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Sanctify Christ as Lord in Your Hearts
1 Peter 3:14-16
Jesus isn't very pushy when it comes to His relationship with His disciples. Oh,
He is very interested in a deep relationship, but He realizes it takes two so
you will not find Him forcing the door of your heart open, wedging His foot
between the door and the frame the way a pushy salesman would and trying to push
His way in.
Instead, you will hear Him knock and wait for you to open. He will invite and
encourage. He will seek for your permission to "come in." But He will not enter
without your invitation. And once in, He will not stay if you want Him to leave.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the
door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (REVELATION
3:20).
The heart of the faithful disciple is a dwelling of God. It is to be a sacred
place. Jesus enters our hearts as an invited guest, but more than that, as our
king and Lord. If we refuse to allow Him to sit down on the throne of our heart,
then He will not consent to be our guest. Many try to limit Him to being their
guest, sort of like a
Sunday visitor you would have over for dinner. Come Monday, He's expected to
leave until next Sunday.
It cannot be this way! The text for this article is found in I PETER 3:15;
"...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always
being ready to make a defense to
everyone that asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with
gentleness and reverence..."
A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEART FOR CHRIST
"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts..." (I PETER 3:15). There is a
textual variation here with which to contend. Some of the Greek manuscripts say,
"Sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts" while others say, "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your
hearts." The question is which of these is an accurate rendering of the original
document. Fortunately, there is no doctrinal problem created by either
rendering; both are true; and either both happen together or neither does. You
cannot sanctify God in your heart apart from His Son.
I believe that "Christ" is probably the correct rendering. One reason is
contextual; the next verse continues the thought by talking of our "good
behavior in Christ." Also, this is Peter's writing, the very one who first
announced that God the Father had made His Son Jesus "both Lord and Christ"
(ACTS 3:36).
What does it mean to "sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts"? To "sanctify"
means to "hallow" or to "make holy." The point is to make Jesus at home in your
heart.
Put Him on the throne. Give Him honor and glory. Love and obey Him. Allow
nothing to crowd Him from the throne. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters;
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one
and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon." (MATTHEW 6:24).
Do not hesitate to give Jesus such a command over your life. He deserves it. He
will not lead you the wrong way. Too many try to serve two masters; they invite
Jesus to sit on one throne and materialism to sit on the other. Problem is;
there is only one throne. There are not two. Jesus said it was simply impossible
to serve both, so do not try. Instead, sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart!
Note something else here; this is a command! Sanctification is not something God
does for us in spite of ourselves. This is not something the Holy Spirit
irresistibly does to us apart from our own intentions. It is not an accident. It
is an act of our own wills. We make the decision to "sanctify Christ as Lord in
our hearts" or not.
SANCTIFICATION BRINGS FEARLESSNESS AND PEACE
"But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed.
And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled." (I PETER 3:14).
Sometimes, sanctifying Jesus in our hearts will result in our suffering for the
sake of righteousness. Because Jesus is sanctified in our hearts, we act and
speak righteously. Our words and deeds exalt Him. Sin is cast down in practice
as well as in word. Satan reacts through those that serve him in the world in
the attempt to get Jesus out of the heart. He will try to intimidate you into
compromising your faith, or at least to neglect it. The Lord tells us not to be
afraid, for even in the midst of suffering for righteousness, the man or woman
of God is blessed abundantly. Our Lord provides much more for us than the world
provides for its own. Be a light, and realize that a light shines the brightest
during the darkest hour (cf. MATTHEW 5:10-16).
SANCTIFICATION BRINGS PREPAREDNESS
"...always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an
account for the hope that is in you..." (I PETER 3:15). Why? Why would two
prisoners, fastened in stocks in a dungeon, spend the evening away singing songs
of praise (ACTS 16:25)? It is because of "the hope that is in (them)." When
asked why you can be so positive in such trying times, with Christ sanctified as
Lord in your heart, you will have prepared yourself to give a good answer.
One does not automatically become prepared to give these kinds of answers. We do
not receive these answers by direct inspiration. If we did, we would not need to
be concerned about making ourselves ready. In fact, tragically, many are not
concerned about it who ought to be! Members of the church sometimes become
slothful when it comes to making themselves mentally, emotionally and
spiritually equipped for life's trials with a reasonable faith. When pressed,
their defense is weak because their efforts have been weak, and their
questioners are allowed to think that they have proven that faith is worthless.
SANCTIFICATION BRINGS GENTLENESS AND REVERENCE
"...yet with gentleness and reverence." (I PETER 3:15b). These are two
characteristics that ought to accompany our answers as well as our lives.
"Gentleness"
means meekness or mildness. Truth is not determined by who shouts the loudest,
or by who is the most overbearing or insulting. While our answers need to be
confident, they should not be cocky.
The second characteristic is "reverence." This means to have a proper respect
for the topic at hand; "the reason for the hope" within us. We are talking about
the
holy things of God to those who may not share our reverence for Him. Though they
might mock and ridicule, we are serious. Though they might seek to lower the
dignity of the conversation, we seek to maintain it. Those who may be listening
for a message of hope in a dark world need to know that a serious answer is
being offered.
SANCTIFICATION BRINGS A GOOD CONSCIENCE
"...and keep a good conscience..." (I PETER 3:16a). What is necessary in order
to "keep a good conscience"? One must be trying to do his or her best. He or she
must be sincere in the things said, living what is taught. Be able to hold your
head up and look people squarely in the eye and proclaim that your faith is
valid and be able to tell them why. If you are seeking to live honorably and
righteously, then with a clear conscience you will be able to make your defense
of the gospel. But if one is lethargic, hypocritical, uncommitted and/or without
dedication, then it will show.
SANCTIFICATION BRINGS GOODNESS
"...so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good
behavior in Christ may be put to shame." (I PETER 3:16b). Christians will
sometime
receive the brunt of the harshest of criticism and be treated unfairly. The best
answer to these false accusations is to have been living a godly life. Your
honesty and good will is known by others. Your love for God and your fellow man
has been obvious. Your dedication to principles of righteousness has been
evident to all.
You have openly made known your faith by both your words and actions. In truth,
you have sanctified Christ as Lord in your heart.
By Jon W. Quinn
From Expository Files 1.12; December, 1994
