1 Peter 1:10-25
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you.
Devotion
In this section of scripture, Peter’s purpose is to show that the spiritual blessings they now have are greater than anything that was envisioned by the Old Testament prophets or even by angels. Peter is seeking to increase his reader’s appreciation for their great salvation in Christ.
The Old Testament prophets spoke concerning “the sufferings of the Christ” and the grace of God. We find this in Isaiah 53 and in Psalm 22 as well as in many other Scriptures. In his commentary on 1 Peter, J.V. McGee writes, “You and I are in the unique position of living in that interval of time between the suffering of Christ, which is in the past, and the glory of Christ, which is yet in the future.” Many people struggle with the concept of “suffering servant” and “conquering king”. Many believe its one or the other. Clearly the Old Testament prophets knew both to be true.
Now Peter is saying, “I am preaching the same things the prophets did.” The apostles were in a position to make the distinction between Christ’s suffering and His glory. We no longer need angels to reveal the will of God to us. We are living in a day of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God takes the things of Christ and reveals them to us. Because we live in such a time as this, we are to “prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Peter is basically instructing us to adopt a serious attitude in the study of the Word of God. This is a serious call to action.
These exhortations reach their climax in verse sixteen. Here Peter quotes from the book of Leviticus where the Lord says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” To be holy it to be set apart. In the biblical context it means to be separated from sin and impurity and set apart to God. As God’s children, we are to strive for moral purity. In his commentary on 1 Peter, Wayne Grudem writes, “This is just one example of the way the New Testament repeatedly assumes that imitation of God’s moral character is the ultimate basic for ethics.”
In verse 17, we see that God judges every person’s work impartially. This has nothing to do with your salvation. It has everything to do with the life we are living while on this earth. The fact that God is going to judge us ought to be a wake-up call and help us to be more cognizant of the life we are living.
Then Peter reminds his readers they have been redeemed from their former way of life. It was through the sacrificial blood of Christ that they had been redeemed. He goes on to say that He “was revealed in these last times for your sake.” Christ was the Lamb who was slain because God knew all the time that we would need a Savior. He loved us so much that He provided that Savior. He also raised Him up from the dead that our faith and hope in God would be validated.
Peter closes out this section with an exhortation to “love one another deeply”. Here we see that when we allow the truth of Christ and God’s Word motivate and direct our lives, God will lead us into a right relationship with other believers. In the end, it is the Word of the Lord that stands forever. Let us become a life-long student of the Word that we might love others as Jesus loved us and gave up His life that we might be transformed into a new creation.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Do you identify more with the “suffering servant” or the “conquering King”? Why? In what ways does God reveal Himself to you daily? Do you incorporate the Word of God into your life through a daily discipline? If yes, what does this look like? If no, how might you incorporate God’s Word into your life on a more regular basis? How does one strive for moral purity in a depraved culture? Does knowing that God will judge your works have any impact on how you will live your life? What does Palm Sunday and Easter mean to you? Are you able to love others deeply?
Prayer Points
- Worship the Lord as the Son of God, Son of Man, Slain Lamb, Savior of the World, Redeemer.
- Thank Him for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, thank Him for your own personal relationship.
- God is holy, righteous, pure and perfect. Invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart and mind and reveal any sin.
- Confess your sin to Him, tell Him you are sorry, receive His grace and mercy.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Suggested Prayer
Holy Father, righteous Father, You are the One and Only, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank You Lord for Your provision, thank You for giving me life in You. Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit that lives in me. I pray for myself and our Oak Pointe Church family, that You would enable us to hear Your voice as You lead. Remind us of Your truth. I ask that we would submit to You and Your ways. Helps us be holy as You are holy. Draw us close to You and empower us to live for You and share You with those around us. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.