Sanctify Christ in Your Hearts - Seeking God's Heart



Sanctify Christ in Your Hearts

1 Peter 3:15

Introduction:

1 Peter 3:15 is one of the most powerful single verse messages for us as Christians in the entire New Testament. It is the answer to how we can successfully live the Christian life. If we truly have a desire to more deeply know, serve and share with others about what we have in Christ Jesus, we need look no further than this powerful verse. It was written under God’s inspiration by the apostle Peter two thousand years ago to Christians just like us raising families, working and desiring to serve our risen Savior.

Read 1 Peter 3:15

Like the rest of the New Testament, this verse was originally penned in Koine Greek. The richness of meaning of specific words and thoughts get obscured or truncated in the attempt to translate into English. I’d like to spend a few moments looking at key words from this verse and expand our understanding more fully by looking at the Greek.

sanctify- (hagiazo), make holy purify or consecrate, set apart

Lord- (kurios), supreme in authority, controller, master

hearts- (kardia), thoughts, feelings, the middle

ready- (hetoimos), fit, prepared

answer- (apologia), apology, plea, defense

reason- (logos), motive, account

hope- (elpis), expectation with pleasure

meekness- (prautes), humility, gentleness

fear- (phobos), reverence

All that said then, let’s attempt to reword the verse to capture more of the full meaning of Peter’s lesson to us.

1 Peter 3:15 reworded

As Christians we must set Christ apart in our hearts, the innermost thoughts and feelings of who we are, as the sole authority in our lives and be prepared to share in gentleness, humility and reverence with others our reasons for the expectation which we have in Him.

Christ centered, Christ controlled and Christ sharing

1. Make Christ Lord of your heart

a. This is the absolute and crucial first step

b. It certainly begins with repentance, confession and baptism-

Salvation

c. It comes to fruition as we cede complete control of our hearts

to Him- Lordship

2. Make a defense of what it is you believe

a. We should know why it is that we profess faith in Christ

b. A simple explanation and basic Bible verses are to be on the

tip of our tongue ready to share at all times

3. Make your approach with gentleness and reverence

a. We are not to beat people over the heads with our Bibles

b. A humble understanding that only forgiveness in Christ

separates us

c. The power is in the word- let the only thing between you and

the person you share with be God’s word, the Bible

Conclusion:

As we are able to live Christian lives with Him truly in control at the center of our lives we can become what we are to be…

Christ centered, Christ controlled and Christ sharing

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