Called out to be separate—not
conformed
We have been called
out of our old sinful lives to live lives separate—wholly devoted, dedicated—to
the Lord.
One aspect of
holiness is living a life of godly choices. We daily have choices on what we
will place before our eyes, our ears, and where we will go. What we view,
listen to, and attend/visit will affect us; either for our betterment or
detriment. We must choose to feed
ourselves with what is going to help us and others follow the Lord. For
example, taking a youth group to an outing with a hotel stay afterwards gives
you, the leader, choices. Will you let the youth watch whatever they want?
Bloody, violent movies and sex-saturated, passionate movies will only harm
them. It is not usually a onetime view that destroys people, it their continual
choices down a faulty path. Your path determines your direction. Stick to the
straight and narrow, not the broad (anything goes & don’t take stuff to
seriously) and wide (tolerant & all-encompassing) road which leads to
DESTRUCTION! Our choices have consequences on ourselves and others. The
unbiblical dating frenzy today has produced a couple of generations with a
lustful and physical view of love, multitudes of divorces, and an impractical
view that one can find the “perfect” someone. Be careful how you live.
Wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace
that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As
obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in
your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called
you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because
it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17 And
if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to
every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch
as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver
and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your
fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who
verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in
these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God,
that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might
be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For
all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But
the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the
gospel is preached unto you.
1 Peter 1:13-25 (KJV)
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As
newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If
so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1 Peter 2:1-3 (KJV)
For
the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.
Titus
2:11-14 (KJV)
