Verse by Verse Bible Study | 1 Peter 1:6-16 | Gary Hamrick

I mean, would you think it's okay if Jesus, you know, walked into a bar, threw back a few shots, and then preached the sermon on the mount? I mean, would that would that bother you just a little bit? Like, that seems a little weird. Or he's sitting around at the last supper and he's slurping some some Jell O shots and vaping with his disciples around the table. Would that bother you? Would you look at that and go, that's weird. You know, if da Vinci painted the Last Supper and they're vaping, would that bother you a little bit? You go, like, that's kind of weird. Okay? [00:30:00] (35 seconds)  #ReverenceOverTrends

Christians are dying for their faith. They're being persecuted left and right. They're being martyred, and so he's trying to encourage believers. Listen. Keep your ultimate focus on heaven. That's our ultimate reward, the fulfillment of our salvation, because in the meantime, you may have to suffer various trials, and and he says, you you you have been grieved by various trials there in verse six. [00:05:18] (23 seconds)  #EternalPerspective

Now we don't always like to think about that, but that is just reality, that this world will have its share of trials and difficulties, and and it will test our faith. But in the course of it testing our faith, it will cause our faith to become stronger, to become, you know, more valuable to us when we begin to see how the Lord has sustained us and helped us through various trials. So, you know, again, the context of this passage is people are they're dying for their faith, so they're under, you know, the most intense kind of testing. [00:06:07] (39 seconds)  #TrialsBuildFaith

Now that fellowship and relationship was interrupted when sin entered the human race, and it was recovered when Christ died on a cross so that through faith in Jesus, we can have our sins forgiven, fellowship restored, relationship restored, and then ultimately, again, when we get to heaven, the fullness of our salvation realized. Okay? Angels don't enjoy that. Angels angels were created by God, for God, for the purpose of serving him and worshiping him and attending to him and surrounding the throne and, you know, acknowledging his holiness, and yet they don't have the same opportunity for relationship and fellowship that we do. [00:15:35] (44 seconds)  #GraceRestoresFellowship

But at the same time, I think there's an absence in the pulpit of pastors who are challenging people and themselves to walk in holiness. And I and I'm concerned about it, and I just I need to take some time to talk to us together about this subject because I think in the area of holiness, Christians and I'm not trying to, you know, say cornerstone. I'm just saying Christians in general, the body of Christ. I'm concerned about a sloppiness in regards to holiness before God. [00:23:47] (35 seconds)  #PreachHolinessBoldly

So whatever the cultural vice or whatever the issue, the question becomes how similar am I living my life to the rest of the world that they would then be less likely to really ever ask me what I believe or whose I am because I look too much like they. Because if that's the case, then I'm conforming to the pattern of this world. If people are less likely to see a difference in me that would then cause them to be curious about my faith, then I look too much like they do, and I'm living like too much like they do, and I'm talking too much like they do, and I'm going to places too much like they go to. You understand what I'm saying? [00:27:52] (44 seconds)  #BeDistinctDaily

So that there becomes, you know, all these kinda issues about, you know, Christians drinking and vaping and, you know, smoking a little weed and, you know, and all this kinda social stuff. Again, you know, listen. I I have preschool sermons on drinking. I don't think the Bible prohibits drinking. I think it does caution against it. The 11 passages of the book of Proverbs about alcohol, nine out of 11 are extreme cautions. First time you see alcohol mentioned in the Bible is Genesis chapter nine when Noah gets drunk and one of his sons does something inappropriate for which his descendants are cursed. Last time you see alcohol in the Bible is Revelation chapter 17 when the nations get drunk with the maddening wine of the fornications of the woman who rides the beast. You say, well, yeah, but I'm just gonna be like Jesus. Jesus drank wine. Well, Jesus said, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. So I'll preach caution all day long. I'm not gonna preach abstinence because that's the Bible doesn't teach abstinence. [00:28:36] (55 seconds)  #WisdomOnDrinking

So, you know, I only throw out some words like, you know, the drinking, the clubbing, the vaping, you know, you know, a little pot here and there, all this kind of stuff. Look. Look. You come up with your own evaluation of your own life and and just answer the questions. Is my life looking too much like the pattern of this world? And if the Lord shows you that, then make changes. You know, repent of it. You know, is is my life distinct enough that a watching world will want to know what I believe and whose I am? Because if not, I probably look too much like they do. [00:40:03] (46 seconds)  #ReflectAndRepent