CONFORMITY AND HOLINESS
Text: I Peter 1:13 – 25
“In a recent article on the suffering church, FaithWorks listed the degrees of persecution one could face for practice of religious faith:
1. Disapproval
2. Ridicule
3. Pressure to conform
4. Loss of educational opportunities
5. Economic sanctions
6. Shunning
7. Alienation from community
8. Loss of employment
9. Loss of property
10. Physical abuse
11. Mob violence
12. Harassment by officials
13. Kidnapping
14. Forced labor
15. Imprisonment
16. Physical torture
17. Murder or execution”.
Citation: Andrew Black and Craig Bird, "The Risk of Faith," FaithWorks (July/August 1999), pp. 17–20; source: Robert Garret, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
There are a lot of things on this list that specifically mention the kinds of sufferings list that people can encounter. The things on this list that we are likely to encounter are “disapproval, ridicule, pressure to conform, shunning and alienation from community”. As Christians, we are likely to encounter these things from those who oppose us. That kind of ostracism is what we share in common with those who oppose us. The main difference between us and the first and second century Christians is that they might have experienced all 17 things on this list.
This passage of scripture helps us to see a view of how Christians are to live following the resurrection. There is not much that is different between our time and the time in which this epistle was written between in 63 and 64 A.D.. In that day, many Christians were often persecuted to the point of death. Today, we are persecuted through ridicule or discrimination. However, we know in our day that the threat of terrorism is always a possibility. Even though Osama Bin Laden was removed on May 1, 2011, the threat of terrorism still exists. This scripture urges Christians how to live and persevere in the midst of the atmosphere of persecution. In general, this passage of scripture deals living life forward remembering that we are called to be holy as God is holy.
CONFORMITY
Peter seems to hint at the way unbelievers were living. 1) Ignorance: Is ignorance really bliss? People of the pagan world were ignorant. As William Barclay pointed out, they were ignorant because they believed in more than one God as well as their belief that gods were both unknowable and unapproachable. (William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible Series: The Letter Of James and Peter. Volume 1. Philadelphia : Westminster Press, 1975, p. 186). 2) Seeking to fill a void?: A second thing that Barclay pointed out was that unbelievers lived lives dominated by desire because they were often married many times. One woman was married some twenty-three times while being the twenty-first wife of her most recent husband. (Barclay, p. 187). How many people do we know that are trying to fill a void---an emptiness that only God can fill? 3) Futility: Life was characterized by an attitude and an outlook that was futile. (Barclay, p. 187). They did not have hope because they did not have lives that were fulfilling. 4) Substitute: Spiritually hungry people in the world today still try to substitute other things for the place the God should have in their lives. We cannot substitute other things for God and find fulfillment. We must not conform to the pattern of this world but rather to the things of God (Romans 12:2); we must conform to the godly things--- what is true, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 3:8 paraphrased).
Peter urges Christians to live with hope while embracing their new future. 1) The problem of hopelessness: What would life be like if there were no hope? What would our daily existence be like? Would we not live in despair working for bread and laboring for the things that do not satisfy (Isaiah 55:2)? Imagine how hope is working or not working for those who have lost their homes in the recent tornadoes? How much hope would we have if the same thing happened to us? 2) The sovereignty of God: One thing is certain, God gives us reason to hope. In the words of Tony Compollo, “It’s Friday but Sunday is coming”. What did he mean by that statement? I believe that he meant for us to look beyond the things that seem final and defeating like the cross, and toward the resurrection where there is only God-given victory made possible only by God’s intervention!
HOLINESS
What do we think about when it comes to holiness? 1) Can wretches become holy?: Are we like Isaiah in Isaiah 6, reminding God of what a wretch we are? John Newton, a former slave trader who repented and wrote about what it means to be saved when he wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace”. Do we see how God calls us to be holy as God Himself is holy (I Peter 1:16)? The command to be Holy as God is holy is in the Old Testament three times in the book of Leviticus and at least once in the New Testament as we see it in I Peter. 2) The pursuit of holiness: As someone (David Walls and Max Anders) put it, “God takes character development seriously…”. (David Walls and Max Anders (ed. also). Holman New Testament Commentary: I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude. Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishes, 1999, p. 13). With God’s help, we can succeed in being holy! “All of our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). All who have been baptized have been clothed with Christ (Romans 3:27). God is not willing that our character for holiness to go under-developed!
Christian mothers help their children by nurturing them in preparation for holy living (I Peter 1:13a paraphrased). 1) Training: When you hear this scripture this morning, you might ask “what does this passage have to do with Mother’s Day?” The first two verses seem to give us a clue. One of the things that mothers do in raising their children is preparing them for their actions in the world. Mothers have a big role in training a child up in the way that he or she should go so that when they are older they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). 2) Obedience: A second thing that mothers hope to instill in their children is obedience. Someone (David Walls and Max Anders) describes God’s impartial way of judging in the following way: “God’s judgements deal with character, not simply one’s actions which can be faked. God is concerned with individual actions and the internal motivation behind those actions. … [our actions] remain transparent to God.” (p. 13). 3) Mom’s super vision: Much like God’s concern for His children, moms are concerned about the actions and motivations of their children. How many times have you ever heard a mother say to her child or children that they can see everything that a child does good or bad? How many times have you heard mothers explain to children how their actions are “transparent” because of the eyes in the back of their head? How many of you have actually heard children ask why they cannot see the eyes that mothers have in the back of their heads?
Christian mothers prepare our minds for action, teach the art of self-control and teach us to set their hope fully on Jesus Christ. All of these things have to do with holiness. This passage of scripture deals living life forward remembering that we are called to be holy as God is holy. We can relate the scripture to the message today by remembering that mothers are a reflection of God’s care because they comfort their children much like God comforts us (Isaiah 66:13). Like God, mothers teach us to remember who we are. God’s grace is sufficient and the strength that God gives us is made perfect in weakness (II Corinthians 12:9). Even in the face of adversity, God gives us the strength be holy as God Himself is holy.
