Things You Need to Know 1 Peter 1:17-21

While You Pass—

There are some things we need to know as we live our life

Vs17-

“IF”- This word is not introducing an hypothesis as it often does in our conversations, but rather is presents a “fulfilled condition”-

Peter was writing to Christians

They were calling on the Father.

The idea is

“ in view of the fact that you call on Him as Father”

They recognized God as their Father since they had been brought into the family of God in salvation. They appealed to Him as a child would appeal to its father.

What a beautiful thought to give us encouragement in our praying, faith that the answer is sure and the wonderful truth to know that God is near.

To think that He is our Father and we are His children!

SOME THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW

a)

Know about the Father- the Judge.

VS17

The words “without respect of persons”- translation literally means—“does not receive face”. That is, God does not receive anybody’s face

-He is impartial-Outward appearance, wealth, culture, social position, family background, education, beauty, intellect—all things that more or less sway the opinions of man do not count with God when it comes to appraising a person’s character or worthiness.

READ

1 Samuel 16:7 KJV 1900

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

-to every man’s work---to every work or deed-

—God expects to find in the life of each saint

that which upon He can put His approval

for the Holy Spirit produces good works in all the saints, more in those who are definitely subjected to His control.

human duties and occupations, task—tilled lands, farms, weaving, fishing, result of work. More specifically, we will be tested at the judgment seat of Christ on the following :

How we:

Treat others; exercise authority over others; use our God-given abilities; use our money; spend our time; suffer for Jesus; run the race God has given us; control our old nature; how many we witness to and lead to Christ; react to baptism; our faithfulness to His Word and His people.

“Repay them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds; repay them according to the work of their hands, render them their due reward” (Psa 28:4)

“Pass”- live, to conduct or behave oneself—walk

b)

Know about the time

—remember that this is a unit of time, span, set time. Eternal life begins in the present. The present time for us is to prepare for the future.

-sojourning- literally means “to have a home alongside of” and refers to a person living in a foreign land alongside of people who are not of his kind.

this period of time is time spent in a foreign land,

time of —temporary residence. As a foreigner, we should remember that our citizenship is not here, but in heaven. David recognized that he was a pilgrim, describing himself as a “passing guest, an alien” (Psa 39:12). In Hebrews, we read of the Hall of Fame-“”All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth” (Heb 11:13).

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14)

c

Know about fear

—respect/reverence as to one in authority

The Christian must always live in the consciousness of the fact that he is being watched by the unsaved, that his responsibility is to bear a clear, ringing, genuine testimony to His God and Saviour by the kind of life he lives.

Peter says he is to do this in fear. This fear has been defined as follows: “This fear is self-distrust; it is tenderness of conscience; it is vigilance against temptation; it is the fear which inspiration opposes to highmindedness in the admonition, ‘be not high-minded but fear.’ It is taking heed lest we fall; it is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and of the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Saviour

d)

Know about your redemption

—(vs18)-your freedom, deliverance, your release upon payment of ransom. Redemption is the purchase BACK of something that had been lost. “Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a RANSOM for many. (Mt 20:28)This means that we have not always been free.

Jesus had taught them that ‘everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin’ (Jn. 8:34). In line with this, Paul can think of himself as ‘carnal, sold under sin’ (Rom. 7:14), sold as under a cruel slave-master. He reminds the Romans that in earlier days they had been ‘slaves of sin’ (Rom. 6:17).

From another point of view men were under sentence of death on account of their sin. ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Rom. 6:23). Sinners are slaves. Sinners are doomed to death. Either way the ancient world would have regarded the situation as crying out for redemption.

-Not with corruptible things:

-silver or gold—this was the normal means of pardoning another. Yet, Gold is less worthy than wisdom, faith, and knowledge.

Peter mentions these in contrast so that we may know that the whole world and all things deemed precious by men, are nothing to the excellency and value of this price.

Contrast—(but with) vs19

===Christ!!

Know about the Father, Time, Fear and Redemption

e)

Know about Christ

-Blood –real human blood- this could be in comparison to the blood of the Passover. During the Passover, blood was placed on the doorposts of the Hebrew houses in Egypt, protecting those inside. Blood is the life of the flesh, and spiritually, blood is our life.

-precious-valuable, costly, great worth, priceless-Paul writes that

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Gal 3:13).

The writer of Hebrews wrote, “He entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption” (Heb 9:12).

- It reveals God’s love for mankind-

while I was a sinner, Christ died for me.

- It reveals the sacrificial aspect of His death—

“He was put to death for my trespasses” (Rom 4:25)

- It reveals the nature of His death—

He died specifically for us.

-lamb –Christ suffering innocently and representative as the all sufficient sacrifice.

-without blemish-absence of defects in a religious sense, faultless. In the OT, no lamb was to offered that had any blemish, for it would be unacceptable.

-spotless- faultless in a moral sense

In essence, this was done as a satisfaction to divine justice, as an expiation (atonement, reconciliation) for sin, and as a ransom from the curse and authority of the law, thus reconciling us to God by making it consistent with his perfection to exercise mercy toward sinners”

- -Vs20

- Foreordained—beforehand, advance, selected in advance, appointed

beforehand. Known by God, not yet manifested to men.

-before—foundation of world- beginning, conception

Several verses relate to “before the foundation”—

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24;

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. (Eph 1:4).

The incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ were not the result of a change in purpose to meet unforeseen circumstances. They were foreseen and foreordained in the eternal counsels of God—which are above our range of understanding.

Contrast

-Manifested- revealed

-in the last times—a particular time, unit of time, span

( Vs21)- because of this manifestation, through Him, we who do believe, in God,

Peter adds that it is “through him”- through Christ, that you have confidence in God. The God who redeems is the object of their trust!

-believe that God raised Him from the dead—refers to Christ’s resurrection., His ascent into heaven and reception of honor and glory from the Father.

-believe that God gave Him glory- a manifestation of light, radiance, brightness, splendor; an excellent reputation, honor, glory, praise.

-our faith—belief directed toward God, faith, trust, reliance, conviction, good conscience.

-our hope—expectation of a divinely provided future

After Peter has told his readers to live holy lives (14-16), and to fear God’s discipline (17) for God has redeemed them from sin at a great cost(18-19), he concludes, by reminding them that the God who they are to fear as Judge is also the God whom they trust as Savior; He planned their redemption (vs20)—

-He is the One whom they now depend on!!

-He is the One they place their trust and Hope in!

The God whom they fear is also the God whom they trust!!

Our faith and hope---In God IS!!