Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1: 13-15
Peter is expressing a desire for us to be in a healthy state of hypervigilance. Unhealthy hypervigilance is defined as an “abnormally increased arousal, responsiveness to stimuli, and screening of the environment for threats; it is often associated with delusional or paranoid states.” However there are times and situations when it is approximate to be “alert and fully sober. Dr. Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D. is a researcher for the FBI states that law enforcement officers have an “elevated attentiveness or hypervigilant perceptual style...merely by assuming his occupational role.” 1
As Christians we need to be in an alert attentive perceptual style because we have an enemy that desires to “kill, steal, and destroy” our lives. We are law enforcement officers who enforce the Kingdom of God's mandate. We are not always successful in doing this in the environments in which we live and work however we are commanded to do it in regards to our own souls.
As I was meditating on the above passage two other scriptures came to mind. The first is “forgetting what is behind I press forward to the high calling in Christ Jesus” the other is “be excellent at what is good and innocent of evil” Paul is the writer of both. If we occupy our minds with going forward with God we know longer live in the sins we lived in when we were ignorant.
“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.”
The Lord knows the environments and generation in which he has set us, “live out your time” He says. He also assures us that we are judged as individuals and fairly. He encourages us to have an outsiders perspective, “as foreigners” Real foreigners stand out. Their wardrobe is distinctive, the scent of their food and perfumes is distinctive, sometimes even the way they walk, certainly the way they talk. Now Peter is not concerned here about clothes, food, or perfumes but the manner of our lives. “Be Holy as God is Holy” That means set apart, pure, sacred, perfect, among other things.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” 1 Peter 1: 18-19
Peter contrast the blood of Jesus with the Judaic culture of the Old Testament. As beautiful and as holy as that way of life was, rich holidays that prophetically speak about the coming messiah, full of shadows of the truth to be revealed, yet Peter describes it as “empty”.
All things become empty when they are weighed against the Creator of all things coming into the world as a child and living as a servant to his creation. Especially when his expressed purpose was to endure the punishment set forth for those he created. How awesome is Our God!!!!
“He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1:20-21
http://emotionalsurvival.com/hypervigilance.htm
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