Born (Again) For The Glory – Part #4
1 PETER 1:1-25 – TEXT
1 PETER 1:18-25 – TODAY’S TEXT
1 PETER 1:18 – “Forasmuch as ye KNOW that ye were NOT REDEEMED with CORRUPTIBLE (PERISHABLE) THINGS, as silver and gold, from your VAIN CONVERSATION (LIFESTYLE) received by traditions from your fathers”;
“KNOW” – is the Strong’s Greek word # 1492 and means “SELF-EVIDENT or of intuitive knowing”.
(1). THE APOSTLE PETER REMINDS US OF WHAT WE WERE BEFORE WE COMMITTED OUR LIVES TO CHRIST JESUS.
* FILL IN THE BLANK, THE WORD OR WORDS, THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU WERE REDEEMED BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST JESUS: (THERE IS NO WRONG ANSWER HERE IN THE POSSIBLE RESPONSES)
“MY LIFE WAS A _______________________________ WAY OF LIFE”!
HERE ARE YOUR CHOICES:
(A). FOOLISH (B). USELESS (C). WORTHLESS (D). FRUTLESS (E). IDLE (F). EMPTY (G). POWERLESS (H). LACKING TRUTH (I). VAIN (J). PROFANE (K). IRRELEVENT (L). IRREVERENT (M). THOUGHTLESS (N). RASH (O). IMPIOUS, (P). IMPETOUS (Q). DECEPTIVE (R). MEANINGLESS (S). DEVOID OF TRUTH (T). UNREALISTIC (U). IRRATIONAL (V). MOOT (W). UNSUITABLE (X). UNTAUGHT (Y). IGNORANT (Z). ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IF YOU ANSWERED (Z). “ALL OF THE ABOVE” – THEN YOU WILL HAVE COME TO THE MEANING OF – “VAIN – CONVERSATION (LIFESTYLE)”
* THE GOSPEL OF GOD IS “LIGHT,” BUT ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN GIVE SIGHT!
“REDEEMED” – Is the Strong’s Greek word # 3084 and means “To loosen that which is bound, especially freeing those in prison”. This Greek word is only found three times in the New Testament Bible: LUKE 24:21; TITUS 2:14, and 1 PETER 1:18.
TITUS 2:14 – “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us FROM all iniquity, and purify UNTO HIMSELF a peculiar people, zealous of good works”.
The Apostle Paul uses this Greek word to explain the dual effect of this Redemption. On one side, it speaks about what we were “REDEEMED FROM” – every LAWLESS (SINFUL) DEED (The enslavement to the power of sin all people have inherited from Adam). On the other side, IT IS WHAT we were “REDEEMED FOR” – we were “REDEEMED FOR” – to be His own possession and to live a life that demonstrates not just WHO we are (those who have been redeemed) but WHOSE we are (Christ Jesus’ possession).
The Hebrew equivalent to the Greek word “REDEEMED” is found in EXODUS 15:13:
EXODUS 15:13 – “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which now hast REDEEMED; thou hast guided them in thy strength unto THY HOLY HABITATION”.
To the Jewish people, reading the Apostle Peter’s epistle, the mention of the “Redeemed” would bring to mind the picture of God’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. In fact, the first use of the Hebrew equivalent to the Greek word “Redeemed”, in the Old Testament, is found in EXODUS 6:6, where Moses records God’s response to Israel’s cries for deliverance from Egyptian slavery.
* THE CENTRAL TRUTH TO OUR REDEMPTION – IS THE COSTLY PAYMENT, THE INFINITELY PRICELESS BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD!
“REDEMPTION” was a technical term for the money paid to buy back and set free prisoners of war or to emancipate slaves from their masters. Believers have been ransomed or bought back, like the Redemption of a bond servant, by a kinsman redeemer (LEVITICUS 25:49). Before “REDEMPTION”, we were held captive by Satan, to do his will, and we were enslaved to our own sin nature, inherited from Adam. In Christ Jesus, we have been ransomed by His precious blood (1 CORINTHIANS 6:20; REVELATION 5:9), and we are no longer under the “Curse of the law” (GALATIANS 3:13; GALATIANS 4:5) AND HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN – INTO THE FREEDOM OF GRACE!
1 PETER 1:19 – “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”:
(2). THE APOSTLE PETER REMINDS US OF WHAT CHRIST JESUS DID FOR US.
Christ Jesus shed his “Precious Blood” to purchase us out of the slavery of sin and to set us free forever. To “Redeem”, means to set free by paying a price. A slave could be freed with the payment of money, BUT NO AMOUNT OF MONEY CAN SET A “LOST SINNER FREE” – ONLY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST JESUS CAN REDEEM US! The Apostle Peter was a witness of Christ suffering (1 PETER 5:1) and mentions His sacrificial death often in this letter (1 PETER 2:21; 1 PETER 3:18; 1 PETER 4:1, 13); 1 PETER 5:1) . In calling Christ Jesus “A LAMB”; the Apostle Peter reminded his readers of an Old Testament teaching that was important in the early church, and it is to to be important to us today!
THE DOCTRINE OF “SUBSTITUTION” IN THE BIBLE – AN INNOCENT VICTIM GIVING UP THEIR LIVES FOR THE GUILTY.
The doctrine of “SUBSTITUTION” (SACRIFICE) begins in GENESIS 3:21, when God killed the animals, that He might be able to COTHED THE NAKEDNESS OF SIN, OF ADAM AND EVE! Adam and Eve tried to hid their nakedness by sewing “Fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (GENESIS 3:7), but this was by the “WORK OF THEIR OWN HANDS” – AND GOD WAS TEACHING THE IMPOTANCE OF “SUSBSTATORY DEATH” – SOMETHING INNONOCENT HAS TO DIE FOR THE GUILTY OF SIN AGAINST GOD – IN ORDER FOR SIN TO BE FORGIVEN!
A “RAM” died for Isaac (GENESIS 22:13), and the “PASSOVER LAMB” was slain for each of the Jewish households (EXODUS 12). The “Messiah” was presented as an innocent man in ISAIAH 53. Isaac asked Abraham, his father, a question: “Where is the ‘SACRIFICE’ (THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB) AND ABRAHAM SAID THAT ‘GOD HIMSELF WILL PROVIDE A LAMB” (GENESIS 22:7, 8). And John the Baptist answered it and pointed to Christ Jesus and said: “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD” (JOHN 1:29). In Heaven the “REDEEMED” AND THE ANGELS PROCLAIM “WORTHY IS THE LAMB” (REVELATION 5:11-14)!
1 PETER 1:20 – “Who verily was forordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
The Apostle Peter makes it clear, that Christ Jesus’ death was an “APPOINTMENT AND NOT A ACCIDENT”; for it was ordained by God “BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD” (ACTS 2:23). From the human perspective, our Lord was truly murdered but from the Divine perspective, He laid down His life for Sinners (JOHN 10:17, 18). BUT CHRIST JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD! NOW, ANYONE WHO PUTS THEIR TRUST IN CHRIST JESUS CAN BE SAVED FROM THEIR SINS!
* WHEN WE MEDITATE ON THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST JESUS FOR US, WE CERTAINLY SHOULD WANT TO OBEY GOD’S WORD AND LIVE HOLY LIVES FOR HIS GLORY
* REDEMPTION BY “THE LAMB OF GOD”:
* THE QUESTION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE WAS – “WHERE IS THE LAMB”?
Abraham’s son of promise, Isaac, asked, “Where is the lamb” (GENESIS 22:7)? Abraham said, “God will provide himself a lamb” (GENESIS 22:8), and when God provided for the sacrifice, Abraham named the place “Jehovah Jireh”, which means “God our provider” (GENESIS 22:14).
* THE ANSWER IN THE NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE WAS – “BEHOLD THE LAMB”?
Upon John the Baptist seeing Christ Jesus, he proclaimed, “Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world” (JOHN 1:29), and then later on, John the Baptist sees Christ Jesus coming and says, “Behold the lamb of God” (JOHN 1:36)!
* THE CRY THROUGHOUT ETERNITY IS – “WORTHY IS THE LAMB”!
The Apostle John saw in the midst of the throne of God in Heaven, the four beasts, the elders, and in the midst stood “A LAMB AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN” (REVELATION 5:6).
REVELATION 5:12 – “Saying with a loud voice, WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing”.
REVELATION 5:13 – “And every creature which is in Heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power being to him the sitteth upon the throne and unto the LAMB FOREVER AND EVER”.
REVELATION 5:14 – “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever”.
1 PETER 1:21 – “Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God”.
Loyalty to the Lord Jesus is further demanded by the fact that it is through Christ Jesus that we have come to believe in God. He is the one who has revealed the Father’s heart to us. The Heavenly Father indicated His complete satisfaction with Christ’s redeeming work by raising Him from the dead and honoring Him with the place of the highest glory in Heaven.
* THE RESULT OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT OUR FAITH AND HOPE IS IN GOD AND IT IS IN HIM AND NOT THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD SYSTEM; THAT WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING (ROMANS 12:1, 2)!
1 PETER 1:22 – “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, saying that you love one another with a pure heart fervently”:
1 PETER 1:23 – “Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever”.
The “NEW BIRTH” is brought about through the Word of God and the Spirit of God. As we read the Bible, we are CONVICTED of their sins, CONVINCED that Jesus Christ is the soul and sufficient Savior of mankind, and that we can COME to be in right standing with God, through the precious blood that Christ shed at Calvary’s Cross and throughMy alliance His death, burial, resurrection and ascension – we can live the lives of God has intended us to live!
1 PETER 1:24 – “For all flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as a flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower thereof falleth away”:
THIS LIFE WE NOW LIVE IS SHORT, BUT ETERNITY IS LONG!
The transitory character of human life is emphasized by a quotation in ISAIAH 46:6, 7. The human life is as IMPERMANENT AS GRASS (IT HAS A SEASON). Physical beauty is as short-lived as the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers droop and die.
1 PETER 1:25 – “But the Word of the Lord endureth forever. For this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you”.
In contrast, the Word of the Lord “ENDURES FOREVER” (ISAIAH 40:8). Therefore, the “NEW LIFE” of the believer, should be as equally “INCORRUPTABLE”. The “INCREDIBLE WORD OF GOD IS A MESSAGE OF GOOD NEWS”, which was preached to Peter’s readers and which caused them to be “BORN AGAIN” AND IS STILL TODAY – NEARLY 2,000 YEARS LATER – THE SOURCE OF OUR ETERNAL LIFE!
