I Peter 1:13-16
Verse 13, Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
I. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind.
A. This refers to the dress of the Orientals who would have to bind their clothes close around them in order to run or fight.
1. Paul is encouraging these "strangers" not to be encumbered with the things of this world.
2. There are some things that are necessary to do in order to clear our minds so we will be able to concentrate on heavenly things.
3. Paul relates in the remaining parts of this verse what those things are.
B. The real battle is not in the body, but in the mind.
1. Rom. 12:1,2 - Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
2. Some believe they show their faithfulness in their bodies even when their minds are far away from God.
3. This is not so.
4. Our bodies reflect the condition of our minds.
II. Be sober, and hope.
A. Sober means to be awake or to be aware of what is going on around you.
1. Eph. 5:17 says we ought not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
2. We ought to be aware of what is happening around us, and who is causing it.
3. Romans 8:28 - Whatever happens around us is the very best thing that can happen under the circumstances, if we love God and if we are of the elect.
B. Hope doesn't mean to hope without faith, but to hope because of faith.
1. This hope isn't because there are circumstances that give us hope.
2. This hope is because the Bible says God will be with us until the end, even if we "feel" like He isn't.
III. Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
A. Never lost sight of the blessing of the gospel and your salvation.
1. Don't let the trials and troubles of this life stomp out the burning embers of salvation.
2. Don't let Satan's temptations cause us to lose sight of the glory that shall come in eternity.
B. We won't completely know the blessings of being saved until we see Jesus face to face.
Verse 14, As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
I. The way to "gird up the loins of your mind" and to "be sober" and remain faithful to God is:
A. To be obedient His commands and submit to His will.
B. Fashioning - forming or modeling your life. See Rom. 12:2.
1. Everybody will have a model or example to live by.
2. The idea is that we should not let our former life be our model or example.
3. The example of our former life.
a. Rom. 3:10-18 - A description of the life of the lost.
b. Eph. 5:19-21 - The works of the flesh.
C. Before salvation, a person would be ignorant of the demands of holy living, but when a person is saved, they ought to understand how much God has done for them, that they might live for Him.
1. We should not let our ignorance make us unholy.
2. Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
3. If God destroyed Israel, He will also destroy us.
Verse 15, But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
I. We will model our lives after who has called us.
A. If Satan has called us, we will model our lives after him.
B. If God has called us, we will model our lives after Him.
II. The word "conversation" does not mean just the way we talk, but the conduct of our lives.
Verse 16, Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
I. Lev. 11:44 - This command was first given to Israel, then given to the Gentiles.
II. It is amazing that the same command was given to those "under the law" as to those that are "under grace"!