1 Peter 1:12-16
Verse 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
Today we start closing out our look at resolutions that have eternal effects. It all comes back to living in ways that will reflect Christ and draw attention to the truth of who He is. This is important because we are the Lord’s billboards.
Over the course of the last few weeks we have talked about various ways that we can easily fall into the ways of the world which keeps us from living the holy life we are called to live. While the ways of the world are enticing they only offer short term enjoyment. We may think we are escaping the punishment while we are enjoying the sin but that in no means makes sinning OK. To think that because we are not experiencing any immediate consequences we are not doing anything wrong, is actually a very selfish thought.
We don’t like to think about how our choices impact those around us. Whether we know it or not there is an affect our choices and actions are having on those in our family and even the strangers we encounter as we are out and about. When we decide it is okay to lose our temper, our children think that behavior is acceptable. If we enjoy movies or TV shows that are not pleasing to God and then willingly talk about watching them with our coworkers, they will think is acceptable to God. Or maybe they will just think that we aren’t a follower of Jesus at all. Not that it is okay to watch them and pretend we don’t.
This is why Peter commanded that we don’t conform to the evil desires we had before we knew the truth. Now that we know the truth we have no excuse for living in the way the world lives. We know truth and therefore have a higher responsibility to obey. We know God desires us to live like Christ and so that must be our desire too. If we are looking to live eternity with Him, shouldn’t we learn to enjoy life that is purely lived? There will be sin in our life here on earth, but it shouldn’t be our lifestyle. We are supposed to be showing Christ and His holiness to the world. This isn’t a choice, it is our responsibility. Not for salvation but as a proclamation of who He is.
Making It Personal
How intentional are you about living a holy life? What choices prove that? What do you need to work on to be obedient to Christ?
Making It Personal Kids
What does it mean to be holy? What are some things that aren’t holy? Do you do any of those things?
Closing Prayer
Father, we confess the times that we are not living lives that reflect You in every way. Use Your Spirit to convict us when we are not living as You would have us live. Give us a desire to live holy lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.