1 Peter 4:1-5
What We Need To Serve God
A major Christian university put out an article stating
that over seventy percent of students who enroll in secular colleges that were
brought up going to church will stop church attendance within the first two
months of college, while students in Christian colleges continue to attend.
This is because the Christian
college requires you to attend church, just like the majority of parents did
while the child was at home.
What the secular college revealed
was the heart of the individual.
Why do people get out of church?
Why do those with testimonies of
salvation fall into sin and stay there?
Why are there so many Christians
living among so many lost people that don’t even know we exist?
1.
It could it be an Absence of the Indwelling Spirit of God:
Salvation will produce a new
creature. (1 Cor. 5:17)
It isn’t an outward requirement
that recommends serving Jesus or an outward list of do’s and don’ts that
regulate our actions, it is an inside dwelling of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 10:16)
Without true salvation there is no
desire to serve the Lord in word and deed.
Salvation will not keep you from sinning, but it will keep you from enjoying it.
2. It could be the
Presence of the Influence of Society.
Paul and Silas in prison stood for
Jesus and sang praises. In the next
chapter, 17, Paul was by himself in Athens, yet the Spirit was working in his
life, so he wasn’t influenced by society.
Yet, Lot was vexed by the filthy lifestyle around him. (2 Peter 2:7-8) “seeing and hearing” vexed, brought down his spirit.
3.
The Consequence of Inadequate Schooling.
There has to be teaching, training,
thought pattern, etc…
In these five verses of 1 Peter 4
we see five areas of Christian life that can affect our standing with God and
our influence in the world toward Christ.
We can learn, we can take on board
these truths.
They are not new truths, they are
fundamental truths that constantly need to be brought to our attention.
In order to be good at something,
to be well versed, to be comfortable with the task, to be confident, you must be
constantly acquainted with it.
Pool, shooting a gun, practicing law or health, building furniture, being a
disciple for Christ.
To Adequately Serve
God, We Need:
v.1 A Good
Education to serve God. (Arm Yourselves)
According to Strong’s, the Greek
word used to translate “arm” is only used once in the entire New Testament.
It is here that we are told to arm ourselves.
We are to equip ourselves with
weapons.
The three most important areas of our
Christian life are:
1. Prayer; 2. Bible Reading; 3.
Church.
This world is not geared toward
any of these, but on the contrary, it is geared in the opposite direction.
We go through great lengths to
educate ourselves for our trade or our occupation in life.
This “Christian Life” should be
the backbone to our everyday activity throughout our life.
It is for this reason that we need more than just a small amount of
knowledge about “who we are,” “why
we do the things we do”, and “how to continue for God.”
Video games,
cars, hunting, fishing, music, but what about our service for God?
It is our reasonable service,
(Romans 12:1)
We are to be throughly furnished,
(2 Timothy 3:17)
The mind.
Having a knowledge of how we should conduct ourselves, how we should
control ourselves,
Equip yourself.
Having tools and supplies are no good if you don’t know how to use them
and apply them. Having a welder
will not help if you can’t use it.
Having a can of paint and brushes will not help if you don’t know how to use the
tools and apply the paint.
v.2 A Godly
Santification.
The object of redemption is to
rescue us from being swayed by wicked lusts, and to bring us to be conformed
wholly to the will of God.
1. We have
faith in Jesus Christ, giving us salvation and His Spirit.
2.
We have faith that we have the power to say no.
3. We have faith that abstaining
from sin will result in more pleasure than indulging in sin.
v. 3 An Great Appreciation from what
you were brought out of or keep out of.
The rear view mirror helps, but it
would be dangerous to use it all the time.
Ephesians 1:1-3, and it goes on and on, “BUT GOD”.
v. 4 A Grievous
Confrontation with those not serving God.
This world is not our home.
This world is not in line with us.
We are no longer going the course
of this world.
Daniel, Hebrew Men,
Sometimes those around us can
bring us down. Why?
We don’t do the things they do.
We don’t go to the places they go.
v. 5 A Grim
Condemnation for those not serving God.
Many people are in love with
death, fire, hell, the devil. One
day it is going to be a very real, very serious, very grim experience.
Quick – saved;
Dead – Lost. God’s
judgments.
Where will you stand?
Where will others stand because of
you?