1 Peter Chapter 1 Verses 13-25
The Lord saves us by grace. He gives us faith. He keeps our eternal life guarded safely for us. He gives the ability to obey Him and He calls us to live holy lives. He didn’t say, ‘you are my children now so go act like spoiled brats and bring shame to my name.’ Verses 13-16 tell us,
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
We know the difference between right and wrong. We know the difference between love and disobedience. We know the difference between true worship and idolatry. We are named for Christ, identified as sons of God, we have a responsibility to be like Him. The Spirit sanctifies us, guides us, and empowers us so that we can reflect the image of Christ and be holy like our Father is holy.
Living holy is a choice and has a purpose. Peter writes that we have to prepare our minds for action and set our hope fully on the grace that will be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We have to keep our minds on that last day, knowing that Jesus is coming and we will be living eternally in New Jerusalem with Him, the Light and the Word. We will be completely perfected at that time. We are living our eternal life now. We are being transformed to the image of Christ now. We are the sons of God now.
We are not who we were before we were saved. We are different, separated from the lost and no longer lost ourselves. We are exiles among them. They are lost, following authorities and rulers of the world and living an eternal death. We are raised with Christ. We are not one of them anymore. As exiles, we are expected to be holy, different, and bring honor to our Father’s name.
Our salvation is precious. Just because it is guarded and imperishable doesn’t make it any less valuable. Consider the cost of our salvation and hold it dear. It is exquisite. It should be cherished by us and perhaps by the lost who will want it too. Verses 17-18 describe it this way,
“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
Jesus didn’t flippantly save us. Salvation was not a last-ditch effort. A spur of the moment plan. God didn’t say, ‘Oy Vay! Guess I’ll have to go down there myself!’ Jesus was the plan from the beginning. It was due to His deep love for us. And because He died for us and rose from the dead for us we have eternal life and we have hope. Verses20-21 read,
“He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
The hope we have in Christ should make us behave differently than the world. We are not like the lost, whose home is the earth. We are exiles among them, our home is with God. Our behavior makes us stand out from followers of earthly authorities whose hope is in this temporary life. Verses 22-25 read,
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”
Believer, you are known by your Father’s name are you living up to that name and bringing Him glory or are you bringing Him shame? Are you holy as He is holy?
The Lord saves us by grace. He gives us faith. He keeps our eternal life guarded safely for us. He gives the ability to obey Him and He calls us to live holy lives. He didn’t say, ‘you are my children now so go act like spoiled brats and bring shame to my name.’ Verses 13-16 tell us,
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
We know the difference between right and wrong. We know the difference between love and disobedience. We know the difference between true worship and idolatry. We are named for Christ, identified as sons of God, we have a responsibility to be like Him. The Spirit sanctifies us, guides us, and empowers us so that we can reflect the image of Christ and be holy like our Father is holy.
Living holy is a choice and has a purpose. Peter writes that we have to prepare our minds for action and set our hope fully on the grace that will be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We have to keep our minds on that last day, knowing that Jesus is coming and we will be living eternally in New Jerusalem with Him, the Light and the Word. We will be completely perfected at that time. We are living our eternal life now. We are being transformed to the image of Christ now. We are the sons of God now.
We are not who we were before we were saved. We are different, separated from the lost and no longer lost ourselves. We are exiles among them. They are lost, following authorities and rulers of the world and living an eternal death. We are raised with Christ. We are not one of them anymore. As exiles, we are expected to be holy, different, and bring honor to our Father’s name.
Our salvation is precious. Just because it is guarded and imperishable doesn’t make it any less valuable. Consider the cost of our salvation and hold it dear. It is exquisite. It should be cherished by us and perhaps by the lost who will want it too. Verses 17-18 describe it this way,
“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
Jesus didn’t flippantly save us. Salvation was not a last-ditch effort. A spur of the moment plan. God didn’t say, ‘Oy Vay! Guess I’ll have to go down there myself!’ Jesus was the plan from the beginning. It was due to His deep love for us. And because He died for us and rose from the dead for us we have eternal life and we have hope. Verses20-21 read,
“He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
The hope we have in Christ should make us behave differently than the world. We are not like the lost, whose home is the earth. We are exiles among them, our home is with God. Our behavior makes us stand out from followers of earthly authorities whose hope is in this temporary life. Verses 22-25 read,
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”
Believer, you are known by your Father’s name are you living up to that name and bringing Him glory or are you bringing Him shame? Are you holy as He is holy?
RSS Feed
