Love God Greatly - 1 & 2 PeterSample

Many of the Jewish Christians had lost hope and returned to their old ways before Christ. Since believers in Jesus Christ have a wonderful inheritance in Heaven and rejoice in suffering, Peter urges them to do five things in this passage. Believers are to prepare their minds for action, be self-controlled, set their hope on their eternal destiny, refrain from falling back to sinful desires, and be holy in all they do. Many Christians struggle with the word “holy”. It gives the connotation of self-righteousness or perfection. But it actually describes the pure, loving nature of God, totally separate from evil. Although believers are not holy by nature and will continue to sin as long as we are alive in the earth, we are God’s holy people set apart for Him. The work of God makes the obedient, holy Christian life necessary and possible. God, through Jesus redeeming work on the Cross, has freed believers from the penalty of sin. He has freed believers from the power of sin. It is a believer’s destiny, upon Jesus return, to be freed from the presence of sin. Because of this freedom, believers should pursue holiness now, by trusting in the work and conviction of the Holy Spirit. When believers forget what God has delivered us from, forget that we are set apart, or lose hope for our glorious destiny, it is easy to fall back into old sin. We are holy because God is holy. He has done the work through Jesus. All we must do is believe wholeheartedly in what He has done and walk in it. What situation has you tempted to fall back into old habits, old patterns, and old ways of thinking? What habitual sin has you doubting that you are now holy? Are you pursuing holiness through your own futile efforts? Or will you surrender every moment, every decision, and every situation to God for His leading and guidance onto the path of holiness?