Born (Again) For The Glory – Part #3
1 PETER 1:1-25 – TEXT
1 PETER 1:13-17, 22 – TODAY’S TEXT
1 PETER 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath BEGOTTEN US AGAIN (BORN AGAIN) unto a LIVELY HOPE by the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ from the dead”,
If we are “BORN AGAIN”, we have a “LIVELY (LIVING) HOPE” because it is grounded on the “LIVING WORD OF GOD” (1 PETER 1:23), and was made possible by the “LIVING SON OF GOD” (1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-10) – who arose from the dead. A “LIVELY (LIVING) HOPE” is one that has life in it and therefore can give life to US. Because it has life, it grows and becomes greater and more beautiful as time goes on. Time destroys most hopes; they fade and then die. But the passing of time only makes the Christian Hope that more glorious.
The Apostle Peter called this “HOPE” an “INHERITANCE” (1 PETER 1:4). As the children of the King, we share his inheritance in glory (ROMANS 8:17, 18; EPHESIANS 1:9-12). We are included in Christ Jesus’ “LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT”, and we share the “GLORY” with Him (JOHN 17:22-24).
1 PETER 1:7 – “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found to PRAISE and HONOUR and GLORY at the APPEARING OF JESUS CHRIST”:
* THE WORD “GLORY (OF GOD)” – IS THE STRONG’S GREEK WORD #1391 AND MEANS “GLORY (AS VERY APPARENT), HONOR, PRAISE, WORSHIP”.
* IF WE WANT TO SEE THE (“VERY APPARENT”) “GLORY OF GOD” IN YOUR LIVES, THEN THE APOSTLE PETER SAYS THAT WE MUST OBEY THESE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS FROM GOD!
THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOD – FOR CHRISTIANS – 1 PETER 1:13-22
1 PETER 1:13 – “Wherefore GIRD UP THE LOINS of your mind, BE SOBER, and HOPE TO THE END for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”;
(1). “GIRD UP THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND” – This means to brace up and take courage in the face of the trials that one is called to go through. The Apostle Peter may have borrowed the idea from the “Passover Supper”, because later on in this section, he identifies Christ Jesus as the “Passover Lamb” (1 PETER 1:19). The Jews at “Passover” were supposed to eat the meal in “Haste” – and be already prepared and be all ready to move (EXODUS 12:11).
EXODUS 12:11 – “And thus shall ye eat it; and with your LOINS GIRDED, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover”.
EPHESIANS 6:14 – “Stand therefore, having your LOINS GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
* (1). THE APOSTLE PETER BEGINS, THESE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS HERE, WITH THE EXHORTATION TO “GIRD UP THE LOINS (OF YOUR MIND). WHEN MEN WANTED TO DO HEAVY WORK OR TO FIGHT IN BATTLE, THEY WOULD “GIRD UP THEIR LOINS” (AREA).
* IN THE “PHYSICAL”, THIS WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY “LIFTING UP”, YOUR ANKLE LENGHT “ROBE”, ABOVE YOUR KNEES TO GIVE YOU MOBILITY, THEN THEY WOULD GATHER THE MATERIAL IN FRONT AND THEN PUT THE FABRIC BETWEEN THE LEGS TO THEIR BACKSIDE AND THEN GATHER HALF OF THE MATERIAL IN EACH HAND AND BRING IN AROUND THE WAIST TO THE FRONT AGAIN AND TIE YOUR TWO HANDFULS IN FRONT – SO THEN YOU WOULD BE READY FOR HEAVY WORK OR TO FIGHT IN BATTLE!
* SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING, GOD IS TELLING US, TO “WRAP UP THE LOINS OF OUR MIND” – IN ORDER TO DO SOME HEAVY WORK, AND/ OR BE READY TO FIGHT IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE, AND TO HAVE OUR MINDS “WRAPPED UP”, FOR THE TASK AHEAD OF US!
THE MODERN DAY EQUIVALENT TO “GIRDING YOUR LOINS” IS TO WRAP YOUR MIND AROUND THIS.”
HERE IS A “TOUGH VISUAL” FOR THE “BODY OF CHRIST”:
These are days of “GREAT LOOSENESS”, there is a great “Laxity”, of Christian doctoral beliefs and a great “Slipping”, of the exhibitions of the “Fruits of the Spirit”. Christian people are doing today what our Christian forefathers would have loathed. Whenever I see people walking down the street, particularly men, who have no belt on and their pants, their underwear is slipping down their legs, and their pants are hanging so loosely about their waist, as if they did not fit them, and I wonder how they don’t “Drop off from them”! As is much of Christianity, you “Wonder”, when their profession of Christ Jesus, is going to “Drop off of them”, at any time!
REVELATION 3:17 – “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and HAVE NEED OF NOTHING; and know not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and NAKED”:
REVELATION 16:15 – “Behold, I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth, and KEEPETH HIS GARMENTS, lest he walk NAKED, and they see his SHAME”.
“KEEPETH” – One of the definitions and translations of this Greek word is “TO HOLD FAST” (YOUR GARMENTS) – LEAST YOUR NAKEDNESS BE EXPOSED, AND THE WORLD SEES YOUR SHAME!
(2). “BE SOBER” – This means to live soberly and righteously. This means to have self-control, as in contrast to hysteria. The Christian today needs to be “Girded” (poised, ready) and “Sober” (stable)!
(3). “HOPE TO THE END FOR THE GRACE THAT IS BROUGHT UNTO YOU AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST” –
1 PETER 1:14 – “As obedient children, NOT FASHIONING YOURSELF ACCORDING TO THE LUST IN YOUR IGNORANCE”:
(4). “(DO) NOT FASHION YOURSELF ACCORDING TO THE FORMER LUST IN YOUR IGNORANCE (FORMER LIFE OF SIN)” – Once you are “Born again”, you are a new “Creature,” and you must live a new life (2 CORINTHIANS 5:17, 18).
1 PETER 1:15 – “But as He which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation”;
(5). “BE YE HOLY IN ALL MANNER OF CONVERSATION – Be holy in all manner of things in your life.
1 PETER 1:16 – “Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy”.
1 PETER 1:17 – “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear”:
(6). “PASS THE TIME OF YOUR SOJOURNING HERE (IN THIS LIFE ON EARTH) IN FEAR” – Just as the Hebrew people, were passing through the “Wilderness” (of life) to reach the “Promised Land” – “Unbelief”, got in their way and they perished in the “Wilderness”, without receiving the “Promised Land”!
1 PETER 1:22 – “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the (Holy) Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, SEE THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER WITH A PURE HEART FERVENTLY”:
(7). “SEE THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER WITH A PURE HEART FERVENTLY.”
The Apostle Peter used two different words for love: “Philadelphia”, which is brotherly love, and “Agape”, which is God-like sacrificial love. It is important that we share both kinds of love. We share “Brotherly Love” because we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and we have “Likeness”. We share “Agape Love” because we belong to God, and therefore we can overlook our differences.
By nature, all of us are selfish; so it took a miracle of God to give us this love. Because we obeyed the truth to the spirit, God purified our souls and poured his love into our hearts (ROMANS 5:5). Love for the brethren is evidence that we truly have been born of God (1 JOHN 4:7-21). Now, that we are obedient children (1 PETER 1:14), who no longer want to live in the selfish desires of the old life.
It is tragic when people try to manufacture love, because the product is obviously cheap and artificial.
PSALMS 55:21 – “The Words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords”.
The love that we share with each other, and with the lost world, must be generated by the Spirit of God. It is a constant power in our lives, and not something that we turn on or off, like a television or the internet.
Not only is this love a spiritual love, but it is a sincere love (“UNFEIGNED”). We love with a pure heart. Our motive is not to get but to give. There is a kind of “Success psychology”, popular today, that enables a person to manipulate others to get what he wants. If our love is sincere and from a pure heart, we could never use people for our own advantage.
This love is also a fervent love, and this is an athletic term, which means striving with all one’s energy. Love is something we have to work at, just as an Olympic contestant has to work at his particular skills. “Christian Love” is not a feeling; it is a matter of the will. We show love to others when we treat them in the same way God treats us. God forgives us, so we forgive others. God is kind to us, so we are kind to others. It’s not a matter of feeling but of willing, and this is something that we must constantly work at if we are to succeed in our walk with God.
We have two wonderful assistants to help us: the Word of God and the Spirit of God. The same truth that we trusted and obeyed to become God’s children also serves, nurtures, and empowers us. It is impossible to love the truth and to hate the brethren. The Spirit of God produces the “Fruits of the Spirit” in our lives, and the first of these is “LOVE” (GALATIANS 5:22, 23).
If we are filled with the Word of God (COLOSSIANS 3:16) and the Spirit of God (EPHESIANS 5:18), we will manifest the love of God in our daily lives and especially with those in the Body of Christ. Yes, for Christians, it is glory all the way!
When we trusted Christ, we were born for glory, and you are being kept for glory. As we obey Him and experience trials, we are being prepared for glory. When we love Him, trust Him, and rejoice in Him, we experience the glory here and now.
Joy unspeakable and full of glory!
