A Timely Reminder

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action..being sober-minded” 

1 Peter 1:13

As opposed to all that we inherited from our first father, Adam, we can make new choices. Our new birth in the death, burial and resurrection with and in Jesus Christ, makes for a new life. 

The Holy Spirit who now converts our bodies into the new temple of God, daily brings to us reminder, encouragement and power to live this new life. 

We have an important role in this divine design. As a precursor to the life that God wants us to live, we take time to prepare our minds and reject the frenetic demands of the 21st century human experience. 

The mind is a primary battleground for living righteousness. Our inheritance from Adam and Eve, guarantees that we will have thoughts and desires that are polar opposite to righteousness. Over the whole of our Christian lives, we will need to seek out moments when we allow the Spirit of God to reveal to us the extent of those unrighteous thoughts. 

Additionally, Peter reminds us that we need to take on a posture of sobriety about life. Not dismay,  nor despondence,  nor a joyless life. But, we are not to be fooled as to the superficial frivolity of the parade of worldly deception, as John calls it: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:16-17

With our minds progressively freed from our pre-Christ life, and a new seriousness placed deep into our beings by the Holy Spirit, we are prepared to move ahead in newness of life. 

Peter challenges us to five  specific things:

1. Set your hope fully.

We have heard the message about the return of Jesus. Like so many other things, our hearing can become dull. Until a dangerous moment appears, or we are caught in an extended moment of death, we can fail to remember the “end of the story.” But we need to reflect often. Put our focus more completely on eternity while living in time. 

2. Do not be conformed.

The war with our flesh and the enticements of the world, added to by the agitations of satan and his minions, never ceases. To never take time to reflect, allow the light of scripture to reveal, to push back and repent, is a large mistake. 

3. Be holy.

This is God’s design for us. As He is holy, and we are His children, His design is that we progressively mature into His holiness. 

4. Conduct yourselves with fear.

Godly fear is a good thing. Not a thing to be feared. We have no reason to hide anything from our Heavenly Father. So, acute awareness that we need to walk circumspectly in this world before the God who sees all things. We can avert some costly decisions and actions by pondering His holiness, rejecting our willfulness and embracing the daily empowering that the Holy Spirit works in us.  

5. Love one another earnestly from a pure heart.

Love like our Father loves us, comes from a pure heart. We are being made pure, because He is pure and works that purity in us as we follow His word and His Spirit. Such love demonstrates His command to us, love the lord our God and love our neighbors as ourselves. Love our spouse as we love our own bodies.

This constantly purifying love, moves in as many ways as there are people who receive our love. It is upside down to self centeredness.