1 Peter 3:15-16 - Set Apart

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (16) keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

We make hundreds of decisions every day. Most aren’t very important: what to wear, where to eat, whom to talk to, what to say, and on and on. Other decisions are very important: should I major in pre-med or accounting, should I get married to this person or not, should I take this job or that job. These are decisions that will affect the direction of your life for the rest of your life.

And as Christians, there are decisions that are even more important. Will I share my faith or clam up, will I give sacrificially to help those in need or buy more stuff for myself, will I stand up for my beliefs or go along with the crowd? These are things that make a difference in your life, the lives of others, and in the Kingdom of God for eternity.

The most important of those decisions is this: will you set Christ apart as Lord of your life? That is the key decision of your life. There is that moment in your life when you choose Christ for the first time and commit to living for Him – that is a one and done decision. But afterwards, you must continue to choose Christ. Every single day. Every single decision. Are you going to set Christ apart as Lord of your life? Or are you going to usurp God’s rightful place and crown yourself Lord?

In one sense, your life is the sum total of your decisions (thankfully the grace of God counteracts that statement). Are you making good decisions with your life? Are you spending time with friends who encourage you to do good things or bad things? Do you watch, read, and listen to things that encourage and edify you or tempt you to sin? Are you reading your bible, praying, giving, and sharing your life with others, or are you hoarding your life? These are critical decisions for your spiritual well-being.

But each of those decisions begins with this one: have you set apart Christ as Lord of your life? Or more correctly, are you setting apart Christ as the Lord of your life? Seriously – don’t give yourself the Sunday School answer, mediate on it for a while…

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, the choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15