1 Peter 1:13-16
" Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”"
The Greek word in the above verse for "prepare" in the statement, "prepare your minds for action," is anazonnumi. Here is Vines statement:
anazonnumi (ἀναζώννυμι, 328), “to gird up” (ana, “up,” and No. 1), is used metaphorically of the loins of the mind, 1 Pet. 1:13; cf. Luke 12:35 (see No. 4). The figure is taken from the circumstances of the Israelites as they ate the Passover in readiness for their journey, Exod. 12:11; the Christian is to have his mental powers alert in expectation of Christ’s coming. The verb is in the middle voice, indicating the special interest the believer is to take in so doing.
Peter instructs us to gird up our minds. We don't use the word "gird" very much in our society, however. So, the meaning could be lost, even though we no what Greek word is used. Here is another description of this word:
g0328. ἀναζώννυμι anazōnnymi; from 303 and 2224; to gird afresh: — gird up.
AV (1) - gird up 1;
to gird upmetaph. be prepareda metaphor derived from the practice of the Orientals, who in order to be unimpeded in their movements were accustomed, when starting a journey or engaging in any work, to bind their long flowing garments closely around their bodies and fastened them with a leather belt.
Today we don't wear long flowing garments in our U.S. society. The above description of the word helps us, in that we are to take all the loss and dangling aspects of our mind and draw them together under the hope we have in Christ and the expectation we have in the revelation of the Christ. By making our minds focusing on that revelation, through faith (see the first verses of this chapter) will allows us to avoid conforming to this world through ignorance and worldly lusts, and, instead, be holy in Christ. Our holiness in Christ, begins by faith in the revelation of Christ and continues as we allow the Spirit to empower us to "gird" our minds. Prior to Christ our minds were alienated from Christ:
Romans 8:6-7
" For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,"
We are empowered, now, by the Spirit to gird our minds. We ought not let them dangle into the world's system and titillate our former lusts. Holiness includes our girding up our minds. This is what Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2. Both Peter and Paul see our mind control as essential for our personal growth and walk in holiness. Don't let your mind dangle. Gather it up and make sure it has no roots dragging through the world's system.
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