The fall in Genesis 3 made man a sinner. Man became unholy.  But God, who is rich in mercy works his wonderful grace into undeserving, unholy sinners.  Those who look to Him and who are saved are called ‘God’s holy people’ / (saints- those who are sanctified) once again.  But since no one seeks God naturally, God inclines the heart of some to hear and believe. He makes them holy, and He does so by an eternal decree.  God sets the believer apart from before they are born [Isa. 49:1; Jer. 1:5]. 

The experience of holy living begins with the doctrine of election. The word elect (eklegō), literally  translates  as ‘to call out’, and it is used  many times  in the Scripture^[7]  with reference to the work of God,  in selecting or choosing  His people  whom He also  foreknew (proginosko)  and  who  He predestined to be saved.  Thus, the believer is called out to be set apart.  Thw word ' election' then conveys the same  idea  as the word  'holy' holy’ – being set apart.

And now  that  phrase, the elect exiles  in 1:1  must be read  in  conjunction with 1:2 where Peter describes  how this  salvation (which includes our sanctification)  has come about in terms  of  a Trinitarian work. The elect exiles  (born again  to a living hope 1:8; 23)  were: 

(i) Foreknown by the Father 

(ii)  In the sanctification  of the Spirit 

(iii) For obedience to Jesus Christ and for the sprinkling with his blood. 

Our obedience to Jesus is a very necessary confirmation of our election and calling. It must be seen in our very real love for Him and for His church, and for this lost world.

The marks of holy living are worked out in 1:3-12 in terms of a real experience of salvation. The key words there are hope, faith and love.  These three terms are at the heart of  our Christian experience, and the life of holiness, which as we have seen proceeds from the basis of God's prior work in us:

(i)     You are born again into a living, experiential  hope (1:3) 

(ii)  You have  a living, experiential  faith (1:5) 

(iii)  You have an tangible, experiential  love for Jesus  (1:8)

 And it all  issues  in an experiential joy … (1:6,8) … rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory....  And all this   despite the fact that  they (and you)  are grieved by various trials.

Our doctrine of holiness must begin where the Word of God begins. With God. There we are rooted. He declares us holy. 

And from that positional righteousness which is ours through Christ, we work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12,13), knowing that God works in us! 

In so doing, with weak and feeble hearts, we continually cry out for help to Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That is the place of prayer! And the good news is that from our position in Christ, and fighting against remaining sin, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit.  In the sanctification of the Spirit  we  can  fight  against the works of the flesh:  sexual immorality  (pornography), impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, immorality, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these (Galatians  5:18-20).  And should we fail (which we do so very often because of the feebleness of our faith in God) we are still bound in the bonds of holiness by Him that called us. This is the amazing grace of God. This is what Paul marvels at in Romans 7. 

 But let us stop here for now.  Next  time we will  say more.

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[1] 2 Peter  1:21

[2]  Diaspora: lit.  sown through; John 7:35  makes reference to this.  Diaspora was the common term for describing the Jews scattered throughout the world after the Babylonian exile of 587 BC

[3]  Gr. hagiasmō

[4] Leonard Ravenhill (18 June 1907 – 27 November 1994) was an English Christian evangelist and author who focused on the subjects of prayer and revival.

[5] E.g. see the  golden chain  of salvation in Romans   8:29,30) . In Systematic theology we speak of the ORDO SALUTIS – the Order of salvation : 1.Election  2. Calling 3.Regeneration  ( Being born again) 4.Conversion ( Faith and repentance) 5.Justification  6.       Adoption 7. Sanctification  8. Perseverance ( remaining a Christian) 9. Glorification (Death &  receiving a  resurrection body)

[6] Phil 2:12,13

[7]  Four words for election in the N.T are derived from the same Greek root.  (i)  Verb eklego,  to choose or to select. (ii) Noun eklogē  (election). (iii)  Adjective eklektos (choice) is often used with the definite article as a noun and translated the elect. (iv) suneklektos, lit. chosen together with. Together these  four words occur 52 in the NT: eklego 22 times, eklogē 7 times, eklektos 22 times, suneklektos 1 time).