“The Just Shall Live By Faith”
New King James Version Written by: David Hicks
Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
“Articles of Faith”
(A Study in I Peter)
Lesson 3 - Therefore, Be Obedient Children:
In our last lesson, Peter inspires these Christians to live in hope (A hope that produces joy, faith, and perseverance) and in the love of God the Father who has begotten us; and given us an inheritance (incorruptible and undefiled); and keeps us by His great power in the revelation of Jesus Christ. Thus as they live before God, as they devote themselves to the word, as they submit to new governments and men, and even as they suffer for the cause of Christ, they will receive the end of their faith and hope – the salvation of their souls.
So great a salvation, that the prophets who spoke of it in advance searched diligently with great interest concerning it; only to learn that it was not for them, but for us. However, since they were diligent and steadfast in its presentation, and that which was delivered by angels was steadfast (the Old Law – Hebrews 2:2 ), how can we neglect so great a salvation? We can't !
This brings us to this lesson.
In view of such a great hope and salvation; in view of the glories that would follow the suffering of the Christ (glories that we are as His church and God's eternal purpose in Christ – Ephesians 3:11 ), in view of all of this; Peter instructs us to achieve something based on this. This is indicated at the beginning of our text with the word, “ Therefore ”, and we know that when we see this word in the scriptures we are to ask, ‘what's it therefore?'
Now that we understand that it is based on our great hope and salvation that we are to achieve something, let's view what is expected of us!
Text:
1 Peter 1:13-21 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children , not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Gird Up Your Loins: Peter begins his instruction with a metaphor. Before the people of this time could travel or make hast, they had to bind their flowing garments up and out of the way, for ease of movement. The same statement was made to Peter himself by an angel of the Lord, as he was divinely rescued from prison in Acts 12:8 . Here, Peter is exhorting the Christian to get himself together and thus be unhampered for the service of the Lord. It is important to note that this begins in the mind!
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind , that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
To be sober means to be calm and collected, and not given to extremes by the difficulties that beset them. This was to be their demeanor until their hope was realized.
As Obedient Children: This reference is not ambiguous, as one becomes the child of another when he or she has been begotten by them. We have already established that God has begotten us to a living hope in Christ Jesus by the precious word and baptism. However, being obedient is a different matter. This word denotes and is dependent upon the child's own conduct. These Christians had formerly lived after the lusts of the flesh based on their ignorance of the righteousness of God (attempting in many cases to establish their own righteousness – Romans 10:1-4 ). However, the Gospel has shown them the folly of such conduct and such a life; so that ignorance is no longer an excuse.
Holy: Since it is the conduct of Christians being discussed by Peter, a reference point is given them in their efforts to achieve a righteous conduct. As children of God, they were to resemble His very nature in their behavior and life.
Peter would quote from the writings of Moses ( Leviticus 19:2 ), which is the words of God Himself indicating His expectations that the priestly tribe of Israel be holy for He is holy (this quote is repeated in several places within the book of Leviticus ). This pattern they would recognize from their own understanding of the Law.
When we turn to the actions of God in the Bible, they are, of course, the actions of the Holy God. This is best described by Moses in stating a Self proclamation of God in name and nature, note:
Exodus 34:6-7 “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord , the Lord God, merciful and gracious , longsuffering , and abounding in goodness and truth , 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."
If these character traits sound familiar, they should! These are characteristics that are stressed throughout the New Testament, that Christians should posses, practice, and seek. Thus it is expected that we live after the very character of our Father.
So, If You Call Him Father: If we approach God as your Father, we should have due regard for His character and act accordingly.
God does not show any respect for persons in His judgments, but acts accordingly based on their works. This is not just a theme in judgment but in His great plan of salvation as well. People were never predetermined or predestined to be saved, only the method by which they would choose to either obey or disobey would be predetermined (read: Romans 2:11 ; Galatians 2:6 ; Ephesians 6:9 ; Colossians 3:25 ). Thus our actions are always the determining factor in salvation and judgment, note:
John 3:19-21 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil . 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen , that they have been done in God ."
So accordingly, as the children of God, we should pass our time here in fear (a serious regard for the greatness of God and His righteous judgment).
Bought With a Price: Have you noticed that although we are being instructed to live a special way, the continual illustrations that are being portrayed are given as constant motivators. They act as constants, so we can know that the precious inheritance we are part of are truly built on indestructible and undefiled things. This is the continuing thoughts of verses 18-19 .
We have not been redeemed in exchange for corruptible things (things which are at our disposal, for if it was something we could have obtained for ourselves, we would deny the value). We were purchased (redeemed from sin) in exchange for the precious blood of the Son of God, who acted as the pure Lamb of Sacrifice.
This was the statement made by Jesus Himself to Nicodemus, concerning the fact that He must become the Lamb of Sacrifice, note:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
This statement of Jesus was not made as an instructional testament for salvation (that was already given to Nicodemus – Vs. 3 , 5 ), but as an establishment of value, proving God's righteous love for His creation. God's love and our salvation where not offered in things that we could obtain ourselves. They were offered in the most un-obtainable thing that could be offered on our behalf, the blood of the Son of God.
For Us: Just as the church was God's eternal plan in Christ, it was predetermined by God that the Christ of sacrifice would be necessary from the beginning to redeem those who make up the glorious entity of the church (the body of Christ). This is the same thing that Paul would state to the Christians of Colossi, note:
Colossians 1:12-18 “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
In addition to the eternal plan of God for our salvation, two things were given especially for us. First, Christ was manifest in this time for us (the Christian dispensation). This was given for us to understand that we are living in the kingdom dispensation and are actually part of the glories of the Messiah. Second, is that in the manifestation of the Christ of salvation; He came as an example that we should follow ( I Peter 2:21 ).
So, Christ has been made manifest for all of us who truly believe. Not that any secrecy was practiced on the world in general (the Gospel was preached to the whole world), but leads us back to the choices of men as the determining factor of our being begotten or not. However, the manifestation of Christ is only truly recognized or realized by those who believed in His resurrection from the dead, and the glory that was afterward given Him. The purpose of all this grand scheme of human redemption was to show that all faith and hope was to be in God .
Therefore: Be obedient children! Be holy for He is Holy! Guard your own works in fear of judgment! Believe, and live in all faith and hope in God!
1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
Next: “ Desire The Word ”