MOTIVATED TO ACT

(1 Peter 1:13-19 ESV)

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

                Being sober minded, what exactly does this mean? Sober means not be intoxicated or drunk, quiet or sedate in demeanor, as persons. Therefore, to be sober minded simply means our thoughts are free to think without any influence from sources that are controlling, it is the state of mind free from any controlling element.

                We may have heard it said, that is the alcohol, or, that is the drugs talking. We really mean they are not being themselves. Alcohol or drugs have a way of altering who we normally are or would be. Culture, family ties, sororities, social clubs and such can also alter who we are. Influences as such can if we allow them to, box us into never becoming what we could have been without their influence.

                The Scripture is telling us, preparing our mind for action is to break away from who we have been to who we can become in Christ. To set our hope fully on the Grace of God free from all other influences is the only way we can become the person we should have always been.

                This change of mind can only take place at the revelation of Jesus Christ. This revelation must come to us, it must dawn on us; the reality of His person is the only mindset that can deeply change our person. We cannot change ourselves until our mind is set on change; we must be motivated to action before we can change. The Grace of God is what brings this about in us, without His grace we will continue to be the person the influences connected to us have caused us to be.

                Breaking ties with who we’ve been takes determination and a true brokenness for having been who we’ve been. Broken in the sense we realize this does not work anymore and we do not want it to work anymore. It is call being sick and tired of being sick and tired. This is the kind of motivation we need to move us to action and to prepare our mind for action.

                Once we receive the revelation of Jesus Christ who we’ve been becomes ignorant and wanting in our own eyes. We do not need anyone else to be discontent with who we’ve been; we are discontent with ourselves.

                The way we have always thought becomes faulty and we see the real problem is with ourselves. We realize at that point we are ready for God to help us; we become ready to move from our evil ways to a better way. We can clearly see a holy life is a better life.

                 We must understand, hating ourselves for how we have been cannot change us or fix the way we have done things.  Actually, we must learn to love ourselves enough to let Jesus take charge of who we’ve been. Being at odds with ourselves is not the same as being at odds with the way we have lived our lives. Loving the sinner and hating the sin can be applied to ourselves as much as applied to others.

                Furthermore, how can we love others as ourselves if we have no love for ourselves in the first place? How we love ourselves and how we apply that love will depend on the level of motivation we have in preparing our mind for action. It has been said, “it is easier to help someone else than it is to help ourselves.”

                James 1:19-25 ESV “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear (Hear what? Hear the wisdom of God, hear the gentle voice of Jesus speaking in our hearts), slow to speak (How many times have we hastily said out of anger, I am going to change and we do not change), slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (Once again, hating ourselves produces an anger paralyzing us to change). Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness (we must become meek to receive) the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

                But be doers of the word (loving ourselves enough to let Jesus take charge), and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:19-25 ESV).

                Distained spirits are spirits in bondage. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12 (KJV).

                When we let go of the distain we have for ourselves and for others, the anger fueling satan’s wrath has no more power over us. Love cast out fear, there is no fear in love; God has not given to us the spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind.

When we learn how sin operates and the damage it brings, we cannot have disdain for those being deceived by it, because, we have learned how to let go of the hate we have had for ourselves concerning our own sins. We remember what it was like to be imprisoned or lock up with fear. We now know, perfect love cast out all fear.

“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” (1 Peter 1:17 KJV).

 “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

When we are in exile fear is the only way we know how to conduct ourselves. Once we have been ransomed, redeemed and set free love becomes the way we conduct ourselves. “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus”

(Galatians 5 ESV)

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

            Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

            You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

            For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

            But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

            If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.