This week’s passage is one the first passages that I memorized as a kid at church camp. I can still remember sitting behind the retreat center, on the sidewalk, working on this passage with my camp family group. And it is still with me now.

You can see this passage for yourself in 1 Peter 1:13-14.

In this passage, Peter issues a call to action. He calls his readers to be holy, although he won’t use the word holy until verse 15.

Until then, he states some preparatory commands, to be prepared, to be self-controlled, and to be hopeful.

In order to do this, we have to remember what he has already written to his readers. Many of his immediate audience were undergoing trials and persecution. Peter has just spent the previous verses encouraging them with the hope of salvation that they have. Now, he turns to giving them practical ways in which they can do this, and he gives them in the form of commands. In other words, these aren’t optional. These are necessary actions for us if we are to live holy lives.

Prepare your minds for action

Literally, this phrase reads “gird up the loins of your mind.” The image here is of a person wearing the robe-like garment of Peter’s day. If a person needed to be very active or run, they would gather up the material that often hung all the way to their ankles, and tuck it into their belt, freeing their legs for unrestrained action. Peter is telling people to get serious about this.

Be self-controlled

Again, this phrase carries more meaning than just the literal translation. Literally, it means to “be sober,” referring to drunkenness. Peter’s use here expands that meaning to be more along the lines of being free from anything that might cloud the mind, and prevent clear-headed thinking. In the next verse, he refers to the fact that once, his readers were ignorant and conformed to their evil desires. That can happen no longer. Self-control is needed.

Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed

We have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven that is glorious and incredible. The first half of this chapter has been devoted to this inheritance, our salvation. The hope of that salvation is to be the centerpiece of our lives, and lead us into holy living.

Do not conform to the evil desires

Peter’s readers were former pagans. This means that they did not know God or his will. They lived for themselves. They may have been involved in the worship of other gods, or they may have lived without any reverence at all. Their lives were filled with a hedonistic lifestyle that centered on satisfying their own pleasures. But now, they are called to avoid all of that and live like obedient children. As believers, these people, and us, have been born again into God’s family. We are now his children. We are to be obedient.

The reason for all of this is that we are called to live holy lives. That will be the focus of the next couple of verses. Until then, keep your hope fixed upon that grace!

Question: What do you do to keep your focus where it belongs? What disciplines are in place in your life to help you do that? You can leave a comment by clicking here.