TEXT:  1 Pet. 1:13 - 2:5

INTRODUCTION:

A.      CHRISTIANS DISTINGUISHED BY FAITH, HENCE "BELIEVERS IN GOD."

B.      TEXT REVEALS CHARACTERISTICS OF "BELIEVERS IN GOD."

I.      ONE WHO "GIRDS UP HIS LOINS" - IS PREPARED( vs. 13 ).

A.      HE IS SOBER,  nepho-"1) to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit  2) to be

          temperate, to be dispassionate, to be circumspect."  Take it seriously( 1 Pet. 5:8 ).

B.      HIS HOPE IS SET ON JESUS( Col. 3:1-2 ).

II.     A CHILD OF OBEDIENCE( vs. 13-16 ).

A.      NOT THE SAME AS IN THE TIMES OF THEIR IGNORANCE.

          1.       Change demanded by God( Acts 17:30 ).

          2.       Former lusts must lose their hold( Rom. 6:17 ).

B.      HE IS HOLY( Titus 2:13-14;  2 Cor. 7:1 ).

III.    CALLS ON GOD AS FATHER( vs. 17 ). 

        A CHILD OF GOD.

A.      NOT EVERYONE IS A SPIRITUAL CHILD OF GOD( John 8:44 ).

B.      IN ORDER TO BE A CHILD OF GOD, ONE MUST BE BEGOTTEN OF GOD

          ( 1 Pet. 1:3, 13 ).

C.      NOTICE THAT A CHILD OF GOD IS LIKE GOD( 1 John 3:1-3;  Eph. 5:1-2 ).

D.      THIS ALLOWS US TO BE JOINT WITH CHRIST( Rom. 8:16-17 ).

IV.   ONE WHO HAS BEEN REDEEMED BY BLOOD( vs. 18-21 ).

A.      ALL HAVE SINNED( Rom. 3:23 ) AND DESERVE DEATH( Rom. 6:23 ).

B.      BY THE BLOOD REDEEMED.  lutroo-"to redeem, to liberate by payment of

          ransom" - Thayer.

C.      JESUS GAVE HIS BLOOD IN OUR PLACE( Matt. 20:28;  2 Cor. 5:14-15 ).

D.      HIS BLOOD CLEANSES US OF OUR SIN( 1 John 1:7 ).

V.    HAS PURIFIED HIS SOUL IN OBEDIENCE( vs. 22 ).

A.      THE TRUTH IS FOUND IN THE TEACHING OF JESUS( John 17:17;  8:32 ).

B.      THE NECESSITY OF OBEDIENCE( Heb. 5:8-9 ).

C.      OBEDIENCE BRINGS ABOUT CLEANSING( 1 Pet. 3:21 ).

VI.   BEGOTTEN AGAIN THROUGH THE WORD( vs. 23-25 ).

A.      THE WORD PRODUCES FAITH IN THE HEARER( Rom. 10:17 ).

B.      FAITH IS PERFECTED IN OBEDIENCE( James 2:21-24 ).

C.      AS PHYSICAL BEGETTAL IS CONSUMMATED BY PHYSICAL BIRTH,

          SPIRITUAL BEGETTAL IS BY SPIRITUAL BIRTH( John 3:5 ).

CONCLUSION:  ARE YOU A TRUE BELIEVER IN GOD?