I Peter 1:15 "...You must be holy in EVERYTHING you do, just as God who chose you is holy."

What I'm about to write about will probably be upsetting to some, but I must ask the question. As I look at the modern church, I find myself wondering if we are really following I Peter 1:15? It seems almost common practice for Christians to cuss and drink without hesitation. Paul said that just because we have the freedom to do things, doesn't mean we should (I Cor. 10:23-24). We are to be in this world, not of it.

Will drinking and cussing send one to hell? Maybe not, but it isn't striving for a holier lifestyle. Jesus didn't condemn the "common man sinner" for living like that, because He didn't expect anything different from them. But he would condemn the hypocrite--the ones who know better and do it anyway.

When is the church going to set a higher standard? I'm not talking about the old way of thinking that was made up of "holier than thou" and hyper sensitive church people condemning all in our sight. I'm talking about striving to live out I Peter 1:15. To be different. To be a witness with our lifestyle. To be a light in the darkness.

I Peter 1:15 says "to be holy in EVERYTHING," not just the areas that are convenient. Keep in mind that just because we aren't to judge the sinner, we don't have permission to live like one.

VERSES TO THINK ABOUT:
James 1:26 "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless."

I Thessalonians 5:5-8 "You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.:

I Corinthians 10:23-24
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Plowing Through Rejection

This last year, I went through some pretty painful rejection. It hurt. But then, rejection is never easy. I don't know about you, but I always want people to like me. We want people to desire our services and the use of our talents, but what I realize now, that isn't always God's will.

Here is what I've learned this year. If you read the book of Joseph and the life of Jesus, you see two powerful stories of rejection. First, Joseph. Here is a man that is obviously a strong man of character that managed to be place in charge not once, but three times. There is no doubting this was a great man. Every horrible circumstance, he found himself pushed to the front. But that didn't come at some hard costs.

His own brothers plotted to kill him, tossed him in a hole, and sold him into slavery. That is some serious rejection. But God allowed it. Why? Because He had bigger things in store for Joseph than sheep herding.

Jesus, the Son of God, who healed thousands of ailments, was rejected by the very people He loved. Even his own disciples turned on Him. These people He poured His ministry and life into, yelled for Him to be killed. That is rejection we'll never know. But, like Joseph, He had to walk through that rejection in order for God's will to be carried out. Without that experience, we would not have salvation.

As I look at my own rejection, I realize that in order for God to place me where He wanted me, I had to go through that. God allows rejection and painful experiences to move us. If He didn't, why would we ever move?