Feasting with the Savior

Peter’s call in 1 Peter 1:13-16 rests on what God has already done. God, according to His great mercy, causes His people to be born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ keeps an inheritance in heaven that cannot perish, fade, or be defiled, and God guards His children by His own power. That means a child of God is not trash, not forsaken, and not left to live below what Christ purchased.

The contrast between justification and sanctification has got to be understood. Justification is that vertical line: the sin debt is paid in full through the blood of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is the ongoing process where the Holy Spirit works out a holy life in a saved person. Salvation is not the doorway where a person stops. Salvation is the beginning of walking into all God has for His children.

Peter commands believers to prepare their minds for action, be sober-minded, and set their hope fully on grace. The renewed mind refuses to stay drunk on religion, stuck in a fog, or controlled by former desires. The Word of God gives believers the truth needed to energize their minds, hear the still voice of the Spirit, and discern what God is doing around them.

Peter calls God’s children not to be conformed to the passions of their former ignorance. God is holy, and His children are called to become more like Him in all their conduct. Holiness does not mean acting religious at church while living another way at home. Holiness means a life that is trustworthy, steady, loving, and willing to put off the old self while strengthening the new.

Trials do not cancel living hope. God can use the fire of trials to test faith, burn up the wood, hay, and stubble, and produce praise, glory, and honor at Christ’s revelation. The living hope of Christ gives joy even when hardship is necessary for a little while.

Peter also joins holiness to witness. Christ must be honored as holy in the heart so believers can give a reason for the hope within them with gentleness and respect. The church cannot reach a dying world by acting like the world, debating people into faith, or shutting the door on needy people. The grace of God calls Christ’s people to welcome folks from every walk of life, love them where they are, and point them toward the Savior who can change them.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Salvation begins the journey of holiness [01:07:43] Justification settles the believer’s standing before God through Christ’s blood. Sanctification then calls that believer to walk forward, not camp out at the doorway. God’s grace does not leave His children where it finds them, but patiently forms Christlike conduct in them. [67:43]
• 2. Living hope rests in Christ’s resurrection [00:59:35] Christ’s resurrection gives believers a hope that is alive because Christ Himself is alive. God keeps the inheritance of His children in heaven, and God guards His children by His power. Fear, failure, and trials cannot erase what Christ has secured. [59:35]
• 3. Renewed minds prepare believers for action [01:05:28] Peter’s command calls believers to engage their minds with the Word rather than drift through religious habit. Sober-minded faith sees people, circumstances, and opportunities through the grace of God. The Holy Spirit uses a prepared mind to bring conviction, discernment, and practical love. [65:28]
• 4. Holiness appears in everyday conduct [01:16:22] God’s holiness becomes the standard for the conduct of His children. A spiritual person cannot live one way in the church and another way at home without damaging the witness of Christ. Christlike holiness shows up in trustworthiness, steady character, mercy, and love. [76:22]
• 5. Hope must be shared gently [01:12:17] Peter calls believers to give a reason for their hope, not to win arguments or crush people. Gentleness and respect keep the focus on what Christ has done, not on human pride. The lost need a harbor where grace tells the truth and truth points them to Jesus.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [26:58] - Justification and Sanctification
• [36:20] - Communion and Spiritual Self-Examination
• [39:41] - The Folded Napkin and Christ’s Return
• [47:26] - A Living Hope in Jesus Christ
• [48:02] - Peter’s Call to Holiness
• [50:16] - What Is a Spiritual Person?
• [58:20] - Born Again Into Living Hope
• [62:09] - Trials That Refine Faith
• [65:16] - Prepare Your Mind for Action
• [67:19] - Salvation Is Only the Beginning
• [72:17] - Defending Hope With Gentleness
• [76:22] - Holiness in All Conduct
• [79:49] - Becoming a Spiritual Church

1. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, what has God done for His people, and what words describe the inheritance He keeps for them? [01:00:26]
2. What commands does Peter give in 1 Peter 1:13 before he speaks about not being conformed to former desires?
3. According to 1 Peter 1:13-16, where is holiness supposed to show up—not only in a church gathering, but in what area of life? [01:16:22]
4. In 1 Peter 3:15, what two attitudes are to shape the way a believer explains the hope found in Christ? [01:12:43]

1. Peter says “therefore” before calling believers to prepare their minds and be holy. How do the mercy, resurrection, inheritance, and protection described in 1 Peter 1:3-5 give strength for the commands in verses 13-16? [01:05:04]
2. What is the difference between justification—being made right with God through Christ’s blood—and sanctification—the ongoing growth of a believer’s life? Why does confusing the two lead people either to fear or to stop growing? [01:07:43]
3. What might it mean for a believer to be “sober-minded” in a way that goes beyond simply avoiding drunkenness? How can religious habits, pride, or old ways of thinking keep someone from seeing clearly? [01:07:00]
4. Why does Peter connect honoring Christ as holy in the heart with giving an answer for hope “with gentleness and respect”? What kind of witness is weakened when truth is spoken harshly or only to win an argument? [01:13:39]

1. God has caused His children to be born again into a living hope, and He guards them by His power. Where have fear, failure, shame, or a hard season made it difficult for you to live like you are a kept child of God? [01:01:16]
2. Salvation is not the place to stop; it is the beginning of walking with Christ. What is one part of your life where you sense God is still working on you in the process of sanctification? [01:18:58]
3. Preparing your mind for action includes spending time in God’s Word instead of living in a spiritual fog. What is one realistic way you could make room this week to read, think on, and obey Scripture? [01:06:28]
4. Holiness is seen in everyday conduct—being trustworthy, steady, loving, and the same person at home as in public. Which relationship or setting most clearly reveals where your conduct needs to become more like Christ? [01:16:41]
5. Former desires can still try to shape a believer’s choices. What old pattern, attitude, or reaction are you tempted to return to when you are tired, frustrated, or hurt? What would putting off that old self look like in a specific situation? [01:18:18]
6. There are people around us who need prayer, welcome, help, and the hope of Jesus. Who is one person or family God may be putting on your heart, and what is one gentle step you could take to show them Christ’s love? [01:11:18]
7. Giving a reason for hope does not require winning a debate. When someone asks about your faith, how could you simply and respectfully share what Christ has done for you? [01:14:24]