1 PETER
1:1-25 - On earth, we have
‘trials’. In ‘heaven’, we will have ‘salvation’ (3-9). In our journey
from trials to salvation, from earth to heaven, we are to live a life of
holiness and love. In this life of ‘obedience to the truth’, we must
never forget that we have been ‘redeemed with the precious blood of
Christ’ (15,22,18-19). We must never take pride in our obedience -
‘boasting is excluded’. All that can be said about ourselves is this:
‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’. What makes the
difference? What is it that changes us? What is it that sets us on the
pathway of holiness and love? We have received ‘the redemption which is
in Christ Jesus’. Our ‘faith’ is in Him (Romans 3:27,23-25). He makes the difference. He changes us. He makes us holy. He fills us with His love.
2:1-25
- Being ‘God’s own people’ is a great privilege - ‘you have received
mercy’. It is also a great responsibility - ‘declare the wonderful deeds
of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light’
(9-10). God’s people are described as ‘strangers in the world’ (11). We
must not think of ourselves as ‘superior’ - ‘a cut above the rest’. We
are not! In ourselves, we are ‘strangers’ - ‘without God in the world’.
There’s nothing ‘special’ about us, There’s something very special about
what God has done for us: ‘In Christ Jesus you who once were far away
have been brought near through the blood of Christ’ (Ephesians 2:12-13).
As those who ‘have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls’,
let’s point others to Him who ‘bore our sins...that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness’ (24-25).
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