The Identity of Holiness

Our identity as a follower of Christ is shown in obedience

1. We follow in Hope 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[a] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

   1. In verb order: Therefore, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, by, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded.
   2. Therefore: Summation of 1-12
      1. Because we are begotten by the Father
      2. Because we have an untouchable inheritance
      3. Because of the greatness of our salvation
      4. God’s command is always rooted in grace
   3. The main verb in verse 13 is “set you hope”
      1. The audience was under persecution. Instead of sympathizing with them, Peter tells them to rejoice because their salvation was worthy of persecution.
      2. They can do that by setting their hope on the grace that will be ours at the second coming of Christ.
      3. God chose you to be saved, and is preserving you now.
   4. Faith and Hope are book ends of the same purpose of God
      1. Faith looks backward and believes what God has already done for us
      2. Hope looks forward and trusts God to keep His word that He has promised us.
      3. Our obligation is to live our lives in the hope of our glorification when Jesus returns.
   5. The way we do that is to :
      1. We set our hope by preparing your minds for action (gird up the loins of your mind)
      2. And being sober in thinking (self controlled)

2. We follow in Holiness(14-16). 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

   1. Conformed - Pressed into a mold (same as in Romans 12:2)
   2. “The Christian life is not passive” Thomas R. Schreiner “The New American Commentary
   3. We live our lives in hope by taking time to be holy because the character of God is in the balance
   4. The validation of our salvation is our changed lives. E. “But” elevates God’s holiness in contrast to not being conformed.
   5. “Called” points out that grace precedes demand
   6. All holiness stems from the God who calls us
   7. Holy - Set apart
   8. Since God is holy, and He is our Father, we must be holy because we are His children. This is a result of being adopted/saved by God.

3. We follow in Fear 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

   1. Our Father is an impartial judge
   2. He judges on our deeds
   3. We should fear God
   4. While we are in exile

What about you?

1. Compare your life to the holiness of God
2. Ask someone close to you do they think you live a holy life
3. Develop a healthy fear of God by turning to Him every morning