INTRODUCTION
After looking at 1 Peter 1:12 and then v. 13, in this article, I report the results of my observation of 1 Peter 1:14-21. By doing so, I hope to better understand what Peter intended to convey to his audience by the commands to gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought upon Jesus’ Second Coming.
1 PETER 1:14-21
The Apostle Peter gave much divinely-inspired advice to his audience who were facing, and would face, genuine persecution. I believe what Peter wrote is especially relevant to 21st Century evangelical Christians in view of the political climate in America. 1 Peter 1:14–21 (ESV) reads:
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.” 17 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. 20 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.
After observing the text, my takeaways are set forth below.
Please keep in mind that the more time you spend in the observation step, the better will be your takeaways. The better your observation-based takeaways, the better will be your interpretation. The better your interpretation, the better will be your applications of the passage to your life and the lives of others.
TAKEAWAYS FROM 1 PETER 1:14-21
My takeaways are:
• Peter wrote to saved people. His audience was those who were “obedient children” (v. 14) and “called” (v. 15) by God. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I relate to what Peter, who is my brother in Christ, wrote to his 1st Century audience in about the spring A.D. 65. Salvation transcends the centuries between A.D. 65 and A.D. 2020.
• To be obedient (v. 14) is an attribute of a believer, and is one I want to continually strive to carry out.
• I want to try my best not to conform or slide back into my former lusts (v. 14) of my pre-Christian life. Prior to my conversion, I was ignorant of holy living, but I am not ignorant of holy living today. Even though my salvation is secure and cannot be lost, I want to strive to live a holy lifestyle as commanded by God (v. 16) in this passage and in the Old Testament passage of Leviticus 19:2.
• I want to strive to always understand the awesomeness of God (v. 17) and remain in a state of reverential awe of Him who is my Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.
• I want to never lose sight of the cost to God of my salvation (vv. 18-19). Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, died on the cross where His sacrificial death was the only price sufficient to redeem me from my sins. Praise God! I am redeemed!
• I want to remember that Jesus Christ, who died for me (a sinner), was Himself sinless in that He was “without blemish and without spot” (v. 19)
• I want to remember that God’s plan of salvation was extant before the creation of time, space and matter (v. 20). In fact, God’s plan of salvation has always been.
• I want to remember Jesus’ incarnation, sinless life while on earth, physical death on the cross, and physical bodily resurrection from the dead (v. 21).
• I want to put my hope in the certain future event of Jesus’ Second Coming when I will see Him as He is. My hope is in my glorification that awaits me (v. 21)!
My broader takeaways from these more specific takeaways are:
First, there is a kinship between Peter and myself since he and I are brothers-in-Christ.
Second, God’s plan of salvation has always been and it is through His plan that I was saved.
Third, my goal is to strive live a holy lifestyle with increasing sanctification that reflects my gratitude for the price of my salvation.
Fourth, I need to focus my mind on the future event of my glorification at Jesus’ Second Coming.
THE NEXT (AND LAST) ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES
In the last article, I will set out some very specific actions I intent to take to “gird the loins of my mind.”
If you are reading this post and are not a Christian, unless God intervenes, your eternal destination is hell. But, your destiny can change. Today can be the day of your salvation. Please see my blog (https://stevebelsheim.com/2020/04/20/for-god-so-loves-you-2/) for a description of how you can be saved and a more concise description at my (https://stevebelsheim.com/2020/10/20/there-is-hope-even-when-there-seems-to-be-no-hope-2/ ).
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