1 Peter 1:13-2:3
Notes
Transcript
Background
1 Peter is the first letter that we have from the Apostle Peter in the New Testament. The overall theme of the book is that believers should follow Christ’s example by joyfully enduring persecution.
13 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.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
In scripture, particularly in writings that are instructive, such as letters from apostles, we should always pay attention to connecting words, such as “therefore.”
This particular “therefore” points back to the concepts of the first half of chapter 1.
That believers are “chosen” by God to receive salvation based on His foreknowledge of their faith in Christ.
That believers will be adopted as children of God and will receive an inheritance of eternal life.
That believers will be sanctified by the Holy Spirit, to become conformed to the image of the Son of God.
This is the gospel that was preached to them.
Because of these things, we are to “gird up” our minds.
This concept is an ancient preparation for battle.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
To be “sober” is to literally not be drunk, but also to show self-control, to be of sound mind, to be alert, to show good judgment, to be wise and practical.
An important note is that this means we ought not be under the influence of anything that will prevent us from exhibiting these qualities.
We are also to focus our mindset on the hope we have in the future. Knowing that Christ will return and we will obtain eternal life changes the way we live our lives now.
The reason why we are to do these things is to that we might be obedient to the lifestyle we are called to live: holiness.
To be “holy” is to be set apart - not be like the rest of the world.
6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
We are to be holy because God is holy.
2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
We will look like our father. If God is our Father, we will be holy like Him. If the devil is our father, we will look like the world.
44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these 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.
If we call God our Father, our actions will line up.
Notice that we will act in fear. This is not terror, but having an understanding that God is God and we are not.
12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
11 Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
1 Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?
2 “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.
We must view God as being holy, and act accordingly.
We must view God as being holy, and act accordingly.
Why do we do this? We recognize what God has done for us.
We are redeemed, we are bought and paid for.
This redemption was made for us by Christ on the hill that He died upon.
7 No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him—
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever—
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
This was God’s plan all along - we talked about this last week.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
This adoption is why we have hope - the inheritance of eternal life.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring 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 off,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you.
1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
Peter encourages his readers to live according to the love and kindness of God that they, and we, have received.
Notice that we are called to love one another.
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The truths of God’s love and our redemption through Jesus Christ is the crux of the gospel - the word of God.
13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
As we saw earlier, being born again is only the beginning. The “working out our salvation” is to live according to the word of God.
7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Peter describes this in the first section of chapter 2 - setting aside the ways of the world.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Peter describes his readers as “newborn babies,” needing the spiritual milk of the Word.
It is expected that, as babies receive milk, they outgrow it and eat solid food as they mature.
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
Unfortunately, not all believers grow in their faith as they should.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
We grow in faith through fellowship and study of God’s Word, and living out what we learn.
Believers are expected to mature in their faith.
Believers are expected to mature in their faith.
Peter concludes by insinuating that growth in our salvation can only happen if we have actually “tasted” the kindness of God - received salvation.
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
Have you tasted the Word of God? Have you received salvation?
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
We must view God as being holy, and act accordingly.
Believers are expected to mature in their faith.
Next week, we will continue through 1 Peter.