Doing the Will of God

Part 3 

Have you ever asked yourself “What is God’s will for my life?”  It is a question that most Christians have asked and continue to ask themselves.  It is a question asked out of a desire to do what is right - a desire to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.  Many Christians, however, can become paralyzed with fear because of this question.  They’re afraid that if they don’t get it "right" they will miss out on God’s best.  While this is true (that if we don’t understand what God’s will is we will miss out on what is best), many Christians unfortunately miss out on life all together because they end up doing nothing for fear that it will be "wrong."  The root of this problem, I believe, is often due to a failure to go to and rely upon the sufficiency of the Scriptures.  God has given us His inspired, written word – the Holy Bible – to guide us into His will.  We are not to rely upon impressions, emotions, or feelings for these will always change, but God’s Word stands firm and is the surety for our knowing God’s will for our lives. 

I want to take the upcoming weeks to look at what God’s Word clearly tells us to be His will for our lives.  Before we begin, however, let me remind you of what I’ve written about the last two weeks.  Since the beginning of creation it was God’s desire (His will) to save a people for His glory – for His own pleasure (Rev. 4:11; Col. 1:19-22; Phi. 2:13) – and He has accomplished it through the finished work of Christ.  So, then, if you are in Christ, God’s will is completed because Christ fulfilled God’s eternal will for your life. If you are in Christ you stand safe and secure under the umbrella of God’s grace. O what a joyous and comforting truth this is! In light of this truth, may we never grow complacent or callous, as some who call themselves Christians do. Let us always realize that Christ has fulfilled God’s eternal will for us so that we can now walk in His grace and accomplish God’s daily will for our lives to His glory. 

“Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’.” -1Peter 1:15-16 

This verse has at times brought complete despair to my life. When I sinned I became self-focused on my failure and inability to be holy. I continued to walk around in discouragement because I failed to get my eyes off of myself and onto Christ. It brought despair when I failed to realize that Christ was my righteousness, not my deeds. But now, in my walk with God, this verse brings a healthy fear, sobriety, and sheer joy to my soul knowing that being holy is not only God’s will for my daily life but is also possible because of Christ! 

Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  As Christians, it is God’s will for our lives that we would be holy in all of our behavior.  Not just in those areas where it is easy for us to be holy - not just in those areas that others see – we are to be holy in every area of our lives!  Why? We are not to be holy so that others may see us and remark about how moral we are.  We are not to be holy so we can live a peaceful life; we are to be holy because God is holy. God the Father, the author of the covenant of grace, is holy. God the Son, the securer of that grace, is holy. God the Holy Spirit, the one who sanctifies us and enables us to walk by His grace, is holy. Child of God, our God is holy!  O wonderful grace of Jesus, not only are we to be holy in all our behavior we can be holy because the Holy One is in us and His sufficient grace enables us to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him. 

How?  How can we be holy in our behavior?  To answer this we must look at the context 1 Peter 1:15-16 comes in – 1 Peter 1:13-21.  In this passage we find many things that we can and must do if we are to fulfill God’s will for our daily lives by being holy.  Let's look briefly at each verse and discover some of the riches they hold for us to apply in order to be holy. 

Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  (v13) 

Therefore – This points us back to the previous verses to know what the therefore is here for.  In 1Peter 1:3-12 we read of the marvelous and wonderful salvation we have through Jesus Christ.  Because of Christ’s finished work, we have a living hope and a sure salvation. We should therefore live lives that bring Him glory because we now have the ability to do so (see Titus 2:11-14). 

gird your minds for action –God’s grace is not passive.  The grace of God took action – it took Jesus going to the cross to break the power of sin. The Christian life is not to be passive. We are to live our lives with mental preparedness. We need to be alert and aware. The enemy destroys his sleeping victims. We must keep our minds filled, ready, and sharp with God’s Word. 

keep sober in spirit – Most Christians today would not even think about getting intoxicated with alcohol. However, many Christians don’t realize that they allow their spirit to be defiled and intoxicated with the things of this world. We must realize that our time here on earth is short and not allow ourselves to be lured and led astray by the empty things of this world. We must be people who have heavenly priorities, not worldly lifestyles. 

fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ – As Christians, our hope is sure. Our hope is not some wishful thinking, it is certain. Only when we focus on that which is certain – that which is eternal – will we find the courage, strength, and ability to persevere to the end. Christians, of all people, should be people overflowing with joy no matter what is happening around us because we know how the story ends – victory! 

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance (v14) 

The phrase here literally means “As children of obedience”. Because the grace of God has been poured into us, we are children of obedience. As such we are not to be conformed to our former lusts. Child of God, Christ has broken the power of sin over you, so stop walking in sin! Stop allowing the lusts of the flesh to shape you and mold you. Stop allowing the ways of the world to squeeze you into its mold. Christ has set you free so walk in that freedom – freedom from sin. 

And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth (v17) 

As Christians, we will be judged for what we do and how we live here on earth (Rom. 14:10-12; 1Cor. 3:10-15; 2Cor. 5:9-10).  Now realize our salvation is not at stake here, but if we are Christians – if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work – we must live in the realization that we will stand before a most holy God and give an account of our lives here.  If you truly understand the grace of God this will not paralyze you with fear but instill in you a healthy and reverential sobriety of life. 

knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. (vv18-19) 

Here is the Christian's motivation. Because of what God did for us through His Son should we not have as our daily ambition to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him? He alone is worthy of our affections, our emotions, our desires, our ambitions, our talents, our time, and our focus because He is our Savior and He is Lord. 

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (vv20-21) 

This passage ends where it began – focusing us on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Our faith and hope is because of God, has been given to us by God, and should always be in God – not in our conduct or abilities. 

As you may have realized, for us to be holy in all our behavior requires of us a conscious choice.  We must choose to gird our minds, be sober in spirit, fix our hope, etc. And because of God’s eternal will being fulfilled in us, we now have the free will to choose and do what is right. If we keep focused on Him – the Author and Perfecter of our faith – we will become like Him. Child of God, stop looking to yourself and start looking to Him – the One who enables you to be holy in all your behavior. 

Beginning next week, we will be looking at specific behaviors in which we are to be holy in order to fulfill God’s will for our daily lives. Until then may you realize that you are under the umbrella of God’s wonderful grace each and every day and in that realization may you daily choose to be holy in all your behavior because the Holy One is in you. Keep looking to Him!

By God's Grace ~ Through God's Word ~ For God's Glory!

Chuck Long

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