Monday, July 03, 2006


  



1 Peter 1:22-25

As we studied this week, what was it that stood out to you the most?

I'll do a brief review of what the message was about.

There were two questions posed to the congregation.

Here they are:

1. How was the soul purified according to Peter's writing in 1 Peter?

Here's a hint. Refer back to verse 13-14 in 1 Peter 1

Describe the six components Peter referred to regarding how the soul is purified.

2. Regarding obeying the truth, what was the truth that was obeyed?

Here's a hint. Refer back to verse 15 & 16 in 1 Peter 1

Describe the command of the Lord regarding the truth Peter quoted in verse 16.

Peter writes about two basic subjects in 1 Peter.

The first was the salvation of the believer

The second was the holiness of the believer

As many of us first received Christ as our savior, we saw many things happen in our lives that were signs to us that God was truly in our lives.

Ask yourself this question. As I experienced the signs the Lord showed me as a new believer, did I ever seek for the sign of living holy?

Chances are most of us didn't. Of course there always exceptions.

When I first came to Christ, my focus was on living a better life as it pertained to the things of the natural. My thoughts were that God came into my life to help me "get over in the world." The thought never crossed my mind that He had a bigger purpose that me "getting over in the world."

When I became aware of holiness, it didn't come to me as one of those other signs I had grown to expect from God. It was more about crossing over to a place where I began to walk by faith and not by what I saw. Holiness was one of those things I couldn't see and it was something that rose from deep within my heart. It was a conviction I felt to live for God without expecting the things He could provide but rather to live for Him for who He was.

When the word came to me regarding being holy because God was holy, it dawned on me that because God said it, I could be it. Notice I didn't say do it. Holiness is not about doing it. It's about being what God intended us to be. Oh yeah, there are some changes we make in our lives as referred to in 1: Peter 1:13 & 14. But the being part comes from God. It's like nobody can be you but you. You don't have to try to be you, you just are. So when it comes to being holy, we are holy because God is holy.

As I ministered this word, I drew close the the passage of scripture that mentions how "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Sometimes even as believers we have to realize our natrual minds may not receive what the word of God has to say about who we are and how we are to be. This is where it takes us walking by faith and not by sight to live according to the way the Lord has called us.

Think about this for a minute.

If we could understand what the word of God said when we lived in a un-regenerated state, why would we need to be born again?

It's time to move beyond expecting the signs and wonders and live by faith and be holy.

As new babes in Christ it's not a bad thing to know God exists in your life because of what He's done for you. Moving beyond that is to take the word of God seriously and know that "these signs will follow those who believe:" Jesus said, "In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17&18)

Where does maturity in Christ take us?

1. It takes to a new walk by faith and not by sight.

2. It takes us to being holy because our Lord is holy.

3. It takes us to signs now following us.

The question for us now is, how much have we matured since we've been born again?
Pastor Cedric Reynolds
CentrePoint Christian Fellowship
6251 Schaefer Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
(909) 591-7555

To CentrePoint Family and Friends,

My belief is that this blog will become an alternative way to connect with members of CentrePoint and encourage guests to visit our church if they live close by. Your participation in this blog is appreciated and needed in order to be a blessing to all who visit. Please take a moment to share your comments. Also to you who are members of CentrePoint, please pass this blog link along to your friends and relatives. This a wonderful way for them to find out about what we believe and the ministry of the word that takes place at CentrePoint. Also your participation in this blog will help our guests feel more welcome to join in.


(thanks in advance for submitting my typos in the comment section...)













3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I did not realize that I could walk in holiness, I thought only Jesus could be holy, because He is God. I always thought that Jesus is always everything that we are not because He is God. Now I have to change my thinking (again!) Let me make sure that I have this straight, because of Jesus, I can be holy, because I am a joint heir with Jesus, I have been sanctified and set apart. There is nothing I can do to be holy, I am holy because of the redemptive blood of Jesus. Any comments? (natural is spelled wrong in your blog)

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant to publish my name, always in a hurry!

Unknown said...

Theresa,

Thanks again for your faithfulness to participate in my blog.

Let me give you a quote from the Daily Walk Bible. 1 Peter 1:14-16 "Obey God because you are His children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God - who chose you to be His children - is holy. For He Himself has said, "You must be holy because I am holy."

Do remember we were created in the image of God and after His likeness. You may know this already but the definition for Christian is "Christ-like." That's who we become when we are born again. The major key is that we have a will to be or not to be.

Stay blessed,

Pastor Cedric
p.s. Thanks also for catching the correction. You can be my blog editor :)