Called To Be Holy

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another faith-building message by Pastor David Entry. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God.

[0:12] May your knowledge of Jesus Christ increase as you listen. Be blessed. 1 Peter chapter 1. Today I want us to read right from verse 12 all through to verse 20.

[0:34] 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 12. 1 Peter chapter 1.

[1:07] 1 Peter chapter 1.

[1:37] 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1.

[2:11] 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter. 1 Peter. 1 Peter. 1 Peter. 1 Peter.

[2:23] 1 Peter. 1 Peter. 1 Peter. 1 Peter. So, as I was explaining in the previous teaching, the Spirit of Christ was in the prophets speaking about the coming of Christ.

[2:43] And now it says that these things have been taught, verse 12 again, but it has been revealed unto, it was not revealed unto them, sorry, unto whom it was revealed that it was not unto themselves they were preaching or they were talking about these things, but unto us they ministered these things, which are now, the things they ministered are now reported unto you by them that preach the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

[3:16] So, it took the Holy Spirit to reveal it to them and it takes the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel. It takes the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel for us to understand. So, you can tell the Holy Spirit is the key aspect of anything that can be given to us from above, revealed to us from above, taught to us from above.

[3:36] That is why it's a mistake to read your Bible and think that I'm smart enough to understand it. No, it takes the Holy Spirit to help us to understand what God has for us in the name of Jesus.

[3:48] So, and it says the angels desire to look into which I mentioned in the previous session. Now, watch this. So, you realize from chapter 1, so verse 1 to verse 12, practically, maybe verse 2, 3 to verse 12, it's been focusing on some major, major stuff.

[4:07] Key of the things, the key of what it's been focusing on is how God chose us. You know, we are elected, we are chosen before the foundation of the earth.

[4:21] And then the Holy Spirit sanctified our hearts unto obedience and then the blood of Christ sprinkles us. So, blood speaks for us and sprinkles us.

[4:33] These are major things, major things that it takes only heaven to do. We can't play a role in those ones. Then verse 3 talks about how he has given birth again or we have been regenerated unto a living hope.

[4:47] I mean, our regeneration is God's, according to God's mercy, God's own purpose. God did it. So, how do you get, how do you become regenerated, born again?

[4:57] God did it. How, why you? God did it. How did you obey? God did it. He sanctified your heart by the Spirit. And how were you really sins forgiven?

[5:11] God did it by Christ. So, you see that there are major things that have happened in a few verses that I spoke about. And all this unto an inheritor or a living hope.

[5:23] And this living hope is our inheritance. Hallelujah. Which is undefiled, uncorrupted, incorruptible, undefiled, that face not away, reserved in heaven for us.

[5:35] Four things about our inheritance. All this, you can see, these are major, major, major things. And then he says that this is the end of this salvation, which we now, the inheritance is reserved in heaven, which we now live by and we are living towards.

[5:51] And at the end, our salvation manifests. And he talks about how angels look into this. Prophets of old spoke about this and they were wondering, what are we talking about? This is going to be amazing.

[6:02] So, all throughout the content, these are major aspects of our relationship, our existence, and our relationship with God. And now watch the verse 13 says that, wherefore. Wherefore, or, some translations we use, therefore.

[6:17] Or, verse 13 and 14 cannot come without verse 1 to 12. That's very important. So, verse 1 to 12 tells us about all that heaven has done for you.

[6:31] It does not start with you, boy. It doesn't start with you, my sister. It starts with God. The goodness of God, the glorious things of God in your life does not start with you.

[6:43] It starts with God. According to God's own eternal purpose. Hallelujah. So, it starts with God. But in time, you are reeled in.

[6:53] You are brought into it. So, he says that because these things have already been put in place, all these major things are salvation, regeneration, inheritance. Come on.

[7:04] The sanctification of the spirit unto obedience. Can you imagine our election? All these are major things. He says that because of this, on the grounds of this, therefore, therefore, now what are we supposed to do?

[7:18] Get up your minds. Tie up the loose ends of your minds. Tie them up. Put it together. It's your mind. Much of the problem you are going to face is your mind. You know the mind can easily stray off.

[7:30] You are thinking about, sometimes you are listening to a good message. You are listening to the message. By the time you realize, your mind goes on to, oh, that shoe, I should have bought that shoe. Or your mind goes on to, I think I should have texted her back to tell her off.

[7:43] You see, your mind just strays off. So, he said, keep your mind. Get the loin of your mind. Tie it together. The loose ends. Tie them together, as I said in the previous teaching.

[7:54] So, keep your mind together. He said, therefore, get to the loins of your mind and set your hope on the grace that is to be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[8:05] So, there is a great day ahead. So, it keeps pointing us to the days ahead. Now, watch this. This is very important. So, get up your mind. Set your mind. I'll set your hope on what is ahead.

[8:18] Okay? Hope is always looking to the future. So, get up your mind so your hope can effectively be set on what is ahead. Hallelujah. Because of the inheritance that is reserved for us, there's so much.

[8:31] In fact, next year. Next year has a lot of good stuff for you because of our inheritance. The future is bright. Not only the heavenly future, but I'm talking about our earthly future.

[8:43] Praise God. It is secured. It is reserved. Whatever God has promised you is reserved. Set your hope on it. So, we set your hope on that.

[8:55] And more also, the main thing is the coming of Jesus. The glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The blessed hope. Titus chapter 2 verse 13.

[9:06] The blessed hope. The glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Our God and Savior Jesus Christ is the blessed hope. He's coming.

[9:17] He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. We look forward to His coming. So, He says, set your hope on the grace that will be revealed at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And watch this. Verse 14.

[9:28] Verse 14 says, As therefore, do this and as obedient children. You see the word obedience have appeared again. Just like verse 2. We are sanctified by the Spirit unto obedience.

[9:41] So, already you can be part of this people who they therefore is referring to if you have already not been sanctified unto obedience. So, as obedient children, we put our faith in Jesus.

[9:52] That's why we became part of the children. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance.

[10:05] It's very easy if you are not careful to begin to live your life based on your former lust. So, there was a lifetime we all used to live. There was a particular lifestyle we all used to live.

[10:18] But now we have been delivered. God has brought us out of it. But if you are not careful, there is the possibility for you to begin to live your life again according to your former lust.

[10:31] Fashion it according to your former lust. According to your previous way of living. According to your old desires.

[10:43] You know you can be born again but still have your old desires. You are born again but you have a feeling for some dubious deals. You still have it.

[10:55] You used to be a thief. You are born again and now you have joined the ocean. You still feel like stealing money from me. Yeah. You know, you used to be a serious alcoholic.

[11:08] Thank God for deliverance. But if you are not careful, you end up fashioning your life according to your former lust. Even though you are born again. Now, there are a group of people.

[11:19] There are some group of people who have this idea and belief that you can be born again. And it doesn't matter what you do any longer.

[11:30] Just behave anyhow and you are still covered. Behave anyhow and, you know, God is fine. God does not have a problem with you. And this is their philosophy that holiness is on your inside.

[11:43] Holiness is not a behavior. They teach that holiness is the state. So once you are in Christ, you are holy. In spite of what you do, you are still holy.

[11:54] And they go on further to say that because you are not saved by your works, it doesn't take your works to remain saved. It does not take your works to get the attention of God.

[12:05] That is not true, please. That is not true. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works.

[12:18] We are saved by grace. Okay. We are saved by grace. But there is salvation that has been worked in, saved by grace.

[12:30] But we have to make sure that our lifestyle correspond to the teachings of grace. In other words, the grace that brings salvation had appeared to all men.

[12:43] In Titus chapter 2 verse 11, teaching verse 12, teaching us that denying worldly lusts or godliness and worldly lusts. So there are things that we are supposed to deny when we are saved.

[12:55] So here he says that as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to, all right, according to your former lusts. In your ignorance, there was a lustful way you were living.

[13:08] You were living last year's natural carnal instincts and carnal desires. You are born again, but you still have feelings for that girl. Yes, you are born again.

[13:18] You still have feelings for that boy. Somebody's husband. Somebody's wife. I mean, all kinds of stuff. You still have desires for that kind of movies, for that stuff to watch.

[13:32] You still have that desire, even though you are born again. I'm not saying it's a resident desire, but every now and then, that lust is there because, watch this. Let me say this.

[13:43] Once you are born again, we are always fighting with three major stuff. The world or the devil, demons are fighting you, brother. Demons are fighting you, have determined that you will fail.

[13:56] The world, the worldly systems have been put in place to attract or appeal to your carnal instincts to make you move away from God. That is why the Bible says that he who is, it said, friendship with the world is enmity with God.

[14:11] I think James 4, 4. Friendship with the world is enmity with God. And he says that the things that are in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, he said, those things does not glorify God.

[14:26] All right. So the world, the world, when we talk about the world, the world is an area of battle, worldliness, carnality. Do you have it like everybody in the world and this is what the world says you do and you want to do when you become born again?

[14:40] That don't become, that becomes the area of warfare or battle. Not just that. So besides the demons, the devil fighting you, worldliness is also becomes an area of contention and battle.

[14:53] But those ones are not as fierce and are not as worrying as the ones inside you, which is the lust inside you. So your lust, the Bible says that let no one say I'm being tempted of God when they are tempted.

[15:08] In James chapter 1 from verse 12 and 13, 13 that was, let no one say I'm being tempted of God. But for everyone is tempted by their own lust, their own desire.

[15:19] And when lust is grown, it bears for sin. And when sin, sin then will lead to death. So the challenge is not the sister's miniscuit.

[15:30] The challenge, the problem is your lust. There is something inside you. That's it. That is the area of battle. That is why in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 11, it says that let's watch against us as pilgrims and strangers.

[15:48] We are on a journey. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust, which war against your soul. Now that you are born again, the challenge and the problem is your soul to be at peace, your soul to be intact, your soul to be saved.

[16:06] And what is fighting you? The fleshly lust is at war against your soul. Sir, you are at war. So do not create room for the flesh to fulfill its desires.

[16:20] That's what I'm saying. You are at war. Romans chapter 13 verse 14. Make no provision. Make no room for the flesh to fulfill its desires.

[16:32] You know your weakness used to be girls. Why are you exposing yourself to areas where, a place where you can see almost partially naked women?

[16:46] You know you had a big problem with all these things. Or you know you had a big problem with alcoholism. You were a chronic alcoholic.

[16:58] And that was your biggest weakness. And thank God you were delivered. Why are you exposing yourself to parties where there's going to be flow of alcohol? You might not drink it.

[17:09] But just, the smell takes you to those days. You know you had a particular weakness towards men of this type. Men with a certain type of beard.

[17:22] When you see those beard, you are so weak. Men of a certain type, they look a certain way. With a certain baritonic voice. You know you have a problem with that. Why are you constantly calling this guy who you know is in church with you, but you know you are very soft towards this type of man.

[17:41] You always want to hear from him. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah, you see. So, you have to make sure. Even initially, there may not be anything wrong with it. But the problem is that you are weak in that way.

[17:55] So, don't create the room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. You know, other than that, you keep falling. You keep disappointing yourself.

[18:07] You keep repeating those mistakes and disinheriting yourself of things that God has purposed for you for a season. Maybe there's a testimony coming your way for this season.

[18:19] But guess what? You created, you allowed the flesh to fulfill its desires. And now look. Look at what it's living with. And now you have to wait for a whole year or two years for the next bus, the next flight of your testimony.

[18:35] I pray that that will not be your portion. God will turn your situation and strengthen you to be able to keep yourself pure so as to walk by God. So, watch this.

[18:45] They tell you that it doesn't matter. What you do doesn't matter. Hear what the Bible says. The Bible says that as obedient children, not fashioning yourself according to the formal lust of your ignorance. Verse 15.

[18:57] But as he who called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversations.

[19:08] New American Standard Version. Thank you, Jesus. It says that as he who called you is holy. Let me read it. Verse 15. But like the holy one who called you.

[19:22] Now, this holy one is not talking only about God the Father. Remember the principle I taught. The Latin phrase. Opera Trinitatis ad extra indiviscent.

[19:37] Okay. Opera Trinitatis ad extra indiviscent. Which is the outward operations of the Trinity are not divisible.

[19:49] So, when he says the one God. Okay. The one. The holy one who calls you. He's talking about the holy one who is the choosing, electing Father.

[20:01] Okay. The Father who elected us. So, the electing or the choosing Father. The redeeming Son. And the sanctifying Holy Spirit. The Father chose us. The Son redeemed us.

[20:12] The Holy Spirit sanctified us. Applied it. So, the electing Father. The redeeming Son. And the sanctifying Holy Spirit. This is the holy one. He who called you.

[20:24] Okay. So, let me read it again. It says that. But like the holy one who called you. Be holy yourselves. Also in all your behavior.

[20:36] Not your thinking. Not your. Oh, my heart is holy. No, no, no, no. Now it's moving from inside. Outside. That is why it said. Let me read the verse 14. As obedient children.

[20:47] Do not be conformed to the former lusts. Which were yours in your ignorance. You see. Your former lusts. That has a lot to do with your behavior.

[21:00] In the Amplified Version. Puts it this way. Live as children of obedience to God. Do not conform yourself to the evil desires. That governed you in your former ignorance.

[21:15] When you did not know the requirements of the gospel. You see. You didn't know something. So, you were behaving anyhow. But now that you do. But as the one who called you is holy.

[21:28] You. Yourself. Also be holy in all your conduct. And manner of living. Don't forget this phrase. Manner of living. I might come to it over and over.

[21:40] Possibly. So, it said be holy in all your manner of living. Your studies. Your career. Your education. Your marriage. Your courtship.

[21:50] People call it dating. Okay. It's the proper Christian word. It's courtship. Courtship. But just to give you peace. Dating. So, your courtship. The way you are hanging about the sister.

[22:05] The way you are hanging about the brother. Your job. The deals. The figures you are changing. Lies. Relationship with your parents. Relationship with your husband.

[22:16] Relationship with your son. Relationship with your friends. Relationship with your wife. Relationship with your neighbors. All this is that. Be holy in all manner of your living. Every aspect of your life.

[22:28] Be holy. Why? Because God is holy. So, he said to us. Let me read it again. Verse 15. Having. Sorry. Verse 15. It says that.

[22:39] But as he which called you. We are called. We are called. He who called you. The holy one who called us. He is the holy one. He has called us. Remember you are called. In 1 Peter.

[22:50] With regards to our calling. In 1 Peter chapter. Let's look at chapter 2 verse 21. Let me show you something. 1 Peter 2 verse 21.

[23:04] Talks about. For even there unto. Were ye called. Because Christ also suffered for us.

[23:14] Leaving us an example that we should follow. So, you have been called unto something. Unto suffering. So that we can. We can be like Christ. If it means even suffering. You are called unto that.

[23:25] You understand that. So, look at chapter 3 verse 9. Chapter 3 verse 9 says that. Not rendering evil for evil. Or railing for railing. But contrary wise. Blessing. Knowing that ye.

[23:37] Knowing that ye are there unto call. This. You are called unto this thing. So, don't. Someone has hurt you. You say I will hurt you. I will hurt you back. No. He said not rendering evil for evil.

[23:49] No. Railing for railing. But rather on the other hand. Blessing. God, this is how you have been called. This is our reflection. These are all reflections of our holiness. We have been called unto holiness.

[24:02] How can he call us unto holiness? If we are first for not born by him. That is why he says that as obedient children.

[24:15] So, we are children. Since when did we become children? Remember, he begot us. Verse 3 again. He has begotten us unto a livelihood. And I said, I explained that when you are born by God, that's all.

[24:30] It's not just like a new kind of way of living that has started. No. It's a new nature that has been born in you. The divine nature has been introduced into you.

[24:41] That is what gives you the power. So, we are called to live the holy life based on the holy nature inside us. Amen. It's very important. So, it's not so much, we have not been left to ourselves to try and tick boxes of morality.

[24:56] No. We have been inspired. We have been born. A new life is inside us. And we have been encouraged, been enjoined to live based on that newness of life in our inner man.

[25:09] Alright. So, it says that 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 7. This is how it puts it. But God has not called us unto uncleanness.

[25:19] But unto holiness. We have been called. He hasn't called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. Remember 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 10. The God of all grace who has called us unto His eternal glory.

[25:32] He's actually called us unto something wonderful. So, the God of all grace has called us unto His eternal glory. Praise the Lord. So, we have been called.

[25:44] But it says that as He who, the one, the holy one who called you is holy. So, be. So, the be is an instruction. Be holy. Be. Based on the nature in you.

[25:56] Be. Do. Has to do with what you are becoming. Your behavior. Because something has already happened. Those who say, oh. Those who say, I'm holy on the inside. And that's it.

[26:06] If you are holy on the inside. Whatever out of the abundance of the heart. The mouth speaks. Whatever is loaded on your inside. Will invariably show on your outside.

[26:16] So, He said, since you are holy on the inside. Be holy. And why? On what grounds? Because God is holy. That's what He told the Israelites. You know guys. I'm dealing with you. And because of who I am.

[26:27] You must be. I'm holy. So, you must also be holy. I am holy. So, be holy. That's how He dealt with the children of Israel. Leviticus chapter 11 verse 44.

[26:39] Be holy. For I am holy. Leviticus chapter 19 verse 2. God is. So, He said, I am holy. So, you to be separated. Be holy. Leviticus chapter 20 verse 7. I am holy.

[26:49] So, be holy. So, God Himself actually calls us unto His type of holiness. Now, watch this. This is very important. In the olden days. There are all kinds of.

[26:59] They had all kinds. Especially the Gentiles. All kinds of idols they follow. They worship. And all these idols. They are paragons of immorality.

[27:12] They are paragons of sexual perversion and sexual excesses. So, they don't have clean behavior. Watch this. Most people who worship all kinds of things.

[27:23] And follow all kinds of things. They end up don't having any heavy standard. Or clean standard. There are all these objects and images. Or perverted or idols.

[27:35] Are paragons of extreme behaviors. Unacceptable, immoral behaviors. Maybe society may say we are accepted. But really to call.

[27:45] At call. Human nature does not. Does not encourage that. So, and so. God calls us. Most of those gods cannot call people comfortably to behave.

[27:59] You know, when you have a family member. If your family member joins a cult. You become very concerned. Because most of those cults have secret behaviors. That are not.

[28:11] That are to be frowned upon. Distestful. Extreme. So, most cults and occults don't have anything to write home about.

[28:22] But thank God for Jesus. God calls us to be like him. God calls us unto his holiness. He is. God is our standard of behavior.

[28:32] Hallelujah. He is our standard of holiness. But you can't do that in your natural self. That is why it takes the Holy Spirit. It takes the sanctifying work. The reinvigorating work.

[28:44] The energizing work. The empowering work. We have been. Watch this. We have been energized. We have been empowered unto holiness. We have been empowered to live like God.

[28:56] We have been empowered to behave like. This is Christianity 101. If the word of God stays in you. If you are born again. If you are a child of God. Then there is the installation.

[29:09] Divine supply. For you to meet the divine standards of demand. Or the standards of divine demands. You can't meet the standards of heavenly demands.

[29:21] Without first of all the heavenly supply. Hallelujah. And there is a divine supply inside you. Bro. Yeah. There is a divine. Sister. You can treat your husband. In spite of all that he is doing.

[29:33] You can treat him differently and well. You can. Brother. You can treat your wife. In spite of all the anger you have towards her. Because of the way things have been.

[29:44] You can still be patient. You can still be loving. You can still be caring. And protective. Like a godly man. How? Can you do that?

[29:55] From your inner man. That your inner man is loaded. Is loaded with divine enablement. Is loaded with divine abilities. Yes.

[30:05] I am talking about the spirit of God. The sanctifying spirit. That sanctifies you unto obedience. So he said. As obedient children. As obedient children. Don't fashion.

[30:16] Remember Romans chapter 12 verse 2. Be not. Don't be conformed. Into. Into this world. Don't be conformed to the pattern. So he said. The same word. The same Greek word translated.

[30:27] Fashion. So be not fashioned. According to this world. Be not conformed. To the pattern of this world. In the same way he said. Don't fashion yourself. According to your former lust. Don't.

[30:37] No. You can't. You can't say. That's what I mean. This has always been. No. There's a new man inside you. You are a new creation. Live from that new life. The heavenly life. The divine life. Yes you can.

[30:48] Yes you can. Wake up and pray. Yes you can. Finish your course. Yes you can. Sit up and steady. You can sit up and steady. Without distractions. Yes you can. There is a divine heavenly nature.

[30:59] Heavenly. A heavenly character. Born inside you. Live by it. Yes you can. Yes you can. In the name of Jesus.

[31:09] Hallelujah. So it says. It said. Back to our text. But. As he which called you is holy. So be holy in. All manner.

[31:21] Of conversation. Because it is written. Be you holy. For I am holy. Be. For I am. Then. So watch this. He calls us unto holiness.

[31:32] Unto a certain holy living. Based on what has already been accomplished. The bigger things that we can do. The major things have been done by God. And then the minor things.

[31:43] We have been encouraged. And enjoined. To do. So. One. He called us on. He calls us unto holiness. Now. Let me also take this opportunity. To throw this in.

[31:54] When we talk about holiness. We are called to holy behavior. Okay. We are called to holy behavior. Based on God's nature in us.

[32:05] And then. We are also. God's nature in us. Makes us. Gives us the empowerment. The enablement. To act holy. And God's disciplining of us.

[32:17] Helps us to partake in his holiness. So according to Roman story. Hebrew chapter. 12. Verse 9 and 10. He said. Our natural parents and fathers. They discipline us for their good.

[32:30] But God. Disciplines us for our own good. So that we can be partakers. Of his divine nature. His holy nature. So. He disciplines us. So. There are times.

[32:40] God. If you are a Christian. God will bring you under a certain type of judgment. It's called. The disciplinary judgment. He has to discipline you. The way you are going about treating your wife.

[32:51] God will have to discipline you. The way you are going about treating your church. God will have to discipline you. The way you are going about treating that sister who offended you. God might have to discipline you.

[33:02] The way you are going about handling your mother. And talking to your father. And treating your father. God may have to discipline you. The way you are going about this. Your job. The new job you have gotten. You are always lying on the time sheet.

[33:14] And going late. You get to work at 10. And you sign in and go to work at 8.30. God might have to get involved. And discipline you. Oh yeah. I'm talking. Maybe when you were not a Christian.

[33:25] You could have gotten away with all this mess. But because God wants you to be a partaker of his holy nature. The way you have been going about with your potential husband. God will have to discipline you.

[33:35] And that thing will not end up in marriage. Because of the way you are going. Sister. Because of the way. Because of the way you are going. The way you might be going brother. This thing may not end up in marriage.

[33:46] Because God will have to discipline you. You will lose grounds. And you have to wait for another time. And start all over again. God disciplines us. So we can be partakers of his divine nature.

[33:57] I see somebody becoming partaker of his divine nature. And he gives us. He imparts himself into us. So we can have the ability to live the holy life.

[34:07] Hallelujah. Verse 17 says that. If ye call upon the father. For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. You remember he says that because we are sons. Galatians 4.6.

[34:18] Because we are sons. God has sent forth the spirit of his son into our heart. Which cries out. Abba father. In Romans chapter 8 verse 15. He says that. Because we have received adoption.

[34:31] Yes. We have not received the spirit of the world again to fear. But we have received the spirit of adoption. Which cries out. Abba father. So there is a cry from us. From inside us.

[34:42] Unto God. Because he is our father. In 2nd Corinthians chapter 6. I think verse 18. He says that. I will. We will sanctify. Separate us.

[34:52] And he said. For I will call him my son. And he shall. I shall be a father unto them. He is a father. And he says here. In 1st Peter.

[35:04] 1.17. Says that. And if ye call on the father. Remember I spoke about how he has called us. He's called us. And we call on him. Hallelujah. He called us. And we call on him. If ye call on the father.

[35:15] Who without respect of persons. This is a very important. God does not deal with people because of their status. Because of their education. Because of their social standing. No.

[35:26] God doesn't. He's no respecter of persons. In Hebrews. Sorry. In Romans chapter 2. Verse 11. God is no respecter of persons. In Acts chapter 10.

[35:37] Verse 34. Peter said. Of a true. Now I perceive. That God is no respecter of persons. In Ephesians chapter 6. Verse 9. It says that. If you are a boss. If you are a master.

[35:47] Be careful the way you are treating your slave. Or your employee. Because God. There is a master. Who is above all. Who. Him. With him. He's no respecter of persons.

[35:59] In other words. He's no respecter of status. He's no respecter of status. Whether you are the boss. Or you are the employer. Or the employee. Whether you are the slave. Or the master.

[36:09] Whether you are a husband. Or wife. Whether you are married. Or unmarried. Whether you are young. Or you are old. God is no respecter of persons. And he says that. If we call on God.

[36:20] Who is no respecter of. It's good news. That God will not say. Because this one is a pastor. I will listen to him first before you. He's no respecter of persons. God will not say. Because this one is a church leader.

[36:31] I will listen to him before you. God is no respecter of persons. God will not say. Because this one has a lot of money. And he gives a lot. And he pays big tithes. Tithe to the church.

[36:41] And he will actually build buildings for the church. I will listen to them before you. God is no respecter of persons. If you can work with him in obedience. In your own small way.

[36:53] He is talking to you. He respects. He will respect you. When it says respect. It's not like salute or honor. It's like gives attention and preference. Okay. God does not give preference to people.

[37:04] Based on their natural state. Natural status. Or physical advantage. God does not give preference to people. Based on their physical advantage.

[37:16] And if you call on the father. Who without respect of persons. Judges according to every man's work. See. God judges according to every man's work.

[37:27] God is a judge. And he judges according to every man. Not everyone's feelings. Not everyone's intentions. That is why he's calling us unto holy works.

[37:40] So now, therefore, that God has chosen us. Christ has redeemed us. Redeemed us. Holy Spirit has sanctified us. With this amazing inheritance. That is reserved for us.

[37:52] Unfading. Undefiled. And incorruptible. Now, therefore, as obedient children. Live a holy life. If you call.

[38:03] Because God said, be holy for I'm holy. If you call on the father. Who is no respecter of persons. Okay. He doesn't judge anybody based on their status. Who is no respecter of persons.

[38:15] Judges everyone's work. He judges our work. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And everyone will give an account of what he has done in the flesh.

[38:25] Romans chapter 14 verse 10. And 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10. We shall. For we must all stand before the judgment seat of God. Now, of Christ.

[38:36] Sorry. Now, God is a judge. Remember that. God is a judge. And Bible calls him the righteous judge. Time will not permit me to go more into the justice of God.

[38:48] Or God being a righteous judge. But may I. May it suffice for me to mention this to you. That God. Can you imagine. He's been always been judging.

[38:59] God has always been judging. He judged even angels. Who left their estates. Angels who disobeyed him. God judged them. According to 2 Peter. Chapter 3 verse 4.

[39:10] God judged the angels. Yeah. Chapter 2. I'm sorry. Chapter 2 verse 3. Verse 4 particularly. God judged the angels. So, he's been judging. Before time began.

[39:21] God was judging angels. And then guess what? In the Old Testament. Bible says that. In the same Peter. It said God judged the Old Testament. The people of old. Verse 5. So, 2 Peter chapter 2.

[39:32] Verse 4 says the angels. Verse 5 says. Judge the people of old. Judge in the days of Noah. The ungodly. You see the word. The ungodly. The floods came and took. The ungodly.

[39:43] He saved only eight people. Yes. God brought judgment. And then he says that Sodom and Gomorrah. God brought judgment on the ungodly. And saved Lot. Who live in there. Look at verse 8.

[39:54] Lot contaminated his spirit. Vest his spirit. By observing the conversation. That word conversation. Manner of life. That's why he said be holy in your conversation.

[40:05] You see. Be holy in your conversation. Their conversation was there. So, conversation is a way of living. A way of life. Manner of life. Bible says that God judged them in the old.

[40:16] So, he judged the people of the old. Sorry. The angels. And judged all people of old in the old testament. And guess what? In the new testament era. He's still judging. But guess where he started.

[40:27] He started from the church. In the book of 1 Peter. The same 1 Peter chapter 4. Verse 17. It talks about how judgment must start in the house of God. So, God is judging the church.

[40:39] And some of the judgments. The last day judgments he has committed to the son. I think in the book of John also. He has left all the last day. He has left the judgment to the son.

[40:50] The son is going to carry out the judgments in the last days. But for now, God is passing. He's dealing with them. He's in control.

[41:00] He's governing the church. He's governing things. In the last day, as for some people, Bible says that they'll be burnt with unquenchable fire. That's eternal damnation.

[41:11] God gets rid of them. And they are gone. 1 Peter chapter 3. Verse 10. 2 Peter chapter 3. Verse 7. God will deal with the demons and the angels.

[41:22] He will deal with them. I mean, he will just. All right. But for now, he's dealing with the church. He's dealing. He's disciplinary judgment. You mentioned. Remember I mentioned it.

[41:33] His disciplinary judgment. That is why some of somebody. You lose a house. You lose a job. You lose a potential marriage. You lose something because of the way, the path you went.

[41:46] Because you went to join some unbelievers. Because you took a certain path. God, that did not bring glory to God. God will have to intervene with judgment. And he will strip you of certain privileges.

[41:58] Yeah. Until you get back. So it's good. It's good. Bible says that the father chastises the son he loves. A father. A bastard. Hebrews chapter 12.

[42:09] A bastard is without judgment or punishment or without disciplining. That's the right word. Or chastisement. A bastard. But we are not bastards. We have a father.

[42:20] And so our father will have to discipline us so we'll be partakers of his divine nature. Hallelujah. And so with all that has been done for us, in spite of the. This is very interesting.

[42:31] He's talking to believers who are potentially going through different types of suffering. And he is telling them that we have been called to be partakers of his holiness. There is an aim. There is a goal for our lives.

[42:42] That's the next session. That's what I'm going to talk about. The goal for our lives. God has called us this. We are not aimless. There is a goal for your life. There is a goal for our being called into Christ.

[42:53] There is a holy assignment. There is a holy goal. There is a holy purpose. There is a holy purpose for our lives. And we will not miss it in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

[43:04] So he has called us to unto holiness. And he said we should live holy. Because God, if we call on God, who is no respecter of persons, judges all men.

[43:17] Okay. Judges all men. Let me finish that. He said, and if we call on the father, who without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work, pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.

[43:30] We have to pass it. We are sojourning. We are just temporary. Sojourner is someone who has not arrived. So every Christian is a sojourner. As I thought, we are pilgrims. We are aliens. We are migrants. You have to always keep your migratory instincts in place.

[43:44] Migratory instincts must always be in place because you are moving. You're on your way out. And so he says that if you pass your time of your migration, your time of pilgrimage, your time of sojourning, Hebrews chapter 11 verse 13 talks about how they did not settle because they knew they were pilgrims.

[44:03] That's the mindset we must have. We are on our way out. We are on our way somewhere. We are on our way out. And it says that if you leave your time here in our sojourn in fear, you must handle it with fear.

[44:16] Work out your own salvation. We flip here, chapter 2 verse 12. It said, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This fear is not a negative fear, but it's a reverential fear. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28, that let us receive grace.

[44:30] Since we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us receive grace by which we can serve God acceptably. By which we can serve God acceptably with godly fear and reverence.

[44:41] So we should serve God with reverence. So this is talking about fear. The fear here is talking about reverence and honor because I fear God. Joseph said, how can I do this against God?

[44:52] Since I fear God. I can't do this wickedness against God because I fear God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So we should fear God. In 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1.

[45:04] 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1. It talks about how obtain from fleshly life lust and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. Yes, since we have these precious promises.

[45:17] Abstain from fleshly life. Perfect holiness. Perfect in the fear of the Lord. So you have to do it. If you don't fear God. You see the problem in church nowadays. A lot of people don't fear God.

[45:28] And they don't think about life after. They don't see themselves as sojourners. And they don't fear God. So they do things. They can be misbehaved. I mean how can someone be stealing money from church offering.

[45:40] People's offering. Someone is giving his seed. That's giving his offering. And you are stealing it. How can people come to church and come and fight and arguing and are fighting and they don't care.

[45:51] No, you don't fear God. You don't fear God. How can you do some things? How can you do that? You don't fear God. You don't fear God. You don't fear God. He says we should pass our time of sojourning on this earth with fear.

[46:06] Because there is an agenda. There is a purpose to our life. Don't let us live like there is no purpose. So number one, since we have this hope, since we have these blessings, since therefore, since we have all this working for us, let us live our lives with fear of God.

[46:21] Let us live our life. Let us be holy. As obedient children, let us serve God acceptably. Let us live a holy life. For he who has called us is holy.

[46:32] Holiness means doing things with God in mind. Doing, living a life that looks like how God wants you to live. Living a life that is like solely dedicated to pleasing God.

[46:42] Holiness. Holiness, my brother. Holiness, my sister. May we receive grace. May we all receive grace to grow in our work with him in holiness in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

[46:54] So remember, all he has done for us, there is a purpose. And the purpose, number one, is unto holiness. And number two is to walk in love, which I will go on to later. So for today, remember that we have been called unto a holy living.

[47:08] We have been called unto holy life. He says that, let me finish, let me read it again. He says that, as obedient children, not fashioning yourself according to the former lust in your ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, is holy.

[47:22] So be holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be holy for I am holy. And if you call on the father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

[47:43] Let's be holy, because God has given us what it takes by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. We can, in our behavior, in our conversation. In Jesus' name, Amen.

[47:55] Thank you for listening. To hear more from David Entry, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Why don't you subscribe to our YouTube channel at Karish Church and subscribe to our podcast so you are always up to date.

[48:12] Be blessed. Bye. Bye.