Changed Lifestyle (Part B)

And then the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take your sandals off your foot place you stand is holy.

Joshua did so. I want that kind of experience I want to be in the presence of God so moved by God because I know that is the best place to be. But God does not keep us there. Joshua had to put a sandals lawn and walk away and go do things. Action had to follow this great act of worship.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Peter, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching.

Change lifestyle is the title of Pastor Rick's message today he's teaching from first Peter chapter 4 there is no born-again Christian that pursues sin and couldn't care less about yes okay is fine I like doing me, know your believer.

Now there are Christian is.

I can't stop as I keep trying is yours comes up. All that I get provoked, whatever it may be God can work with that one, because the will is right, but when the will is disinterested in the will of God. What what is left and so when Christians suffer because we refuse soon when no longer controlled by the will of the flesh will of the spirit.

This is characterized for us in our verses room Romans 12 one.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. So all of us know that we are to be gracious to those who are dealing with their sin because we want them to be gracious with us. Maybe you've lost your temper with someone in your shame of your behavior. That's the mark of the Christian because you've gone against your Lord and you've hurt someone else and you want that moment back but you can't get hopefully you repent and the person forgives you, says part of what when Peter said, how often should I forgive my brother 7×70 thought he was being very spiritual forgiveness. Most of the time hurts. It hurts to forgive runabout most of the time. Some of the time for short. It hurts to forgive. I forgive you.

I don't want to forgive you.

My flesh wants to retaliate but I know the Lord Jesus Christ and he knows me and whom I to bear a grudge when he does not bear one against me, that's Christianity. Now some I come along and think that you are, you know are careless with sin but it's grace and it takes skill of the Christian to be able to understand when one has to exercise discipline, one has to exercise grace so we no longer think sin is acceptable. That is what he is talking but how many churchgoers wink at sin think it's really not a problem it caused the death of Christ. It causes the death of everyone. Sin is the problem. It is the ingredient that single ingredient that will be in heaven.

We get there, you'll never have to ask anyone in heaven how you doing you never have to worry about just are you going to have a good day is someone going to harm you there be no keys, no new Nessus, no hospitals, all of the junk that will be gone when we get to heaven, now is war. When we sing the song amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me in that his confession and repentance and acceptance in that song John Newton know that he was a foul preacher in Christ love them anyway to come in, made him one of his own became a great preacher wrote that timeless song, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me was no apologize really wasn't that bad. No, no, I was a wretch because I broke the law of God degree is irrelevant to what degree did you break John doesn't matter. I broke it. Romans seven pulsatile wretched man that I am the great apostle Paul saying I am what a wretched man.

I am who will deliver me who can't meet out of me. Wretched man that I am who delimit deliver me from this body of death. Christ, of course, is his answer. When Peter first realized the holiness of Christ was the day the Lake of Galilee, he saw Jesus bring these fish into the boat for them. What did Peter do. He wanted Christ to depart from him because he felt so unworthy, Luke, chapter 5, and Simon sought that's the miracle he fell down a Jesus knees, saying, depart for me, for I am a sinful man, Lord, is interesting. What you want. Why a walkway Peter you is a minor point, but you get the thrust of it is that here was a man confronted with the holiness of God and he has a sense of his own unworthiness in the presence of God. Joshua chapter 5 that beautiful scene. Josh was wondering one commanded to take out Jericho and Jericho must fall but it's waltzing.

It's a big walled city, going to do this is is contemplating well. Pick it up in Joshua five verse 13 and it came to pass. Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, a man stood opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand and Joshua went to him and said are you for us or for our adversaries. So he said no but as commander of the Army of Yahweh.

I've come now, and Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped him, and said what does my Lord say to his servant, then the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take your sandal off your foot to the place where you stand is holy, and Joshua did so. I want that kind of experience I want to be in the presence of God so moved by God because I know that is the best place to be. But God does not keep us there. Joshua had to put his sandals on and walk away and go do things. Action had to follow this great act of worship. Imagine if you never heard these things you love the Lord and do your best to serve him. Verse two.

Now we could we get it. It made the 1st to 15 minutes left that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of man, but for the will of God. See that's the difference he sees from sin in that sense. He now lives with the will of God. This is what's primary so many things in this life do not have a next time they come along once and you are the gravity you miss. May that not be the case with the preaching of Christ in your life. He calls for radical change in Christ calls us all is calling them to war is calling them out one meaningless Mike to plunge into the next have something to live for. I had nothing to live for before Jesus Christ except my own pleasures. I look back at when I was all about hanging out with my friends going there doing this. What bearing did not have on anything. When I came to Christ. The lights all of them turned on all the lights. I saw the field and I saw the cleansing in one instant, and so did you were born again saw the glory of God. You saw your wretched state you saw him deal with it and love you in spite whatever your past had brought forward whatever you and others suffered because of your past and so things change in Christ, he says in verse two in the flesh for the lust of men before the will of God no longer living in the flesh for the lust of men before the will of God. The flesh is that old nature that sinful nature. In contrast to the Christian life. Romans eight for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those live according to the spirit things of the spirit.

For the carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, and I can add an war. There's the battle is that peace that I know I'm right it Christ is with me when when Peter said I am going to get rid of this tent, I will just as the Lord said, I will one day be martyred. He knew Christ was with him. He knew Christ would be with and that's the whole story concerning his walk in this life and in the midst of struggle and persecution. There is peace that only the believer knows the biggest thing that upsets my peace. As a Christian is certainly is in world lings Christians sometimes.

Most of the time it's me if I just dissatisfaction with my own service to Christ, and yet I know that my relentless pursuit forward is victory over the enemy.

He is trying to get me to stop moving, keep moving forward. Anyway, because I know the mercy of God is bigger than my sin and my shortcomings and everything else. Verse three we have spent enough of our past lifetime and doing the will of the Gentile. When we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties and abominable idolatries Peter gives you an impression and maybe when he was a fisherman before. Maybe that's what it had when he said part for me I'm sinful managers that will have been doing these things and I know they're not right. I knew they were right when I was doing them.

Funny how that works. Christianity includes and involves a changed course we change course direction.

Romans six knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him.

The body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Ephesians 2, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flash of the mind were by nature children of wrath, just as the others course and he goes on to point out serve the Lord now and so the world wants us world wants to pour us into its own mold, mold its own shape its own form does not want us to have Christ formed in us once humanity formed in us which depravity these are things he's talking about Christ wants to pour his spirit into us. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but it is striking lewdness that is sensual lusts or not just sexual sensual other strong desires, licentiousness, licentiousness 10 team word means license. I have a license to sin. Sure do. God has a license to charge so I think you be best to get to the bottom of this.

Peter use this word to describe what was going on in Sodom. He says that God delivered righteous Lot was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked, so the dominating idea here hind the word. This lewdness is that shameful conduct. The emphasis on sensuality that shocks the decency of everyone lust strong desires of any kind of overwhelming desires to a fault and I must have it now with the salacious tone or craving that belongs to it, drunkenness. The altered state of consciousness to one's own ruin to compromise self-control through an intoxicating drink. It's not advised, it ruins judgment weakens the power to resist temptation is the gateway to a more in the gateway to immorality, doesn't mean it. I hate to say it with true Christians free to have wine but not free to be taken over by revelries, unrestrained parties are fun to the point of sin. There are those who demand their freedom just never want to accept responsibility responsibility before God would drinking parties that's an interesting one is not a rally to escape the pressures of this life through intoxicating drink only to sin. Debauchery roles abominable idolatries. Worst of all of all of that whole list worst one is idolatry. Boldfaced lies about God making God and in whatever imagine with your your imagination brings up Exodus 22 verse 20 he who sacrifices to any god, except Yahweh only he shall be utterly destroyed.

This is the rule of the Jew revved up at the 10 Commandments were given goddesses anybody in your society the worst of these for God's that's a capital crime because it will destroy the nation. It will bring more pain and suffering to people or children and grown-ups alike. God has a perfect knowledge he knows where things are going.

We don't always Exodus 23 verse 13, and in all that I have said to you.

Be circumspect to make no mention of the name of other gods, nor B heard from your mouth.

That's pretty severe you if you were a Jew coming in him in the society hearing is laws. You would have to come away with saying you know is pretty no nonsense about this messing with his identity so then there is the whole health thing.

At the end of the psychedelic brick road that we work to get believers or unbelievers to not travel down and that's what they don't understand the people that were persecuting these Christians didn't understand is Christians had the truth and they were saying of the world.

We want you to come out of this stuff. There is a God he is holy is everlastingly got proof we want you to come with us. They were hated for that. And thus, it's very real thing verse four aces in regard to these they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation speaking evil of you that they who are they, in regard to these they think Google those who have not fled to Christ for refuge from their sins that they might be forgiven. That's the day X3 Jesus said to Peter, said repent and turn around make the change. Change of course of the will first therefore be converted, that your sins may be blotted out times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord yet will consider the oddballs in this world because we adhere adhere to things that a wholesome he says in the same flood of dissipation, many who don't want Christ don't want Christ to be true and they were to disprove him. It's unfortunate never heard an argument against Christ and maybe say wow you got a good point of what I have heard as well. How do like how do I get the light into that. How do I show them that's not true.

They won't believe me. That's why we need the Holy Spirit to work in the person's heart because we can only go so far and it angered some that we endorse a righteous life. I don't know about you but I know about me there been those my past that use would get angry with me for not drinking with them.

Even if I was a Christian of us is not my thing I'll do it when I became a Christian, are you not only doing all your Christian right your born-again holy roller your mom all at and not ashamed of it. By the way, and gets the didn't get angry sometimes looking for sure they were back then. You know look on if I can take you. I guess they couldn't didn't think the good work. So I was a bizarre, may we not get angry with people for not coming to church with us. This way you carry a bag a big sack with you stuff them in the second Dragomir Churchill give him a chance getting that we would be like them, that's not Nana. Of course the stuff all unbelievers to some speaking evil of you because you don't share the lifestyle you don't have the right to disagree with some people on think that they cherish. Isaiah 5915 so truth valves and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey you want to not do evil, with everybody going to come after you. That was written by the prophet Israel.

The Jews were doing that, the people, not all of them. The unrighteous ones work. John 1518 of the world hate you.

You know that it hated me before it hated you how heartbreaking. Isaiah 520. Woe to those call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light, light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. They got it all backwards and you cannot help him wanted verse five I can pause here. I've lived on that side of the tracks and I'm going back is not better I like it on the site is still hard. It's still painful in some ways it's more painful. But again, it's now meaningful pain accounts with my God.

There will be a reward reward enough to be have I me I don't know about you, do you have any trivial questions you'd like to have answered when you get to heaven. How many times has someone typed T on the keyboard and humanity coming trivial things for well you won't be too interested in that stuff and get heaven, but it's fun to think about when I meet anyone okay list verse five they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead know what tone is he using these not saying those miserable people that probably doesn't note of great sorrow in his heart.

It will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead who troubled the people of God and all these talking about, not the believers.

We have a separate judgment some churchgoers again think it odd that pastors work to uphold God clearly says the church is to uphold how how heartbreaking that is. There are those that always want the righteous to appease flagrant sin and Joe led to keeping coming to church, that Levin will destroy the church. It will be a church in it to be the place they left last time it does not bring success brings corruption to treat sin as though it were not a deadly thing, it is and we we know it. So to handle it without being self-righteous and obnoxious.

That's the challenge. Verse six. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit while they were dead at the time the gospel was preached to them again. The gospel is been around over 30 years. By this point Paul when he writes in Corinthians, he says, which is not much younger than Peter's letter he says after he had speaking of the resurrection of Christ, after he was seen by 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. So what Paul is saying is that many Christians who have received the gospel and what Peter is also saying but now the time of their writings. They had died and so race is for this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead here in verse six is not saying they were preached to. While dad were after they died is saying they were preached to before they died that they might be judged, that they may avoid the judgment they were since Kant converted in this life and have gone to heaven. No retroactive gospel is no you died but you really didn't get the gospel is now going to give you a second shot God's settled matters matters in his divinity, and we trust ells always that he is judgment is right if there II believe they're going to be many people in heaven that would not be surprised. I don't think I don't know how we going to be so failed. It's going to be so incredible, but from this view from here.

I think there will be those in heaven that we will be surprised if there how you get it. I never would've thought because God knows more than we know. But the one who is in his face against him or the one of you and I don't want you to be that way. He says live according to the spirit spirit is not of the Holy Spirit is the spirit.

This may live in the individual.

The Christian life is what he is talking about. And so God judges. He does judge the righteous and the unrighteous like one to condemnation and the other one to rewards and and glory. So we repent each one of us of our sins were very sorry for them. I think all Christians very sorry. When we fall short of what God wants from us but don't be discouraged.

You fail.

Don't be discouraged that discouragement that you may feel use it strengthen you to move forward.

Let us not in any way permit ourselves from believing in the kindness and mercy in the plan of God simply because we mess up God is the one who makes all things new and when he saved you he knew and knows already the sins put it this way when you came to Christ that day you came to Christ, you gave your life to him and he received you as his own set. I'll never leave you nor forsake nobody will take you out of my hand. He already knew since you would commit later anyway. But he is also taken steps to wipe them away Isaiah 20 Isaiah 43 verse 24 will close with this.

I even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins seeing the sin still there and all of its filled and wrong in urban centers.

Christians that have committed some serious sin, so long as they love the Lord and want him they will have him move. We are so glad you tuned in today to study the book of first Peter on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and we are blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you'd like more information about this program or want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program. Just search for cross reference radio iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast.

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