I’m sure you have all heard of someone who is at the top of the world, or the height of fame, or something to that effect, and they are said to be “living the good life.” In the jargon of the world the phrase “living the good life” is associated with having an abundance of material things to enjoy; money, nice clothes, good food, luxurious vacations, and expensive cars, beautiful  houses and beautiful people.  To the world it means having the kind of life that is fulfilling, that is happy, that has all the luxuries of life in abundance.  This

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As we begin our exposition of chapter 3, it’s necessary to remember the greater context of Peter’s epistle, the theme of which I believe is sanctification.  Sanctification is to be holy, to be conformed to the image of Christ.  To become Christlike.  And as we have seen submission is one of the primary means by which God produces sanctification in us.   Peter talked about submission to government in chapter 2 vs 13; he says submit to every human institution. He is talking about human and societal government.  As Christians, the principle is that we are to submit to government. 

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We are continuing today in our study of 1 Peter.  And as I have stated previously, I believe that the theme of 1st Peter is our sanctification.  Sanctification means set apart for holiness.  The same word in the Greek, hagiasmós, hag-ee-as-mos’, is translated equally as both holiness and sanctification.  Peter states in the opening verses of this letter that we are chosen of God by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to obey Christ and be sprinkled with His blood. In effect, he’s saying that we are chosen by God for sanctification.  The Spirit working in us produces obedience to

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The last few weeks we have been talking about sanctification as described in Peter’s first epistle. Though Peter doesn’t refer to it as sanctification per se, he does state his thesis as “Be holy, even as I am holy.”  Holiness is sanctification.  Sanctification means to be set apart for a sacred purpose.  The Apostle Paul said in 1Thess. 4:3 “For this is God’s will, your sanctification.”  Hebrews says as well in chapter 12:14, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” So sanctification is the purpose for which we live now that

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Heb. 12:14 stresses the essentiality of sanctification.  It says, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”  Sanctification is the purpose, Paul says, for which we are saved. 1Thess. 4:7 “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.” Now Peter never uses the word sanctification, per se.  He does however refer to the sanctifying work of the Spirit in us, back in chapter 1vs2.  But I believe that the general thrust of Peter’s epistle is the subject of our sanctification.  His central thesis is found in

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Last week, we ended our study in the preceding verses by expounding the text found in vs 16, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”  This is God’s command to the church, as it was His command to the Israelites.  God first said it in Leviticus 11:44.  Then Peter updates it under the new covenant to the church, so that it becomes the commandment for our sanctification.  We are made holy and righteous positionally due to our justification. We are credited with the righteousness of Jesus Christ to our account.  But then we are becoming holy practically through the

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As we began our study of 1 Peter a couple of weeks ago we first looked at the surety of our salvation in vs1-5, as Peter tells us we are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven, and protected

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I have titled today’s message the Proof of Your Faith.  It comes directly from our text today, in vs 7 in the NASB.  Other translations render it “the trial of your faith,” or better, “the genuineness of your faith.”  Others have called it the character of your faith.  I think I could add one more, which is the evidence of your faith. I have often found myself as a pastor, thinking of an individual who may have given a profession of faith at some point in their life, but yet I find myself wondering if in fact they really are

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As we begin this new study in the epistle of 1st Peter, I want to forego a lot of the preliminary background information that might be customary when beginning a new book.  Peter is a very practical book, and though there is a tremendous amount of important doctrine contained in it, it is not presented as many of the other epistles, with chapter after chapter of doctrine and then a small amount of application at the end.  Peter’s epistle presents doctrine and immediately application, which is kind of a reflection on his personality.  Peter was a man of action.  And

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This is the last message I will preach in the book of John.  I think that we have been in John for a little over one year and four months. But that means today is the seventieth message.   And it’s with a certain sadness that we finish this book today.  There is no more satisfying sermon series in my estimation, than studying one of the gospels.  John however, ends his gospel a little differently than some of the others.  He doesn’t focus on the Savior ascending into heaven as one might expect, but rather he ends with a focus

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