Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 1:13-25
Peter is writing to believers facing persecution under the Emperor Nero. They are called to live a different life in Christ while the Roman culture valued different ideals and philosophies.
Pursue Holiness (v13-16). … God is holy and we worship a holy God. He is separate from sin. The Greek word for "holy" is "Hágios." Hágios means: holy, set apart, different, pure. Peter tells us that being holy takes preparation and planning. It isn't something that just happens. A concerted effort needs to be made. Plan to pursue holiness by surrounding yourself with people who will help, by learning about God, by reading the Bible all on a regular plan. We aren't called to fit in with the world; we are called to be holy, to be different. It's easy to fall into the temptation to fit in, which is why a plan is needed to pursue holiness. Satan has a plan to keep us from pursuing holiness, but if we follow our own plan, we can avoid his temptations and pursue holiness. One of Satan's greatest lies is that the most important thing in life is to satisfy our own desires and pursue happiness or gratification at all costs. That's not God's will for us though. God doesn't exist to serve us. We exist to serve Him.
Live Fearfully (v17-21). … We should have a reverent fear, a deep respect and admiration, for who God is. This is a fear that, instead of paralyzing, pushes towards holiness. It keeps us from doing things that would displease God. This fear also pushes us towards salvation. It leads us to hope and faith in the holy God. This reverent fear makes us want to know Christ. And knowing Christ is how we become holy. It modifies our behavior from the inside out. For more on this reverent fear, see Proverbs 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Philippians 2:12.
Love Deeply (v22-25). … God calls us to love one another deeply. We are called to love, encourage, forgive, support one another. John 13:34-35 is where Jesus Himself tells us to love another, that the world would know us because of that love for one another.