1 Peter 1:13-16 - The Call Toward Holiness

In this episode of Proclaiming His Word, we’re diving into 1 Peter 1:13-16, where Peter issues a clear call to holiness for those who have received God’s great salvation. Building on the living hope and eternal inheritance we’ve already explored, Peter connects the grace we’ve been given to the sanctification it demands—a holy life before a holy God. We’ll examine why true grace transforms us and why claiming Christ while living unchanged is impossible. Join me as we unpack this challenging yet vital truth from Scripture. Let’s dig in and look to Jesus, our true hope!

Transcript

5 - 1 Peter 1:13-16 - The Call Toward Holiness 

Intro

• Please take your Bibles and turn with me to First Peter, chapter one, and find verse 13.
  • What Peter calls the church to do in our verses today is to live holy lives before a Holy God.
    • He connects the salvation that we have received to the sanctification that it demands.
    • He bridges from the Living Hope that he wrote about previously to the lasting holiness that should be present in our lives.
  • This, Christian, will cause these verses to be a challenge for us today.
• We live and exist in a time where we love to talk about the love of God without defining it…
  • We love to talk about the grace of God without talking about what it demands…
  • We love focusing on His forgiveness without talking about what it is meant to spur in us…
  • Simply put we have in our day divorced the grace of God from the sanctifying work of His Holy Spirit. 
    • Something that is only possible because of Biblical ignorance and man centered theology.  
    • However both are present in our church culture today which makes verses like what Peter writes a challenge to the pastor as well as the congregation.   
• Today, Peter reminds us what God requires of us, and if we have confessed that Jesus is Lord and have received this great salvation, then we are required to live differently.
  • To be fair though this is not just something that is found in the writings of Peter, we see it expressed all over the Word of God.  
    • Even in verses that we treasure that speak of the grace of God, like Ephesians 2:8-9…
      • Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
        • Two beautiful verses that we should hold near and dear, but let us not miss the verse that follows, because Paul continues.
      • Ephesians 2:10 - “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
    • Though we often focus on what it means to be saved by grace through faith, we must also consider what it means to be His workmanship.
      • As we start, let's consider these two truths side by side…
        • If you ask if works are required for salvation I would say, of course not…
      • However, if you ask me if works display our salvation I would say without a doubt.
        • Jesus Himself tells us that a “tree is known by its fruit.”.
          • He is speaking there in Matthew 12 of the fact that a person's life displays their heart.  
          • Their actions reveal what is found at the center of their being. 
        • Therefore a person who claims to be redeemed by Christ should display the works of Christ in their life.
    • This is what we are going to be talking about this morning…
  • What this great salvation is meant to work in us.
• One thing to mention before we dig into this text…
  • Peter writes to those who are followers of Christ.
    • This is an important distinction that if we miss it could leave us thinking that Peter is calling us to a works based salvation.
    • That is not the case at all…
  • Instead, Peter writes to those who are found in Christ and he calls them to a particular way of life which we will see in a moment.
• So if you are a follower of Christ today, if you are part of the Redeemed, then let us together consider how we are to live.
  • Please read with me…

1 Peter 1:13-16

• In these verses let me first direct you to the context for which they are found, verse 13 opens by directing us to the first 12 verses of this book.
  • That is why verse 13 begins with the word…
    • “Therefore” or in the King James Version, “Wherefore”.
  • So we must first consider that which we have already looked at in the first 12 verses because they exist as the foundation for what Peter is calling us to today.
    • Peter opens the letter by stating who his intended audience is…
      • Christians, who are suffering, and have been dispersed…
      • I really like how the ESV captures this; it renders Peter's words as…
        • The “elect exiles of the Dispersion…”
      • Those who are chosen by God, set apart by Him and dispersed among the nations.  
    • He goes on from that introduction and begins to write about the living hope we have in Christ and the eternal inheritance that is guarded by the Father.
      • He is reminding those who are suffering for their faith that this moment is temporary and that they have an inheritance that cannot be shaken.
      • Even though they are experiencing trials…
        • Peter reminds them that these trials ultimately point to their genuine faith.
      • As God uses these tests to produce maturity.
    • Lastly, he turns his attention to this salvation and the prophetic fulfillment that is found in Christ.
  • After all that is written in the first 12 verses Peter is now ready to call the church to action…
    • He reminds them of their salvation that is found in Christ…
      • That their eternity is secure in the heavens…
      • And that even their trials are precious before God…
  • Now he is calling them to respond to this information accordingly.
• Therefore let us consider this…

Call to Holiness

• This is what Peter is calling the believers to, and not only here in our verses today but in much of the book after this point…
  • So it is important we define what holiness is before we continue in this passage…
    • We will find the word “holy” used in our Bibles nearly 500 times, and the first use of this word is found in Genesis 2.
  • Holy, in its simplest form means something that is set apart because it is sacred.  
    • It is a word that points to purity and perfection.
  • Perhaps most importantly it is a word that describes God’s character.
    • Argubably it is the most important attribute of God, for all of His other attributes flow from His Holiness.
      • Which means that His love, His justice, His mercy, His wrath, and Grace all flow from Him being Holy.
      • His Holiness is what ties all of them together in perfect harmony.  
    • It is such an important part of who God is that His Holiness is praised by the four living creatures that surround His throne.
      • In Revelation 4 we are told that they cry day and night without ceasing…
        • Revelation 4:8c - “...“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty…”
        • Not…
          • “love , love, love…”
            • Or…
          • “Mercy, mercy, mercy…”
            • Not even…
          • “Justice, justice, justice…”
        • But they cry, day and night, holy.
      • It represents the perfect standard of God, it represents His flawless character, it represents His purity.  
    • Yet it is not only that…
  • It is also something that God has commanded of us.
    • Is that not what Peter tells us in our text today?
• Look again at verses 15 and 16…
  • Vs. 15-16
    • In all our conduct we are called to be holy…
      • Peter tells us that this call toward holiness is because He who called us is holy.  
    • We are to pursue holiness because we serve a God who is Holy.
  • Let us continue to think about this holiness in view of the redemptive work of God.
• One could argue that the entire redemptive work of God is Him moving us toward Holiness, or about Him restoring Holiness to man, think about this with me…
  • Adam and Eve were separated from God because they had sinned against Him…
    • This separation pointed towards God’s holiness and how in their rebellious state they could no longer be in His presence.
    • However, in that sin we find the promise of One to come who would set things right.
      • The first hint of the Messiah is found in Genesis 3 even as God is proclaiming the curse of sin upon man.  
      • He points forward to One who will restore what was lost.  
  • After Adam and Eve we find others being raised up that God used to move history toward this Promised One…
    • Though Noah was righteous in his generation the final snapshot of his life reminds us that he was also a fallen man.
    • Though Abraham was set apart by God and called to walk blameless before Him we know that time and again Abraham showed himself to be fallen just as we are.  
  • Hundreds of years pass and another is raised up to lead the nation of Israel…
    • Moses is called by God and commanded to lead the people out of bondage, to set them free from their slavery.  
      • Was he to be the one who was promised?
      • Would he be able to set them free from the burden of their sin?
        • No, though he played an important role we still see that this division was in place between God and man.  
      • Even still, he penned the Torah, the Law, which was intended to push the people toward holiness.
    • In fact this is where Peter pulls verse 16, you may have noticed that it is a quote…
      • He quotes from Leviticus 11:44 where the Lord says…
        • Leviticus 11:44a - “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy…”
          • It is not just here that it is mentioned…
          • Holiness is such an important part of the book of Leviticus that the word is used 92 times throughout it.
          • More than any other book in the Old Testament.
        • It is interesting that Leviticus is a book that is more focused on the sacrificial system and what was required of the people more than any other book.  
          • You want to know what perfection looks like and being made right looks like, then you read and dwell upon the book of Leviticus.
      • God calls His people to be a Holy people and He defines what that looks like and what is required of them.
    • Yet even then what do we find?
      • We find that the people were unable to maintain the place of being set apart and pure before God.
      • They were unable to be a holy people, they were unable to do as they were commanded. 
      • Even with the sacrificial system in place they could not maintain a right standing before Him.
      • We see this well when we consider Moses…
    • The man who led the people during the 40 years of their wandering, he was unable to enter into the Promised Land because of his own sin.
  • What we find is generation after generation throughout Israel’s history is fallen people that God continues to call to holiness…
    • He does this by sending prophets who point out the sin of the people…
    • He does this by sending godly kings who would work to reform the nation…
      • Yet nothing brings about continual and perfect holiness…
    • The Old Testament ends with the expectation that they are still waiting on the promised one.
  • Praise God that the New Testament opens with the revealing of this Promised One…
    • By a miraculous birth and through a sinless life…
    • Jesus was different, though He was a man like the rest of us He was without sin, completely pure and holy.
      • He was the One that was to come and He lived a Holy life and died a death that was undeserved.
    • Yet, it was in His death that we find that the perfect substitute has been provided for us…
      • He stood in our place to bear the price of our fallen state that we might be redeemed.   
  • Consider these verses in Romans that point not only to the demand for holiness and perfection but also how Jesus stands in our place…
    • Paul writes in…
    • Romans 3:20 - “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
      • Paul makes it clear that the Law, though right and good and holy, only points out how hopelessly fallen we are.
      • Yet he does not end there but uses that point as a bridge to share the hope of the Gospel.
      • The very next verse he continues and writes…
    • Romans 3:21-25a - “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith…”
      • Holiness is demanded, holiness is required, therefore Jesus came and lived a holy life to stand in our place.
      • So that anyone who places their faith and trust in Him and repents of their sins, they can be forgiven.
        • Then, for those in Christ, when God looks upon our lives He sees the perfect life of His Son.
  • This is the Gospel, God moving history and sending His Son to Redeem a people for Himself.
    • Providing a holy substitute in the place of sinful man so that by faith we can be saved.
    • This is why it is by grace alone and not of any work in our hands.
      • I love the old song “Rock of Ages”, a song that is more than 250 years old.
      • The second verse goes this way…
        • “Not the labors of my hands

can fulfill thy law's demands;

could my zeal no respite know,

could my tears forever flow,

all for sin could not atone;

thou must save, and thou alone.”

• Some of those older songs just preach…
• Let us be sure we are together on this point, there is no amount of work that could redeem you but it is Christ and Him alone.
• However, this salvation is not just a moment but something that continues in us.
  • Therefore what we must remember is that not only is holiness the demand for which we all fall short…
    • But it is also what we are called to strive toward once we are in Christ.
  • There is always the possibility for confusion at this point as well as those who would seek to abuse the grace of God.
    • Those who live like sons of the devil but claim to be sons of the King.
    • Friend, that is not a possibility…
      • Paul boldly writes to us in 2 Corinthians 6…
        • 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 - “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?”
        • Though we often use these verses in regard to marriage, the context actually applies these verses in a wider application.
      • The point Paul makes is that it is inconsistent, untrue, and outright deceptive to claim to follow Christ while living as a son of the devil.
    • Since I have mentioned the devil a couple of times it is worth noting that what we are talking about in itself is a scheme of his.
      • He has twisted the Word of God from the beginning, there is no reason to think that he has ceased from that work.
      • So also we can see his finger prints on how this call to holiness is so quickly dismissed today.
      • We do not have to look far today to find those who claim that “God is love” in order to justify their sin…
        • Or those who claim that we should “judge not” when the Bible tells us in…
          • 1 Peter 4:17 - “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
        • Or who claim that we have misunderstood what God calls sin and argue that a loving God could not condemn.
      • Friend, believers, hear me on this if you hear nothing else…
    • Either this book that is before us is the Word of God or it is not…
      • If it is not, let us not waste our time with it.
        • Cast it aside as so many have done and let us continue down the road of man centered thinking that justifies the sin.
      • However, if it is the Word of God then let us cling to it fully, embracing it in Word and Deed.
        • Testing everything in our church, life, and culture against it.
    • In the past this is what has set Baptists apart, they upheld the authority of the scripture above the culture that they dwelt in.
      • Let us do the same, the Word has not changed and it is abundantly clear.
      • God has called us to holiness, let us strive after that calling.  
  • To continue with our point…
• Someone that claims that they can live however they want because they are saved by grace has a complete misunderstanding of the grace of God.
  • Those who define grace in this way are really talking about cheap grace…
    • Cheap grace justifies sin and leaves a person worse off than if they had never heard of Christ.
  • True grace, however, transforms a life and directs a heart toward holiness…
    • We could again look to the words of the apostle Paul on this matter as he addresses this issue in his day.
  • He writes in Romans 6 verses 1 and asks some important questions…
    • Romans 6:1-4 - “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”
      • Well he does not stop there but continues on to his answer…
    • Romans 6:2-4 - “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
  • To say it differently but maintain the same idea…
    • If you claim that you are in Christ then your life should reflect that change.
    • It is an impossibility for you or anyone else to say that they have come to know Christ without being changed by Him.

Closing

•  It is here we are going to close but I want to close with an example of what we are talking about before I open up the altar for prayer.
  • I have used this illustration before but it is one that so clearly captures what we are talking about.
  • Imagine that I am late for service, very late for service, and I show up even after the service is to be turned over for the preaching.
    • But I rush in and rush to the stage and begin to apologize and offer an explanation for why I am so late.
    • That I begin to tell you that on the way over the mountain my car had a flat and that I was forced to change the tire in the most inconvenient of places.  
    • And that while I was changing the tire I was so flustered that I dropped the lugnuts and they rolled into the road…
      • My mind was so fixed on the sermon and on being late that I rushed out into the road without looking right in front of a semi.
      • I then go on to tell you that I was run over but got up brushed myself off and finished changing the tire…
    • Would you believe such a story?
      • None of us would, and for good reason…
        • We know that nothing moving that fast and being that large could hit a man and that man be unchanged.
        • Friend, all I am asking you to do this morning is apply the same logic to the Holiness of God and the salvation found in Christ.
      • You cannot come into contact with the Son of God in this glorious salvation that He has offered us and not be radically transformed by it.
    • So I urge you today, as we close out in prayer, that you would consider this and not as a concept but in view of your existence.
  • Have you been saved?
    • Does your life reflect it?