1200-1 Believer

1 PETER 1:13-16
HOW TO LIVE THROUGH unto you at the revelation of c. Hope to the end for
SUFFERING: GIVE YOUR Jesus Christ; God’s salvation
LIFE TO GOD, 1:13-3:12 14 As obedient children, not 2 Focus upon obedience
fashioning yourselves ac- a. Do not be conformed
cording to the former lusts in b. Reason: No longer
C. Focus Your Every your ignorance: ignorant of God
Thought, 1:13-16 15 But as he which hath 3 Focus upon holiness
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called you is holy, so be ye a. God is holy
1 Focus upon the coming 13 Wherefore gird up the holy in all manner of conver- b. God has called you
grace & salvation of God loins of your mind, be sober, sation;
a. Gird up the loins of your mind and hope to the end for the 16 Because it is written, Be c. Scripture demands
b. Be sober grace that is to be brought ye holy; for I am holy. holiness

BELIEVER’S LIFE & WALK: BASIC ESSENTIALS

C. Focus Your Every Thought, 1:13-16

(1:13-16) Introduction: this passage begins the longest section of First Peter. Remember: the believers were suffering terri-
ble persecution. They had lost their homes, property, money, possessions, and friends. They had been forced to flee for their
lives, perhaps carrying only what they could by hand. They were being persecuted because of Christ. They were living for
Christ and proclaiming the salvation and hope of eternal life in Him. People were willing to hear about salvation, hope, and
eternal life in Christ; but they did not want to hear about repentance, that they had to repent in order to be saved and to re-
ceive eternal life. They were just like people of all ages: they did not want to hear about righteousness and godliness, about a
Lord to whom they had to give all they were and had. Therefore, the people turned against the believers. The believers had
fled into other countries trying to escape the fury of the persecution. They were naturally disappointed and experiencing the
dread of fear. They needed to be encouraged and strengthened to continue on for Christ. But what was the best way for Peter
to do this? What could be said to encourage a people who had lost everything and were having to flee for their lives?
There was only one message that could encourage and strengthen them: the glorious message of the gospel of salvation.
They needed to keep their eyes upon the grace and salvation of God. This is what Peter had preached. Up until now he had
proclaimed the wonder and greatness of salvation. Now something else was needed. When we are facing the trials and temp-
tations of life, it is not enough to keep our eyes upon salvation. We must also act; we must do some things. When we under-
go the trials of life, whether persecution and suffering or temptation and sin, we must act. We must dedicate our lives to God,
and we must get our minds ready. We must concentrate upon some things. We must focus and zero in on three things in par-
ticular.
1. Focus upon the coming grace and salvation of God (v.13).
2. Focus upon obedience (v.14).
3. Focus upon holiness (v.15-16).

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(1:13) Grace—Mind—Sober—Hope: focus upon the coming grace, the salvation of God. Remember: grace is the favor
of God showered upon us. We do not deserve His favor, for we have not believed God, not perfectly. We have dis-
obeyed, transgressed, cursed, neglected, ignored, and rebelled against God. Nevertheless God has favored us. He loves us;
therefore He has provided a way for us to be saved. He has sent His Son into the world to take all of our transgressions upon
Himself and to bear the judgment for us. This is what is meant when Scripture says that Jesus Christ died for us. He took the
guilt of our transgressions against God upon Himself, and He bore the judgment and punishment for us. This is God’s grace
to us, the great favor and blessing which He has bestowed upon us, even our salvation. We can now be saved from sin and
from death; we can now live with God eternally. But note a critical fact: we are not in heaven with God yet. We are not saved
from the presence of sin and death yet. We are still living in this world and in the presence of evil and corruption. We shall
be delivered some day; we shall be perfected and never know sin and death. But we are not there yet. However the day is
coming, the day that is known as the glorious day of redemption or the glorious day of our salvation. The glorious day is
coming, the day when Jesus Christ shall burst open the heavens above and return to earth to save and perfect us eternally.
Therefore pursue that day; pursue the grace, the glorious salvation of God that is to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus
Christ. Go after God’s grace—diligently go after it. Make sure, absolutely sure, that you do not miss God’s grace. Pursue
God’s grace and salvation by doing three things.
1. Gird up the loins of your mind. This means to gather up all loose thoughts; to gird up your mind and thoughts; to
concentrate and focus your attention upon your coming salvation. During Peter’s day men wore robes, and they wore a belt
around their waist. When they were set on some strenuous action, they gathered up their robe and tightened it under the belt
so that the robe would not flop around and hinder their work. The believer is to gather up the loins of his mind, gather up all
the loose thoughts and focus and concentrate upon the grace and salvation of God. He is to strain to control every thought, to
focus upon...
• “whatsoever things are true
• “whatsoever things are honest
• “whatsoever things are just
• “whatsoever things are pure
• “whatsoever things are lovely
• “whatsoever things are of good report
• “if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Ph.4:8).
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