Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Job Search -- April 7th
Sorry to be tardy but I was waiting until some "real" news became available. Since the previous update, I have continued to "network" heavily. I spend 6-8 hours a day hopping around town or on the phone making connections. I have had no additional phone interviews since the last update. I have identified a large list of companies that I am very interested in pursuing and have made applications to around 10 companies. The good news is that I have been in email conversation with four of them! The only substantive news is that the door on the CA job is closing. They chose to interview the five CA candidates first and found one of them to be ideal. If final negotiations were to collapse this week, they will be bringing me to CA as part of the second group of interviewees. I continue to appreciate all of the assistance each of you have provided and ask for your continued prayers as I navigate through this job search. Congratulations to the many former Zale employees who have landed equal or better jobs in the past two weeks.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Titus II Lesson -- April 5th
First Peter
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“The Call to Live in Holiness”
1 Peter 1:14-16
Introduction
As part of his introduction to the sermon on this passage, John Piper writes: “What amazes me again and again today — and defines my life and ministry — is that when I look into contemporary American cultural life the most awesome, stunning, frightening reality is the thoroughgoing insignificance of God. And when I look into the New Testament the most awesome, stunning, frightening thing is that God is everything (1 Cor. 3:7). Sometimes in a season of weakness I am so numbed by the normal insignificance of God in contemporary life that I don't feel the magnitude the evil and the danger I am a part of. As I was reading in the prophet Hosea, I came across these words (8:9): "Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built palaces." Sometimes I might just read right over that. But not this week. This week God spoke powerfully. And I lay down the Bible and closed my eyes and felt again the ever-recurrent call on my life: Tell Israel to remember their Maker; and warn them about their palaces. Preach it on Sunday. Teach it on Wednesday. Put it in poems. Write it in books. Take it to conferences. Live it before your family and staff and elders. The main thing to think about and feel about and act about in the world is God. Being caught up with anything more than God is idolatry.”[1] But I get ahead of myself…..
Context
“13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
This passage falls, contextually, in what we are terming as the section addressing the sanctification of believers (1:13-2:12). In 1 Peter 1:13, after having explained the greatness of our salvation in 1 Peter 1:1-12 (i.e., what God has done in salvation), Peter says: “therefore.” That is, in light of this great salvation we are to live in a consistent manner with this great salvation. Last week, we learned that we are called to live in hope (1:13). This week we will learn that we are called to live in holiness.
Transition
But there is a problem. What is that problem? To be called “holy” is to be likened to a “nerd”, to be called “puritanical” (whether the speaker understands the Puritans or not), or to be labeled as a “right-wing evangelical.” Holiness is not thought of as a virtue but as a vice. In today’s culture, it is simply insulting to be thought of as “holy” by your peers.
As a result, isn’t the Church very comfortable in presenting a gospel that adds God to our lives with little or no change necessary on our part? Yes. Unfortunately, such is not the message of the true gospel or the teaching of the Scriptures on the spiritual life. The Old Testament prophets, along with John the Baptist, and then Jesus called for a radical change for those who would trust and obey God. “Repent” was an indispensable word to those who proclaimed the Word of God in truth. To repent meant to change not only our thinking but our actions. When we are saved, we are saved from our heathen desires and practices and called to live a life of holiness.[2]
Our lesson, this morning, begins by defining holiness, then continues by tracing the theme of holiness through the Bible, and concludes with an explanation of its meaning.
The Definition of Holiness
First, let us consider the definition of holiness. The root idea of holiness in the Old Testament (quoted here) is that of being separated from what is defective and evil and separated for God. So the Sabbath is holy to the Lord: separated from the pursuits of other days and dedicated to the Lord (Ex. 31:15). Priests are holy to the Lord: they are set apart from ordinary pursuits and dedicated in a special way to the Lord (2 Chron. 23:6).[3]
Or to state it differently, to be holy is the opposite of being “common” or “profane.” God is holy in that He is utterly different and distinct from His creation. Likewise, God has called His people to be distinct, separate from the heathen attitudes and actions which characterized them as unbelievers.[4] The translation of 1 Peter 2:9 by the King James Version clearly conveys this idea of “separateness:”
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, KJV).
The History of Holiness[5]
Having defined holiness, let us see how it is addressed by the law, by Christ, and by the early church (after the coming of the Holy Spirit).
1. By the Law
Once the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, God gave them laws which governed the conduct of every Israelite and of every one who dwelt among them as aliens. What laws, of all those given at Mount Sinai, would you expect to set the Israelites apart from all the nations as a holy people? Most think the Ten Commandments were given particularly for this purpose. Surprisingly, we do not find “holiness” directly linked with these commandments. The command, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” is found several times in the law of Moses but not in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. Rather, this command is found in the Book of Leviticus. That means that it is found in that part of the law many Christians feel is the least relevant and the least applicable to the New Testament saint – the part normally called the “ceremonial law.”
Why is this so? The Ten Commandments do not set the Israelites or contemporary Christians apart because virtually every civilized nation accepts many of the values and commands of these Ten Commandments as a valid standard of conduct. For example, civilized nations condemn stealing, lying, and murder.
On the other hand, Israel was “distinct” in her obedience to the laws regarding “clean” and “unclean” as set down in Leviticus. While these distinctions were set out clearly, the reasons for them were not. Why, for instance, was a woman declared “unclean” twice as long for having a girl than for having a boy (see Leviticus 12:1-5)? Why was beef “clean” while pork was declared to be “unclean”? Many of the distinctions between “clean” and “unclean” made in Leviticus appear to be arbitrary without rational or logical explanation.
Yet, this is by divine design. What do I mean? That which sets the true child of God apart from all others is their faith and trust in God, evidenced by obedience to His commands even when they do not seem to make sense. Not eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil did not make sense to Adam and Eve, but God required their obedience. Offering up Isaac as a sacrifice to God made no sense to Abraham, but God required his obedience. Likewise, obedience to the distinctions God made between the “clean” and the “unclean” made little sense to Israel, but God required her obedience. In false religions, men create their own “gods” and their own rules, all according to their own desires. In Christianity, God makes the rules, and they are not according to our preferences or desires.
2. By Christ
While the Law clearly addressed what it took to be “holy”, the definitions of holiness got corrupted over time. At the time of Christ’s incarnation, biblical holiness as practiced by many in Israel required clarification. Jesus willingly corrected the man-made holiness loved by the Scribes and Pharisees. Specifically, Jesus opposed their:
· Ceremonial Cleanness
The Scribes and Pharisees were miffed because Jesus’ disciples did not ceremonially cleanse their hands before eating. Now this was not the kind of hand-washing mothers require of their children before they can eat (to be clean in a healthy sense, free of dirt and germs). They wanted people to eat with “ceremonial” cleanness. Unfortunately, this “ceremonial” cleanness was not what the Old Testament Law required as described in Leviticus. This was a cleanness defined by a different standard — the traditions of the elders (verse 3). The elders had added all kinds of cleansings to the Law of God and then came to regard their definition of “clean” more highly than that which God had established in Scripture.
· “Hypocritical” Holiness
To add human standards to those of divine origin was one thing. But it was quite another to use these standards to set aside and even violate the Laws of God. Yet, this is exactly what Judaism had done. Jesus exposed this hypocrisy. For example: The Law required that one should honor their father and mother. This included caring for them in their times of need. And yet the Jews had devised a way to avoid this financial liability. They “dedicated their money to God” using the term “Corban” to do so and then excused themselves from their obligations to their parents by claiming that this was God’s money. So to speak, it was “holy money,” which they claimed could no longer be used to care for their aging parents. But it could be used to satisfy any of their lusts including -- for example -- a vacation.
· “External” Holiness
Holiness had never been a matter of externalism but it had always been a matter of the heart. So, the distortion of biblical holiness by the Scribes and Pharisee to focus on the “external”, required correction by Jesus. Jesus did so by clearly teaching that one is not corrupted by that which is external to the person but that which is within a person. For example, Jesus taught that food does not defile a man. Rather, it is that which is inside the man (his sin nature) that defiles him (Matt. 15:10-11).
3. By the Early Church (after the coming of the Holy Spirit)
If this was the only change in how holiness is to be understood, the disciples would have clearly understood how holiness was addressed in the Law and clarified by Jesus. Unfortunately, Jesus appeared to also “redefine” holiness. What do I mean? Jesus declared “all things to be clean.” This created great confusion. What Jesus meant was only grasped after our Lord’s death, burial, and ascension, and after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In Acts 10, Peter was about to be invited to the house of a Gentile — Cornelius. There was no way Peter would have gone apart from the revelation he received from God in a dream:
“10 And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky” (Acts 10:10-16).
The sheet that descended from heaven contained all sorts of animals, some of which would have been unclean according to Leviticus 11. But God ordered Peter to kill some of them and to eat. Peter was horrified. He had never done so, and he did not plan to start now. The divine response was simply that God had cleansed them (isn’t that what Jesus had said) and that Peter was now no longer to consider them unholy. What had happened to make them clean? God had changed the definition of what was and was not clean (isn’t this what Jesus had said). Now, Peter must obey this new definition of clean and unclean because it is God alone who can declare something holy or unholy. It is He alone who can cleanse the unclean and make it clean.
What was the basis upon which God now declared these foods clean? The basis for this cleansing was the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. His shed blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. This cleansing had been foreshadowed by the annual Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 16:30). It is this cleansing for which the Old Testament saints hoped and prayed and the Old Testament prophets promised (see Jeremiah 33:8). It is this cleansing which our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished by His death, burial, and resurrection (see Hebrews 9:13-14, 22-23). The fact of that cleansing to be sufficient to make all thing clean is the declaration of God that it is so.
Peter was soon to understand the significance and application of his vision. Messengers from Cornelius arrived and asked him to come with them to the home of their master. Peter complied, still puzzled at what God was teaching him. But when the Holy Spirit fell upon these Gentiles, just as He had upon the Jewish believers at Pentecost, he understood that the coming of our Lord was intended to cleanse both Jews and Gentiles from their sins. Those whom God had cleansed, no man should dare consider unclean.
The Call to Holiness
Having defined holiness and having traced holiness (and its changing definitions) through the Bible, let us now consider Peter’s call to holiness. Peter writes:
“14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””
Peter’s call to holiness provides us with a lot of practical advice. His call has at least four aspects.[6]
1. We Are to be Holy in All Our Conduct
We are to be holy in every aspect of our conduct (“in all our behavior”). Holiness is not to be compartmentalized into certain “religious” areas of our life. Holiness is a way of life that affects everything we do. Holiness is a lifestyle, rather than mere conformity to a list of rules.
2. We Are to be Holy By Not Being Conformed to Our Former Lusts
Holiness is a lifestyle which differs dramatically from our manner of life before we were saved. Though the Christian has died to sin and been raised to newness of life in Him, he or she must also choose to serve Him and turn from their former lusts. They must no longer allow sin to master them (Romans 6:1-14). Like Paul, they must gain control over their fleshly desires, rather than be mastered by them (see 1 Cor. 9:24-27).
3. We Are to be Holy by Imitating God
As Jesus once put it: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This means we must first come to know God, and then by His grace, seek to conduct ourselves in a manner that imitates Him. We must love what He loves and hate what He hates. We, like Him, are to be merciful, just, and kind. We become holy as we are conformed to His image.
4. We Are to be Holy by Obeying God’s Word
The standards of holiness are set down by God in His Word. That is why Peter quotes from the Old Testament Law. We are to be obedient and that obedience is directed toward His commands and standards as set down in His Word. In the days of our unbelief, we were ignorant, but now God’s Spirit dwells within us to enlighten our minds to understand His Word (1 Corinthians 2:6-16) and to empower us to obey it (Romans 8:1-4). Holiness is accomplished in our lives as the Spirit of God enables us to know God and to obey His commands, through His Word.
Conclusion
In closing, I would like to make three comments about holiness.[7]
1. We are Called to Holiness Not Happiness
The call to holiness is clear. It is not a popular appeal. It is a call that God has made of His people ever since the exodus. Those who attempt to market the gospel and appeal to the masses would say God has called us to be happy. But a serious study of the Scriptures would lead one to acknowledge that God has called us to be holy in an ungodly world. It is holiness which sets us apart from the world and to God. It is holiness we are called to pursue and to practice (see Matthew 5:13-16; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 1 Peter 2:9-12). It is holiness, not happiness, that we are called to as children of God.
2. We are Called to Detest Not Just Avoid
When Peter was asked to eat what he thought was unclean – he was repulsed. Reading Leviticus 11 teaches us an important lesson about holiness. Those things God declared unclean were unclean. And these “unclean” things were not only to be avoided but to be considered detestable (see Leviticus 11: 10-11, 41). It was not enough for the Israelites to avoid eating what God declared to be unclean; they must also loathe what God called unclean. They were to adjust their desires to conform to God’s desires. They were to delight in what God found delightful and to loathe what God found detestable. This command is not just for Old Testament saints but for New Testament saints as well (see Romans 12:9). When we understand and apply this truth, we will find a great deal of practical help. We will not nearly be as likely to participate in those things we find detestable as those things in which we delight. Our problem becomes evident when our desires often do not conform to those things in which God delights. Conversely, we often desire the very things which displease God. When we find our delight in God and in the things which delight Him, then we, like David, will search His word to know more of His law rather than avoiding the Law of God and restricting its application to our lives (see Psalm 119:11-20).
3. We Are Called to Obey Even if We Don’t Understand
Why was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to be avoided? For one reason: because God declared it so. Adam and Eve did not understand why. They were not to understand why. They needed only to know that God had declared the fruit of this tree off limits to them. Why were some meats “clean” and others “unclean”? Because God declared them to be so to the people of Israel. Why was a woman unclean twice as long for bearing a girl baby than a boy? Because God said so. Why are sinners deemed to be righteous, forgiven, and destined for heaven? Because God declares them to be justified. Why are all foods now clean according to Mark 7:19? Because God declared them to be clean. The point of these series of questions is clear – we are called to obey even if we don’t understand.
[1] John Piper, “The Lust of Ignorance and the Life of Holiness”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[2] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[3] John Piper, “The Lust of Ignorance and the Life of Holiness”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[4] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[5] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[6] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[7] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“The Call to Live in Holiness”
1 Peter 1:14-16
Introduction
As part of his introduction to the sermon on this passage, John Piper writes: “What amazes me again and again today — and defines my life and ministry — is that when I look into contemporary American cultural life the most awesome, stunning, frightening reality is the thoroughgoing insignificance of God. And when I look into the New Testament the most awesome, stunning, frightening thing is that God is everything (1 Cor. 3:7). Sometimes in a season of weakness I am so numbed by the normal insignificance of God in contemporary life that I don't feel the magnitude the evil and the danger I am a part of. As I was reading in the prophet Hosea, I came across these words (8:9): "Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built palaces." Sometimes I might just read right over that. But not this week. This week God spoke powerfully. And I lay down the Bible and closed my eyes and felt again the ever-recurrent call on my life: Tell Israel to remember their Maker; and warn them about their palaces. Preach it on Sunday. Teach it on Wednesday. Put it in poems. Write it in books. Take it to conferences. Live it before your family and staff and elders. The main thing to think about and feel about and act about in the world is God. Being caught up with anything more than God is idolatry.”[1] But I get ahead of myself…..
Context
“13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
This passage falls, contextually, in what we are terming as the section addressing the sanctification of believers (1:13-2:12). In 1 Peter 1:13, after having explained the greatness of our salvation in 1 Peter 1:1-12 (i.e., what God has done in salvation), Peter says: “therefore.” That is, in light of this great salvation we are to live in a consistent manner with this great salvation. Last week, we learned that we are called to live in hope (1:13). This week we will learn that we are called to live in holiness.
Transition
But there is a problem. What is that problem? To be called “holy” is to be likened to a “nerd”, to be called “puritanical” (whether the speaker understands the Puritans or not), or to be labeled as a “right-wing evangelical.” Holiness is not thought of as a virtue but as a vice. In today’s culture, it is simply insulting to be thought of as “holy” by your peers.
As a result, isn’t the Church very comfortable in presenting a gospel that adds God to our lives with little or no change necessary on our part? Yes. Unfortunately, such is not the message of the true gospel or the teaching of the Scriptures on the spiritual life. The Old Testament prophets, along with John the Baptist, and then Jesus called for a radical change for those who would trust and obey God. “Repent” was an indispensable word to those who proclaimed the Word of God in truth. To repent meant to change not only our thinking but our actions. When we are saved, we are saved from our heathen desires and practices and called to live a life of holiness.[2]
Our lesson, this morning, begins by defining holiness, then continues by tracing the theme of holiness through the Bible, and concludes with an explanation of its meaning.
The Definition of Holiness
First, let us consider the definition of holiness. The root idea of holiness in the Old Testament (quoted here) is that of being separated from what is defective and evil and separated for God. So the Sabbath is holy to the Lord: separated from the pursuits of other days and dedicated to the Lord (Ex. 31:15). Priests are holy to the Lord: they are set apart from ordinary pursuits and dedicated in a special way to the Lord (2 Chron. 23:6).[3]
Or to state it differently, to be holy is the opposite of being “common” or “profane.” God is holy in that He is utterly different and distinct from His creation. Likewise, God has called His people to be distinct, separate from the heathen attitudes and actions which characterized them as unbelievers.[4] The translation of 1 Peter 2:9 by the King James Version clearly conveys this idea of “separateness:”
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, KJV).
The History of Holiness[5]
Having defined holiness, let us see how it is addressed by the law, by Christ, and by the early church (after the coming of the Holy Spirit).
1. By the Law
Once the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, God gave them laws which governed the conduct of every Israelite and of every one who dwelt among them as aliens. What laws, of all those given at Mount Sinai, would you expect to set the Israelites apart from all the nations as a holy people? Most think the Ten Commandments were given particularly for this purpose. Surprisingly, we do not find “holiness” directly linked with these commandments. The command, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” is found several times in the law of Moses but not in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. Rather, this command is found in the Book of Leviticus. That means that it is found in that part of the law many Christians feel is the least relevant and the least applicable to the New Testament saint – the part normally called the “ceremonial law.”
Why is this so? The Ten Commandments do not set the Israelites or contemporary Christians apart because virtually every civilized nation accepts many of the values and commands of these Ten Commandments as a valid standard of conduct. For example, civilized nations condemn stealing, lying, and murder.
On the other hand, Israel was “distinct” in her obedience to the laws regarding “clean” and “unclean” as set down in Leviticus. While these distinctions were set out clearly, the reasons for them were not. Why, for instance, was a woman declared “unclean” twice as long for having a girl than for having a boy (see Leviticus 12:1-5)? Why was beef “clean” while pork was declared to be “unclean”? Many of the distinctions between “clean” and “unclean” made in Leviticus appear to be arbitrary without rational or logical explanation.
Yet, this is by divine design. What do I mean? That which sets the true child of God apart from all others is their faith and trust in God, evidenced by obedience to His commands even when they do not seem to make sense. Not eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil did not make sense to Adam and Eve, but God required their obedience. Offering up Isaac as a sacrifice to God made no sense to Abraham, but God required his obedience. Likewise, obedience to the distinctions God made between the “clean” and the “unclean” made little sense to Israel, but God required her obedience. In false religions, men create their own “gods” and their own rules, all according to their own desires. In Christianity, God makes the rules, and they are not according to our preferences or desires.
2. By Christ
While the Law clearly addressed what it took to be “holy”, the definitions of holiness got corrupted over time. At the time of Christ’s incarnation, biblical holiness as practiced by many in Israel required clarification. Jesus willingly corrected the man-made holiness loved by the Scribes and Pharisees. Specifically, Jesus opposed their:
· Ceremonial Cleanness
The Scribes and Pharisees were miffed because Jesus’ disciples did not ceremonially cleanse their hands before eating. Now this was not the kind of hand-washing mothers require of their children before they can eat (to be clean in a healthy sense, free of dirt and germs). They wanted people to eat with “ceremonial” cleanness. Unfortunately, this “ceremonial” cleanness was not what the Old Testament Law required as described in Leviticus. This was a cleanness defined by a different standard — the traditions of the elders (verse 3). The elders had added all kinds of cleansings to the Law of God and then came to regard their definition of “clean” more highly than that which God had established in Scripture.
· “Hypocritical” Holiness
To add human standards to those of divine origin was one thing. But it was quite another to use these standards to set aside and even violate the Laws of God. Yet, this is exactly what Judaism had done. Jesus exposed this hypocrisy. For example: The Law required that one should honor their father and mother. This included caring for them in their times of need. And yet the Jews had devised a way to avoid this financial liability. They “dedicated their money to God” using the term “Corban” to do so and then excused themselves from their obligations to their parents by claiming that this was God’s money. So to speak, it was “holy money,” which they claimed could no longer be used to care for their aging parents. But it could be used to satisfy any of their lusts including -- for example -- a vacation.
· “External” Holiness
Holiness had never been a matter of externalism but it had always been a matter of the heart. So, the distortion of biblical holiness by the Scribes and Pharisee to focus on the “external”, required correction by Jesus. Jesus did so by clearly teaching that one is not corrupted by that which is external to the person but that which is within a person. For example, Jesus taught that food does not defile a man. Rather, it is that which is inside the man (his sin nature) that defiles him (Matt. 15:10-11).
3. By the Early Church (after the coming of the Holy Spirit)
If this was the only change in how holiness is to be understood, the disciples would have clearly understood how holiness was addressed in the Law and clarified by Jesus. Unfortunately, Jesus appeared to also “redefine” holiness. What do I mean? Jesus declared “all things to be clean.” This created great confusion. What Jesus meant was only grasped after our Lord’s death, burial, and ascension, and after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In Acts 10, Peter was about to be invited to the house of a Gentile — Cornelius. There was no way Peter would have gone apart from the revelation he received from God in a dream:
“10 And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky” (Acts 10:10-16).
The sheet that descended from heaven contained all sorts of animals, some of which would have been unclean according to Leviticus 11. But God ordered Peter to kill some of them and to eat. Peter was horrified. He had never done so, and he did not plan to start now. The divine response was simply that God had cleansed them (isn’t that what Jesus had said) and that Peter was now no longer to consider them unholy. What had happened to make them clean? God had changed the definition of what was and was not clean (isn’t this what Jesus had said). Now, Peter must obey this new definition of clean and unclean because it is God alone who can declare something holy or unholy. It is He alone who can cleanse the unclean and make it clean.
What was the basis upon which God now declared these foods clean? The basis for this cleansing was the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. His shed blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. This cleansing had been foreshadowed by the annual Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 16:30). It is this cleansing for which the Old Testament saints hoped and prayed and the Old Testament prophets promised (see Jeremiah 33:8). It is this cleansing which our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished by His death, burial, and resurrection (see Hebrews 9:13-14, 22-23). The fact of that cleansing to be sufficient to make all thing clean is the declaration of God that it is so.
Peter was soon to understand the significance and application of his vision. Messengers from Cornelius arrived and asked him to come with them to the home of their master. Peter complied, still puzzled at what God was teaching him. But when the Holy Spirit fell upon these Gentiles, just as He had upon the Jewish believers at Pentecost, he understood that the coming of our Lord was intended to cleanse both Jews and Gentiles from their sins. Those whom God had cleansed, no man should dare consider unclean.
The Call to Holiness
Having defined holiness and having traced holiness (and its changing definitions) through the Bible, let us now consider Peter’s call to holiness. Peter writes:
“14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””
Peter’s call to holiness provides us with a lot of practical advice. His call has at least four aspects.[6]
1. We Are to be Holy in All Our Conduct
We are to be holy in every aspect of our conduct (“in all our behavior”). Holiness is not to be compartmentalized into certain “religious” areas of our life. Holiness is a way of life that affects everything we do. Holiness is a lifestyle, rather than mere conformity to a list of rules.
2. We Are to be Holy By Not Being Conformed to Our Former Lusts
Holiness is a lifestyle which differs dramatically from our manner of life before we were saved. Though the Christian has died to sin and been raised to newness of life in Him, he or she must also choose to serve Him and turn from their former lusts. They must no longer allow sin to master them (Romans 6:1-14). Like Paul, they must gain control over their fleshly desires, rather than be mastered by them (see 1 Cor. 9:24-27).
3. We Are to be Holy by Imitating God
As Jesus once put it: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This means we must first come to know God, and then by His grace, seek to conduct ourselves in a manner that imitates Him. We must love what He loves and hate what He hates. We, like Him, are to be merciful, just, and kind. We become holy as we are conformed to His image.
4. We Are to be Holy by Obeying God’s Word
The standards of holiness are set down by God in His Word. That is why Peter quotes from the Old Testament Law. We are to be obedient and that obedience is directed toward His commands and standards as set down in His Word. In the days of our unbelief, we were ignorant, but now God’s Spirit dwells within us to enlighten our minds to understand His Word (1 Corinthians 2:6-16) and to empower us to obey it (Romans 8:1-4). Holiness is accomplished in our lives as the Spirit of God enables us to know God and to obey His commands, through His Word.
Conclusion
In closing, I would like to make three comments about holiness.[7]
1. We are Called to Holiness Not Happiness
The call to holiness is clear. It is not a popular appeal. It is a call that God has made of His people ever since the exodus. Those who attempt to market the gospel and appeal to the masses would say God has called us to be happy. But a serious study of the Scriptures would lead one to acknowledge that God has called us to be holy in an ungodly world. It is holiness which sets us apart from the world and to God. It is holiness we are called to pursue and to practice (see Matthew 5:13-16; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 1 Peter 2:9-12). It is holiness, not happiness, that we are called to as children of God.
2. We are Called to Detest Not Just Avoid
When Peter was asked to eat what he thought was unclean – he was repulsed. Reading Leviticus 11 teaches us an important lesson about holiness. Those things God declared unclean were unclean. And these “unclean” things were not only to be avoided but to be considered detestable (see Leviticus 11: 10-11, 41). It was not enough for the Israelites to avoid eating what God declared to be unclean; they must also loathe what God called unclean. They were to adjust their desires to conform to God’s desires. They were to delight in what God found delightful and to loathe what God found detestable. This command is not just for Old Testament saints but for New Testament saints as well (see Romans 12:9). When we understand and apply this truth, we will find a great deal of practical help. We will not nearly be as likely to participate in those things we find detestable as those things in which we delight. Our problem becomes evident when our desires often do not conform to those things in which God delights. Conversely, we often desire the very things which displease God. When we find our delight in God and in the things which delight Him, then we, like David, will search His word to know more of His law rather than avoiding the Law of God and restricting its application to our lives (see Psalm 119:11-20).
3. We Are Called to Obey Even if We Don’t Understand
Why was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to be avoided? For one reason: because God declared it so. Adam and Eve did not understand why. They were not to understand why. They needed only to know that God had declared the fruit of this tree off limits to them. Why were some meats “clean” and others “unclean”? Because God declared them to be so to the people of Israel. Why was a woman unclean twice as long for bearing a girl baby than a boy? Because God said so. Why are sinners deemed to be righteous, forgiven, and destined for heaven? Because God declares them to be justified. Why are all foods now clean according to Mark 7:19? Because God declared them to be clean. The point of these series of questions is clear – we are called to obey even if we don’t understand.
[1] John Piper, “The Lust of Ignorance and the Life of Holiness”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[2] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[3] John Piper, “The Lust of Ignorance and the Life of Holiness”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[4] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[5] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[6] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[7] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Titus II Lesson -- March 29th
First Peter
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“A Call to Live in Hope”
1 Peter 1:13
Review
First Peter can easily be divided into four sections: (1) the Salvation of Believers (1:1-12), (2) the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12), (3) the Submission of Believers (2:13-3:12), and the Suffering of Believers (3:13-5:14). We have completed the first section -- the Salvation of Believers. We learned that we that we were chosen by God (1-2), that we have the promise of a great future (3-5), that there is a design for our distresses (6-7), that we have a faith that saves (8-9), and that we have a “much admired” salvation (10-12).
Introduction
Now we are set to begin a study of the second section – the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12). Let us read the first verse from this section:
“Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
Verse 13 begins with a very significant “therefore.” In the New Testament, “therefore” often introduces Christian obligations and responsibilities just as it often follows a doctrinal foundation the author has laid beforehand. The “therefore” of our text does exactly this.[1] Peter, like Paul, bases his ethics on his theology. The Christian life is a response to what God has done in salvation. The Christian life is the believer's "answer" to the grace of God. "God has done this for you, therefore, you must live in this way." This is exactly Peter's approach.[2]
So, verse 13 serves as the transition verse in this epistle. Building upon the splendor and the security of the salvation yet to be revealed, Peter will call upon us to think and to conduct ourselves in a way that befits our calling. In First Peter 1:13—2:12, we will consider seven “calls” related to sanctification. The first “call” is the call to live in hope (13).
A. The Call to Live in Hope (1:13)
B. The Call to Live in Holiness (1:14-16)
C. The Call to Live in Fear (1:17-21)
D. The Call to Love One Another Fervently (1:22-25)
E. The Call to Desire the Pure Milk of the Word (2:1-3)
F. The Call to Offer Up Spiritual Sacrifices (2:4-10)
G. The Call to Abstain From Fleshly Desires (2:11-12)
Textual Comment/Transition[3]
In his series on First Peter, Robert Deffenbaugh notes that virtually all translations of verse 13 break the verse into three commands:
· Gird your minds for action
· Keep sober
· Fix your hope
One would normally suppose these three commands are of equal importance with none subordinate to another. But this is not the case. Robert (and I) is normally reluctant to make statements about the subtleties of the Greek language for several reasons. First, very few scholars are really qualified to make such statements dogmatically. Second, most often these subtleties do not significantly add anything to the meaning found in a good English translation. Third, non-scholars may wrongly conclude they are not competent to study the Word of God for themselves. Nevertheless, keeping these factors in mind, he does call to our attention to a subtlety not reflected in the English translations but recognized by a number of scholars.
What is that subtlety? Normally, commands are conveyed in the Bible through the use of the imperative mood. The form of the verb, if it is imperative, indicates we are commanded to act. But quite often a participle may also be used with imperatival force. When several commands are given at one time, the difference between a participle and an imperative may be significant. Those actions called for, or commanded, by a participle may be represented as subordinate to that conveyed through an imperative. Allow me to illustrate by turning to a text with which you may be familiar:
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
At first, there seems to be four imperatives of equal force:
· Go
· Make disciples
· Baptizing
· Teaching
Yet, the proper translation of “baptizing” and “teaching” reveals that these participles are not imperatives. Only the command, “make disciples” is an imperative. So, we best gain the force of our Lord’s commands by viewing them in this fashion:
· Make disciples:
· As you go
· And baptize
· And teach.
This is the same situation we find here in 1 Peter 1:13. Though there are three commands indicated in the English translations of the text, there is but one imperative while there are two participles. The sense of these three commands should thus be understood in this fashion:
· Fix your hope completely on the grace that is to be brought …
· Having girded up the loins of your mind and
· Having come to a sober spirit.
With this textual comment in mind, let us consider each command separately.
Girding Your Minds
The first command is to "gird your minds for action." The imagery of girding up one’s loins is unfamiliar to our culture but it would be readily understood by those to whom Peter wrote. Peter Davids notes in his commentary:
“In Israel an ordinary person wore as the basic garment a long, sleeveless shirt of linen or wool that reached to the knees or ankles. Over this a mantle something like a poncho might be worn, although the mantle was laid aside for work. The shirt was worn long for ceremonial occasions or when at relative rest, such as talking in the market, but for active service, such as work or war, it was tucked up into a belt at the waist to leave the legs free (1 Kings 18:46; Jer. 1:17; Luke 17:8; John 21:18; Acts 12:8). Thus Peter’s allusion pictures a mind prepared for active work.”[4]
This expression makes even more sense if we consider how it was used in reference to the Passover meal just prior to the exodus of Israel from the land of Egypt:
“‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the LORD’s Passover’” (Exodus 12:11).
Normally, meals are eaten in a leisurely manner with one’s sandals and staff being left at the door. But this meal was to be eaten hastily with sandals on their feet and staff in hand. In addition, their garments were to be tucked into their girdle or belt so their feet would be exposed. Why? All of this was to remind and assure the people of God that they were soon to depart. They were to be mentally and physically ready to move out.[5]
So what does “girding our minds” mean in real life? Peter is telling us that we are to have our thinking in order with no entangling doubts, fears, or reservations. Like a fireman, our mind should be prepared to act without hesitation. We should be prepared to respond immediately when a call comes (see also Luke 12:35-40; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8; Matthew 24:32–25:13).[6]
Keeping Sober
The second command in 1 Peter 1:13 is to "keep sober in spirit." Soberness has two major meanings, the first a literal meaning and the second metaphorical. Literally, to “keep sober” is to “stay sober,” that is, to not become drunk. Metaphorically, being sober means to keep a clear head, to be clear minded and straight thinking. If girding one’s loins is the state of mind which causes one to be ready to act, keeping sober is the mental condition which enables one to act prudently and with a clear head (see how Peter later exhorts his readers to be clear-headed so they can pray effectively [4:7] and be able to stand against the wiles of the devil who is out to destroy us [5:8]).[7]
So what does “keeping sober” mean in real life? John Piper notes: “It means, if you really want to obey the command to hope fully in God's grace, don't let your mind drink in things that numb the mind (and heart) to the value of God's grace. The great problem with drunkenness is that it distorts reality by making the mind insensitive to what is true and real and valuable. The point is: know what numbs your mind to God’s grace and avoid it. Stay sober for the sake of full and passionate hope in God's grace. The great concern of God in this passage is that we not be moderate hopers. That we not be satisfied with half-hoping hearts. But that we engage our minds with the hope-producing truth of Scripture and that we guard our minds from the hope diminishing causes in the world.”[8]
Fixing Your Hope
Peter says in this verse: "Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind" -- it's an image of a person wearing flowing garments tucking the garments into his belt so that he can run and move about freely and quickly without tripping over his clothes. And the part of you that is to be freed by this girding up is your mind. Then he continues: "And being sober" -- it's image of not being drunk when it comes to spiritual things. It implies alertness, and evaluating things correctly, because you see clearly, and your mind isn't numb with intoxicating influences. Then he comes to the main verb (and for the first time in this epistle it’s an imperative, it’s a command): "Fix your hope completely."[9]
What is to be the object of our hope? The object of our hope is to be the grace of God. We are to “fix our hope completely on the grace (of God) to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” When Jesus comes back He is bringing grace to the people of God. Grace is on the way. Hope in it.
How does this object compare with the object most of us in this room hope in? Most in the Church have as the object of their hope – things, people, money, retirement, etc. Most simply do not place their hope in the grace of God.
Why does Peter use the term “grace?” Why not salvation, or inheritance, or blessing, or glory? Because for the believer, grace is the sum total of all the blessings of God. Every single blessing is a gift of God’s grace. None of heaven’s benefits are earned or deserved; all are a gift of His grace. Few words should be sweeter to the believer’s ear than this word “grace.”[10]
John Piper says it most eloquently: “Christianity is not first an ethic. It is not first a faith or a feeling or a theology. It is first the sovereign, initiative-taking action of God. Only now do we hear a command in this epistle -- after Peter celebrates (for 12 verses) the sovereign grace of God -- only now do we hear a command. And the first command is HOPE IN GRACE. "Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Christianity is, first, God graciously, freely acting to save His people. Second, it is man hoping fully in that grace. That's the essence of Christianity.”[11]
Practical Application
In closing, let me wrap up a couple of loose ends. First, let us pause to reflect one more time on the significance of the “therefore” which introduces our text. This term reminds us that in the New Testament, imperatives always follow instruction. In the New Testament, doctrine and practice are inseparably intertwined. Christian doctrine tells us what God is doing and explains why we should follow the divine imperatives for our conduct. Any ethical command not grounded in doctrine (giving to ensure health and wealth, selling all that you have and giving it to the poor, demanding that a victim forgive a murderer and preserve their life, etc.) should be rejected. Ethics must be grounded in theology.
Second, whatever draws our desires and affections away from Christ and His kingdom must be set aside so that our devotion is undivided and undiminished. The Scriptures warn us that the cares of this world will compete strongly for our heavenly hope (see Matthew 13:1-23, especially verses 21-22). Thus, it exhorts us to "bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). Emerson once wrote, "Beware of what you set your mind on for that you will surely become."[12]
Third, I dare not close without reminding you that hope can only be found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Without Him, we are lost in our trespasses and sin. Without His work on the cross, we would be without hope. True hope can be found by turning from the deceitful promises of sin and by calling upon Jesus to save you from the guilt, punishment, and bondage caused by sin. "All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Start banking your hope on all that God is for you in Jesus. Break the power of sin's promises by faith in the superior satisfaction of God's promises. Begin reading the Bible to find His precious and very great promises, which can set you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a Bible-believing church and begin to worship and grow together with other people who treasure Christ above all things (Philippians 3:7). The best news in the world is that there is no necessary conflict between our happiness and God's holiness. Being satisfied with all that God is, for us in Jesus, magnifies Him as a great Treasure.
[1] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[2] Robert Rayburn, “First Peter”
[3] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[4] Peter H. Davids, The First Epistle of Peter (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament Series, p. 66.
[5] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[6] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[7] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[8] John Piper, “Guiding Your Mind to Guard Your Hope”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[9] John Piper, “Guiding Your Mind to Guard Your Hope”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[10] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[11] John Piper, “Guiding Your Mind to Guard Your Hope”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[12] Derek W. H. Thomas, “Help for the Painful Trial: Sermons on 1 Peter”
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“A Call to Live in Hope”
1 Peter 1:13
Review
First Peter can easily be divided into four sections: (1) the Salvation of Believers (1:1-12), (2) the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12), (3) the Submission of Believers (2:13-3:12), and the Suffering of Believers (3:13-5:14). We have completed the first section -- the Salvation of Believers. We learned that we that we were chosen by God (1-2), that we have the promise of a great future (3-5), that there is a design for our distresses (6-7), that we have a faith that saves (8-9), and that we have a “much admired” salvation (10-12).
Introduction
Now we are set to begin a study of the second section – the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12). Let us read the first verse from this section:
“Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
Verse 13 begins with a very significant “therefore.” In the New Testament, “therefore” often introduces Christian obligations and responsibilities just as it often follows a doctrinal foundation the author has laid beforehand. The “therefore” of our text does exactly this.[1] Peter, like Paul, bases his ethics on his theology. The Christian life is a response to what God has done in salvation. The Christian life is the believer's "answer" to the grace of God. "God has done this for you, therefore, you must live in this way." This is exactly Peter's approach.[2]
So, verse 13 serves as the transition verse in this epistle. Building upon the splendor and the security of the salvation yet to be revealed, Peter will call upon us to think and to conduct ourselves in a way that befits our calling. In First Peter 1:13—2:12, we will consider seven “calls” related to sanctification. The first “call” is the call to live in hope (13).
A. The Call to Live in Hope (1:13)
B. The Call to Live in Holiness (1:14-16)
C. The Call to Live in Fear (1:17-21)
D. The Call to Love One Another Fervently (1:22-25)
E. The Call to Desire the Pure Milk of the Word (2:1-3)
F. The Call to Offer Up Spiritual Sacrifices (2:4-10)
G. The Call to Abstain From Fleshly Desires (2:11-12)
Textual Comment/Transition[3]
In his series on First Peter, Robert Deffenbaugh notes that virtually all translations of verse 13 break the verse into three commands:
· Gird your minds for action
· Keep sober
· Fix your hope
One would normally suppose these three commands are of equal importance with none subordinate to another. But this is not the case. Robert (and I) is normally reluctant to make statements about the subtleties of the Greek language for several reasons. First, very few scholars are really qualified to make such statements dogmatically. Second, most often these subtleties do not significantly add anything to the meaning found in a good English translation. Third, non-scholars may wrongly conclude they are not competent to study the Word of God for themselves. Nevertheless, keeping these factors in mind, he does call to our attention to a subtlety not reflected in the English translations but recognized by a number of scholars.
What is that subtlety? Normally, commands are conveyed in the Bible through the use of the imperative mood. The form of the verb, if it is imperative, indicates we are commanded to act. But quite often a participle may also be used with imperatival force. When several commands are given at one time, the difference between a participle and an imperative may be significant. Those actions called for, or commanded, by a participle may be represented as subordinate to that conveyed through an imperative. Allow me to illustrate by turning to a text with which you may be familiar:
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
At first, there seems to be four imperatives of equal force:
· Go
· Make disciples
· Baptizing
· Teaching
Yet, the proper translation of “baptizing” and “teaching” reveals that these participles are not imperatives. Only the command, “make disciples” is an imperative. So, we best gain the force of our Lord’s commands by viewing them in this fashion:
· Make disciples:
· As you go
· And baptize
· And teach.
This is the same situation we find here in 1 Peter 1:13. Though there are three commands indicated in the English translations of the text, there is but one imperative while there are two participles. The sense of these three commands should thus be understood in this fashion:
· Fix your hope completely on the grace that is to be brought …
· Having girded up the loins of your mind and
· Having come to a sober spirit.
With this textual comment in mind, let us consider each command separately.
Girding Your Minds
The first command is to "gird your minds for action." The imagery of girding up one’s loins is unfamiliar to our culture but it would be readily understood by those to whom Peter wrote. Peter Davids notes in his commentary:
“In Israel an ordinary person wore as the basic garment a long, sleeveless shirt of linen or wool that reached to the knees or ankles. Over this a mantle something like a poncho might be worn, although the mantle was laid aside for work. The shirt was worn long for ceremonial occasions or when at relative rest, such as talking in the market, but for active service, such as work or war, it was tucked up into a belt at the waist to leave the legs free (1 Kings 18:46; Jer. 1:17; Luke 17:8; John 21:18; Acts 12:8). Thus Peter’s allusion pictures a mind prepared for active work.”[4]
This expression makes even more sense if we consider how it was used in reference to the Passover meal just prior to the exodus of Israel from the land of Egypt:
“‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the LORD’s Passover’” (Exodus 12:11).
Normally, meals are eaten in a leisurely manner with one’s sandals and staff being left at the door. But this meal was to be eaten hastily with sandals on their feet and staff in hand. In addition, their garments were to be tucked into their girdle or belt so their feet would be exposed. Why? All of this was to remind and assure the people of God that they were soon to depart. They were to be mentally and physically ready to move out.[5]
So what does “girding our minds” mean in real life? Peter is telling us that we are to have our thinking in order with no entangling doubts, fears, or reservations. Like a fireman, our mind should be prepared to act without hesitation. We should be prepared to respond immediately when a call comes (see also Luke 12:35-40; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8; Matthew 24:32–25:13).[6]
Keeping Sober
The second command in 1 Peter 1:13 is to "keep sober in spirit." Soberness has two major meanings, the first a literal meaning and the second metaphorical. Literally, to “keep sober” is to “stay sober,” that is, to not become drunk. Metaphorically, being sober means to keep a clear head, to be clear minded and straight thinking. If girding one’s loins is the state of mind which causes one to be ready to act, keeping sober is the mental condition which enables one to act prudently and with a clear head (see how Peter later exhorts his readers to be clear-headed so they can pray effectively [4:7] and be able to stand against the wiles of the devil who is out to destroy us [5:8]).[7]
So what does “keeping sober” mean in real life? John Piper notes: “It means, if you really want to obey the command to hope fully in God's grace, don't let your mind drink in things that numb the mind (and heart) to the value of God's grace. The great problem with drunkenness is that it distorts reality by making the mind insensitive to what is true and real and valuable. The point is: know what numbs your mind to God’s grace and avoid it. Stay sober for the sake of full and passionate hope in God's grace. The great concern of God in this passage is that we not be moderate hopers. That we not be satisfied with half-hoping hearts. But that we engage our minds with the hope-producing truth of Scripture and that we guard our minds from the hope diminishing causes in the world.”[8]
Fixing Your Hope
Peter says in this verse: "Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind" -- it's an image of a person wearing flowing garments tucking the garments into his belt so that he can run and move about freely and quickly without tripping over his clothes. And the part of you that is to be freed by this girding up is your mind. Then he continues: "And being sober" -- it's image of not being drunk when it comes to spiritual things. It implies alertness, and evaluating things correctly, because you see clearly, and your mind isn't numb with intoxicating influences. Then he comes to the main verb (and for the first time in this epistle it’s an imperative, it’s a command): "Fix your hope completely."[9]
What is to be the object of our hope? The object of our hope is to be the grace of God. We are to “fix our hope completely on the grace (of God) to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” When Jesus comes back He is bringing grace to the people of God. Grace is on the way. Hope in it.
How does this object compare with the object most of us in this room hope in? Most in the Church have as the object of their hope – things, people, money, retirement, etc. Most simply do not place their hope in the grace of God.
Why does Peter use the term “grace?” Why not salvation, or inheritance, or blessing, or glory? Because for the believer, grace is the sum total of all the blessings of God. Every single blessing is a gift of God’s grace. None of heaven’s benefits are earned or deserved; all are a gift of His grace. Few words should be sweeter to the believer’s ear than this word “grace.”[10]
John Piper says it most eloquently: “Christianity is not first an ethic. It is not first a faith or a feeling or a theology. It is first the sovereign, initiative-taking action of God. Only now do we hear a command in this epistle -- after Peter celebrates (for 12 verses) the sovereign grace of God -- only now do we hear a command. And the first command is HOPE IN GRACE. "Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Christianity is, first, God graciously, freely acting to save His people. Second, it is man hoping fully in that grace. That's the essence of Christianity.”[11]
Practical Application
In closing, let me wrap up a couple of loose ends. First, let us pause to reflect one more time on the significance of the “therefore” which introduces our text. This term reminds us that in the New Testament, imperatives always follow instruction. In the New Testament, doctrine and practice are inseparably intertwined. Christian doctrine tells us what God is doing and explains why we should follow the divine imperatives for our conduct. Any ethical command not grounded in doctrine (giving to ensure health and wealth, selling all that you have and giving it to the poor, demanding that a victim forgive a murderer and preserve their life, etc.) should be rejected. Ethics must be grounded in theology.
Second, whatever draws our desires and affections away from Christ and His kingdom must be set aside so that our devotion is undivided and undiminished. The Scriptures warn us that the cares of this world will compete strongly for our heavenly hope (see Matthew 13:1-23, especially verses 21-22). Thus, it exhorts us to "bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). Emerson once wrote, "Beware of what you set your mind on for that you will surely become."[12]
Third, I dare not close without reminding you that hope can only be found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Without Him, we are lost in our trespasses and sin. Without His work on the cross, we would be without hope. True hope can be found by turning from the deceitful promises of sin and by calling upon Jesus to save you from the guilt, punishment, and bondage caused by sin. "All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Start banking your hope on all that God is for you in Jesus. Break the power of sin's promises by faith in the superior satisfaction of God's promises. Begin reading the Bible to find His precious and very great promises, which can set you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a Bible-believing church and begin to worship and grow together with other people who treasure Christ above all things (Philippians 3:7). The best news in the world is that there is no necessary conflict between our happiness and God's holiness. Being satisfied with all that God is, for us in Jesus, magnifies Him as a great Treasure.
[1] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[2] Robert Rayburn, “First Peter”
[3] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[4] Peter H. Davids, The First Epistle of Peter (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament Series, p. 66.
[5] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[6] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[7] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[8] John Piper, “Guiding Your Mind to Guard Your Hope”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[9] John Piper, “Guiding Your Mind to Guard Your Hope”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[10] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[11] John Piper, “Guiding Your Mind to Guard Your Hope”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[12] Derek W. H. Thomas, “Help for the Painful Trial: Sermons on 1 Peter”
Monday, March 23, 2009
What -- No Titus II Lessons?
For those unfamiliar with Titus II -- you need to know that I periodically take a couple of weeks off from teaching to allow others in the class to teach. I resume teaching in 1 Peter next Sunday (the 29th) and will be teaching for the next 8 weeks (not counting Easter Sunday).
Job Search -- March 23rd
The past two weeks have largely been taken up with "networking." Virtually everyday, I was out the door before 7am and rarely back home until 3pm. The various breakfasts, lunches, and coffees continue to generate numerous leads. The pace of meetings is slowing this week as I begin to set up the second wave of networking meetings. Once again I want to thank all those who have and are assisting me in finding a job. It is greatly appreciated.
The most promising job opportunities (at this time)are as follows: 1) I have had two phone interviews(both went well)with a CA-based company and am due to have a phone interview with the CFO this week. If that goes well, I will be flying to CA for an in-person interview. I am currently one of six finalists for the position. 2) I am actively trying to set up an interview for an interim CIO position in Austin. I hope to meet with the hiring manager tomorrow. 3) I have a phone interview for the #2 position in a large healthcare company on Thursday.
I delayed providing an update until I had something more specific but each of these opportunities have been dragging along. So, this is the best I can do for now. I appreciate all of your support, encouragement, and prayers. This process is actually quite fun.
The most promising job opportunities (at this time)are as follows: 1) I have had two phone interviews(both went well)with a CA-based company and am due to have a phone interview with the CFO this week. If that goes well, I will be flying to CA for an in-person interview. I am currently one of six finalists for the position. 2) I am actively trying to set up an interview for an interim CIO position in Austin. I hope to meet with the hiring manager tomorrow. 3) I have a phone interview for the #2 position in a large healthcare company on Thursday.
I delayed providing an update until I had something more specific but each of these opportunities have been dragging along. So, this is the best I can do for now. I appreciate all of your support, encouragement, and prayers. This process is actually quite fun.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Job Search -- March 11th
It has been a very busy two weeks. First, I continue to reach out and talk to anybody and everybody who will talk to me -- past vendors, past consulting partners, former Zale employees, executive recruiters, etc. Second, I have been attending "networking" groups (e.g., Dallas Networking Group, TENG) and am finding them well worth my time. Third, I just completed my first two days of outplacement training. Those two days were invaluable. Mostly because I have been off the market for so long that I didn't know how to package and/or present myself. Kudos to my outstanding trainer, Fred Graf of Challenger, Gray, & Christmas. Finally, I just completed my first telephone interview for a CIO position. Thanks to Fred, it went extremely well. It is possible that I will hear if I am a finalist by next week -- which would not be bad given that they had 400 applications for the position! The rest of this week and most of next week will be given over to networking breakfast, coffees, and lunches. I appreciate greatly the support all of my friends have provided in the form of encouragement, prayer, and job leads. Please keep it up. It is a great gift.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Titus II Lesson -- March 8th
First Peter
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“A Much Admired Salvation”
1 Peter 1:10-12
Review/Introduction
First Peter can easily be divided into four sections: (1) the Salvation of Believers (1:1-12), (2) the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12), (3) the Submission of Believers (2:13-3:12), and the Suffering of Believers (3:13-5:14). In 1 Peter 1:1-12, Peter establishes several theological truths about the salvation of believers. He wants us to clearly understand what salvation means to believers. We have learned that we were chosen by God (1-2), that we have the promise of a great future (3-5), that there is a design for our distresses (6-7), and that we have a faith that saves (8-9). This week we are going to consider his comments on our “much admired” salvation (10-12).
I. The Salvation of Believers (1:1-12)
A. Chosen by God (1:1-2)
B. The Promise of a Great Future (1:3-5)
C. A Design for our Distresses (1:6-7)
D. A Faith that Saves (1:8-9)
E. A Much Admired Salvation (1:10-12)
Jesus said to his disciples once, "Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:16-17). In other words, to experience something that great and wise and holy people longed to experience but couldn't, should make us feel thankful. That's the same logic we have in our text this morning. Peter wants us to feel more gratitude and wonder for our salvation because the prophets of God and even the angels of heaven longed to see what we have now experienced through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Peter writes:
“As to this salvation [just referred to in verses 5 and 9], the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. [In other words, they were searching and longing and desiring to see what they themselves were being moved to predict.] It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.”
How often do we look back to the Old Testament saints, to whom God spoke directly, and wish we could have lived in their times. “Ah, for the good old days,” we reason. “If only I could have lived then and walked in such intimacy with God. If only I could have had God tell me personally what to do and what He was going to do.” Peter takes the nostalgia out of this kind of thinking and brings us to a very different view of our present circumstances. Let us take a fresh look at his comments on this “much admired” salvation. Let us note seven (7) things about this “much admired” salvation that are found in this passage:
• How Peter describes it
• How Christ predicted it
• How the prophets longed to see it
• How the prophets served us in it
• How the angels longed to look into it
• How the Holy Spirit brings it to us
• How we must treasure it
How Peter Describes It
First, let us see how Peter describes this “much admired” salvation. Limiting ourselves to this single passage, Peter has much to say:
• Our Salvation is Based on God’s Choice
First, he says that our salvation is based on God’s choice. Verses 1-3 teach us that God chose us in eternity past, drew us to Himself through His Spirit, and cleansed us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Our Salvation is Absolutely Sure
Second, he says in verses 3b-5 that the hope we have in Christ of salvation is absolutely sure.
• The Outcome of Our Faith is the Salvation of Our Souls
Third, he says that the outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls (1:6-9).
• Salvation is By Grace
Fourth, Peter sums up all of God’s future blessings from this salvation in one word -- grace (1:10).
If we continued reading in this one epistle, we also learn how this “much admired” salvation answers two very important questions:
• What do we need to be saved from?
Peter instructs us that our salvation saves us from the disease (2:24) and guilt (3:18) of sin, from the judgment of God (4:17), and from the destruction of the devil (5:18).
• What do we need to be saved for?
Peter instructs us that we are saved for a personal relationship with Christ the Shepherd of our soul (2:25), for a participation in the eternal glory of God (5:4), and for a joy and exultation as eternal as the glory of God (5:4,10).
How Christ Predicted It
Having seen how Peter describes this “much admired” salvation, notice how Christ predicted it. Peter points out that Christ Himself — the Spirit of Christ — hundreds of years before His own death and resurrection, was predicting His own death and resurrection. Look at the middle of verse 11: "The Spirit of Christ within [the prophets] . . . predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." That is, Christ predicted His very own sufferings. Which means that Christ, the Son of God in Heaven, has been contemplating His suffering and His death for us for centuries. Indeed as far back as the plan of salvation reaches in the mind of God, so far back has Christ been willing and ready to give Himself for our sins.
How the Prophets Longed to See It
Having seen how this “much admired” salvation has been described by Peter and predicted by Christ, notice how the prophets longed to see it. Verse 11: "The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time [Christ was indicating]." Let us break this down into it’s constituent elements:
1. The Prophets
From the very beginning of time, God has revealed to mankind the fact that sin and rebellion separated us from Himself. Nevertheless, He also revealed that He was going to provide a full and complete salvation for all who trust Him. To do this God called chosen men to be prophets. A prophet is one who is divinely inspired to communicate God’s will to His people. They served as Pastors to their generation, teaching them the law of God, admonishing and reproving them for their sin, showing the people their transgression, and calling them to repentance. They were watchmen on the walls, declaring God’s will, pronouncing judgment, defending truth, and promoting righteousness. They not only did this orally, but they also wrote down what God revealed to them, and thus they provided for us the Bible, as the inspired Word of God.
2. The Prophets Were Confused
While the Old Testament prophets made a monumental contribution to the cause of the Gospel, they were confused. They were confused because they could not understand how the events they predicted would take place. Our text tells us they carefully searched and studied their own prophecies, “seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1:11). The prophets not only struggled to learn the circumstances surrounding the time of the fulfillment of their prophecies, but they also were perplexed as to who would fulfill them. They sought to know both the “person” and the “time” of which they were speaking.
3. The Prophets Searched for Salvation
Even though the prophets were confused, they knew that the Holy Spirit was showing them glimpses of the grace of God, and they earnestly sought to understand the message they were given. But much was hidden from their eyes. Oh, don’t be fooled, these men were all saved in exactly the same way that you are saved - by faith in God. They knew that all of the sacrifices they could make could never really cover their sin. Somehow they even knew that there must be another and greater sacrifice than of lambs and bullocks. Yes, they even knew that Messiah was coming. They knew there was going to be suffering involved. They knew that this suffering would bring glory such as the world had not yet seen.
But did they understand it? No. They longed to understand the salvation that you and I tend to take for granted. They would never have understood how people could become careless about something so utterly important as eternal salvation, and the coming of God to earth to live among us as one who was truly man, and yet at the same time, truly God. Writing about the prophets and other servants of God from Old Testament days, the writer to the Hebrews wrote: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
How the Prophets Served Us in It
While the prophets longed to see this “much admired” salvation, our fourth comment in this passage is the Lord's answer to that yearning cry of the prophets. In verse 12: "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you." The prophets served us.
The details of the prophecies pertaining to the distant future were not revealed to them. Why? It was because their ministry in these matters was not for themselves but for those who would live centuries after them. They would have to wait to learn the answers to all their questions. They would have to be satisfied with the privilege of playing a part in this plan. They, like every saint throughout history, would have to live by faith, suffering now while assured of the glory of God, their future hope.
How the Angels Longed to Look into It
The fifth thing Peter says about this “much admired” salvation is that angels love to look into it. Verse 12 (at the end) says: "things into which angels long to look." This does not mean they want to but can't. Remember that they were created pure and holy. But while the angels are totally holy and sinless, they are intensely interested in the grace of God. They were present when God created human beings on the earth. They watched the fall of man by which we turned away from God. The angels watched with wonder the incarnation of Jesus Christ. They sang at His birth. They ministered unto Him in His suffering. Angels were present at His resurrection. Why? Angels have an intense interest in human salvation. For it is by watching the grace of God in forgiving and transforming us that angels learn more about the One whom they serve.
Amazingly, with all the glory we find associated with angels, Peter tells us their eyes are fixed on the earth. Why? There is a greater glory yet to be fulfilled and the angels cannot wait to witness it. They peer and stretch out their necks over the battlements of heaven, saying, "I wish I could understand that." Eugene Peterson (in The Message) puts it this way: "Angels would have given anything to be in on all of this."
How does this apply to us? If angels get excited about our salvation, how much more should we. If angels love to look at the work of God in saving sinners like us, how much more should we who are the very beneficiaries of that salvation (not just onlookers) love to look into it and be thankful for it and say with Peter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . ."
How the Holy Spirit Bring It to Us
The sixth thing we learn about our “much admired” salvation is that the Holy Spirit Himself has brought us the news of our salvation through the gospel. Verse 12: "These things . . . now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven." God spoke to us through the prophets because they were inspired by the Spirit of Christ. It was the “Spirit of Christ” who moved these men to speak. In verse 12, Peter states that it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness among the saints after His death, burial, and resurrection (see John 16:7-15). It was He who would guide the apostles as they went forth with the good news of the Gospel (see Acts 16:7). Likewise, it is He who would empower the preaching of the Gospel so that men might be saved (John 16:7-15; 1 Peter 1:12). While the terms differ, we can be assured that the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit are one and the same person.
How We are to Treasure It
We have seen six things about our “much admired” salvation. Finally, let us notice how we are to treasure it. Do we feel that our salvation is inferior to those who spoke directly with God? Do we wish we could live in the “good old days” when God spoke directly to men? I would hope not. No one has ever had it as good as we do now. Why? Because Christ has come and the mysteries concerning His first coming are now openly proclaimed in the preaching of the gospel. What the prophets, who were “insiders” in days gone by yearned to know, we now know. And consider the angels, who always seemed to be about either proclaiming God’s plans and purposes or at least witnessing His hand in history. These very angels would seemingly be happy to change places with us. Their eyes are fixed upon the earth, eager to see the unfolding of the glory of God as He fulfills His promise of an eternal kingdom.
No one has ever been more privileged than we. So how important is this salvation to you? Is it all important or do you take it for granted? Is it something that you are willing to hold onto just for yourself? Or do you share the desire of God, of the Prophets, of the apostles, and of the angels to spread the Word so that others may enter into “so great a salvation?”
Practical Application
Just in case this lesson has not hit an accord with you, just in case this lesson does not seem practical or relevant to you this morning, let me share several other lessons that can be learned from our text by implication. First, this text should indicate the deep and fundamental unity which exists between the Old and New Testaments and also between the Old Testament and New Testament saints. The prophets spoke of our salvation. They ministered to us. Let us beware of compartmentalizing our salvation so that it stands apart from that salvation promised in the Old Testament which was received then just as it is today – by grace through faith.
Second, let this text instruct us about the limitations we must accept concerning prophecies yet unfulfilled. Just as the Old Testament prophets pondered their prophecies, so New Testament saints agonize over the details of the fulfillment of yet future events. Let us beware of trying to learn more than God has given us to know. Let us not “fill in the blanks” which God intends to remain blank until those events occur. Let us realize some prophecies are more for those who will live after us than they are for us.
Third, in light of the fulfillment of many prophecies, let us be reminded of the privileges and responsibilities which come with receiving divine revelation. As Jesus told those who heard Him:
“For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:17). Those to whom He spoke were those who had rejected His teaching, and who were, from that point on, to hear parables rather than clear proclamation. To receive divine revelation and reject it is most serious, as we see in the writer to the Hebrews’ solemn warning:
“1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will” (Hebrews 2:1-4).
Let us take heed to the word which we have received as saints, not only unto salvation, but also unto obedience to His glory and to our good.
How Shall We Then Live in a Post-Christian Culture
“A Much Admired Salvation”
1 Peter 1:10-12
Review/Introduction
First Peter can easily be divided into four sections: (1) the Salvation of Believers (1:1-12), (2) the Sanctification of Believers (1:13-2:12), (3) the Submission of Believers (2:13-3:12), and the Suffering of Believers (3:13-5:14). In 1 Peter 1:1-12, Peter establishes several theological truths about the salvation of believers. He wants us to clearly understand what salvation means to believers. We have learned that we were chosen by God (1-2), that we have the promise of a great future (3-5), that there is a design for our distresses (6-7), and that we have a faith that saves (8-9). This week we are going to consider his comments on our “much admired” salvation (10-12).
I. The Salvation of Believers (1:1-12)
A. Chosen by God (1:1-2)
B. The Promise of a Great Future (1:3-5)
C. A Design for our Distresses (1:6-7)
D. A Faith that Saves (1:8-9)
E. A Much Admired Salvation (1:10-12)
Jesus said to his disciples once, "Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:16-17). In other words, to experience something that great and wise and holy people longed to experience but couldn't, should make us feel thankful. That's the same logic we have in our text this morning. Peter wants us to feel more gratitude and wonder for our salvation because the prophets of God and even the angels of heaven longed to see what we have now experienced through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Peter writes:
“As to this salvation [just referred to in verses 5 and 9], the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. [In other words, they were searching and longing and desiring to see what they themselves were being moved to predict.] It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.”
How often do we look back to the Old Testament saints, to whom God spoke directly, and wish we could have lived in their times. “Ah, for the good old days,” we reason. “If only I could have lived then and walked in such intimacy with God. If only I could have had God tell me personally what to do and what He was going to do.” Peter takes the nostalgia out of this kind of thinking and brings us to a very different view of our present circumstances. Let us take a fresh look at his comments on this “much admired” salvation. Let us note seven (7) things about this “much admired” salvation that are found in this passage:
• How Peter describes it
• How Christ predicted it
• How the prophets longed to see it
• How the prophets served us in it
• How the angels longed to look into it
• How the Holy Spirit brings it to us
• How we must treasure it
How Peter Describes It
First, let us see how Peter describes this “much admired” salvation. Limiting ourselves to this single passage, Peter has much to say:
• Our Salvation is Based on God’s Choice
First, he says that our salvation is based on God’s choice. Verses 1-3 teach us that God chose us in eternity past, drew us to Himself through His Spirit, and cleansed us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Our Salvation is Absolutely Sure
Second, he says in verses 3b-5 that the hope we have in Christ of salvation is absolutely sure.
• The Outcome of Our Faith is the Salvation of Our Souls
Third, he says that the outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls (1:6-9).
• Salvation is By Grace
Fourth, Peter sums up all of God’s future blessings from this salvation in one word -- grace (1:10).
If we continued reading in this one epistle, we also learn how this “much admired” salvation answers two very important questions:
• What do we need to be saved from?
Peter instructs us that our salvation saves us from the disease (2:24) and guilt (3:18) of sin, from the judgment of God (4:17), and from the destruction of the devil (5:18).
• What do we need to be saved for?
Peter instructs us that we are saved for a personal relationship with Christ the Shepherd of our soul (2:25), for a participation in the eternal glory of God (5:4), and for a joy and exultation as eternal as the glory of God (5:4,10).
How Christ Predicted It
Having seen how Peter describes this “much admired” salvation, notice how Christ predicted it. Peter points out that Christ Himself — the Spirit of Christ — hundreds of years before His own death and resurrection, was predicting His own death and resurrection. Look at the middle of verse 11: "The Spirit of Christ within [the prophets] . . . predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." That is, Christ predicted His very own sufferings. Which means that Christ, the Son of God in Heaven, has been contemplating His suffering and His death for us for centuries. Indeed as far back as the plan of salvation reaches in the mind of God, so far back has Christ been willing and ready to give Himself for our sins.
How the Prophets Longed to See It
Having seen how this “much admired” salvation has been described by Peter and predicted by Christ, notice how the prophets longed to see it. Verse 11: "The prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time [Christ was indicating]." Let us break this down into it’s constituent elements:
1. The Prophets
From the very beginning of time, God has revealed to mankind the fact that sin and rebellion separated us from Himself. Nevertheless, He also revealed that He was going to provide a full and complete salvation for all who trust Him. To do this God called chosen men to be prophets. A prophet is one who is divinely inspired to communicate God’s will to His people. They served as Pastors to their generation, teaching them the law of God, admonishing and reproving them for their sin, showing the people their transgression, and calling them to repentance. They were watchmen on the walls, declaring God’s will, pronouncing judgment, defending truth, and promoting righteousness. They not only did this orally, but they also wrote down what God revealed to them, and thus they provided for us the Bible, as the inspired Word of God.
2. The Prophets Were Confused
While the Old Testament prophets made a monumental contribution to the cause of the Gospel, they were confused. They were confused because they could not understand how the events they predicted would take place. Our text tells us they carefully searched and studied their own prophecies, “seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1:11). The prophets not only struggled to learn the circumstances surrounding the time of the fulfillment of their prophecies, but they also were perplexed as to who would fulfill them. They sought to know both the “person” and the “time” of which they were speaking.
3. The Prophets Searched for Salvation
Even though the prophets were confused, they knew that the Holy Spirit was showing them glimpses of the grace of God, and they earnestly sought to understand the message they were given. But much was hidden from their eyes. Oh, don’t be fooled, these men were all saved in exactly the same way that you are saved - by faith in God. They knew that all of the sacrifices they could make could never really cover their sin. Somehow they even knew that there must be another and greater sacrifice than of lambs and bullocks. Yes, they even knew that Messiah was coming. They knew there was going to be suffering involved. They knew that this suffering would bring glory such as the world had not yet seen.
But did they understand it? No. They longed to understand the salvation that you and I tend to take for granted. They would never have understood how people could become careless about something so utterly important as eternal salvation, and the coming of God to earth to live among us as one who was truly man, and yet at the same time, truly God. Writing about the prophets and other servants of God from Old Testament days, the writer to the Hebrews wrote: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
How the Prophets Served Us in It
While the prophets longed to see this “much admired” salvation, our fourth comment in this passage is the Lord's answer to that yearning cry of the prophets. In verse 12: "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you." The prophets served us.
The details of the prophecies pertaining to the distant future were not revealed to them. Why? It was because their ministry in these matters was not for themselves but for those who would live centuries after them. They would have to wait to learn the answers to all their questions. They would have to be satisfied with the privilege of playing a part in this plan. They, like every saint throughout history, would have to live by faith, suffering now while assured of the glory of God, their future hope.
How the Angels Longed to Look into It
The fifth thing Peter says about this “much admired” salvation is that angels love to look into it. Verse 12 (at the end) says: "things into which angels long to look." This does not mean they want to but can't. Remember that they were created pure and holy. But while the angels are totally holy and sinless, they are intensely interested in the grace of God. They were present when God created human beings on the earth. They watched the fall of man by which we turned away from God. The angels watched with wonder the incarnation of Jesus Christ. They sang at His birth. They ministered unto Him in His suffering. Angels were present at His resurrection. Why? Angels have an intense interest in human salvation. For it is by watching the grace of God in forgiving and transforming us that angels learn more about the One whom they serve.
Amazingly, with all the glory we find associated with angels, Peter tells us their eyes are fixed on the earth. Why? There is a greater glory yet to be fulfilled and the angels cannot wait to witness it. They peer and stretch out their necks over the battlements of heaven, saying, "I wish I could understand that." Eugene Peterson (in The Message) puts it this way: "Angels would have given anything to be in on all of this."
How does this apply to us? If angels get excited about our salvation, how much more should we. If angels love to look at the work of God in saving sinners like us, how much more should we who are the very beneficiaries of that salvation (not just onlookers) love to look into it and be thankful for it and say with Peter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . ."
How the Holy Spirit Bring It to Us
The sixth thing we learn about our “much admired” salvation is that the Holy Spirit Himself has brought us the news of our salvation through the gospel. Verse 12: "These things . . . now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven." God spoke to us through the prophets because they were inspired by the Spirit of Christ. It was the “Spirit of Christ” who moved these men to speak. In verse 12, Peter states that it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness among the saints after His death, burial, and resurrection (see John 16:7-15). It was He who would guide the apostles as they went forth with the good news of the Gospel (see Acts 16:7). Likewise, it is He who would empower the preaching of the Gospel so that men might be saved (John 16:7-15; 1 Peter 1:12). While the terms differ, we can be assured that the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit are one and the same person.
How We are to Treasure It
We have seen six things about our “much admired” salvation. Finally, let us notice how we are to treasure it. Do we feel that our salvation is inferior to those who spoke directly with God? Do we wish we could live in the “good old days” when God spoke directly to men? I would hope not. No one has ever had it as good as we do now. Why? Because Christ has come and the mysteries concerning His first coming are now openly proclaimed in the preaching of the gospel. What the prophets, who were “insiders” in days gone by yearned to know, we now know. And consider the angels, who always seemed to be about either proclaiming God’s plans and purposes or at least witnessing His hand in history. These very angels would seemingly be happy to change places with us. Their eyes are fixed upon the earth, eager to see the unfolding of the glory of God as He fulfills His promise of an eternal kingdom.
No one has ever been more privileged than we. So how important is this salvation to you? Is it all important or do you take it for granted? Is it something that you are willing to hold onto just for yourself? Or do you share the desire of God, of the Prophets, of the apostles, and of the angels to spread the Word so that others may enter into “so great a salvation?”
Practical Application
Just in case this lesson has not hit an accord with you, just in case this lesson does not seem practical or relevant to you this morning, let me share several other lessons that can be learned from our text by implication. First, this text should indicate the deep and fundamental unity which exists between the Old and New Testaments and also between the Old Testament and New Testament saints. The prophets spoke of our salvation. They ministered to us. Let us beware of compartmentalizing our salvation so that it stands apart from that salvation promised in the Old Testament which was received then just as it is today – by grace through faith.
Second, let this text instruct us about the limitations we must accept concerning prophecies yet unfulfilled. Just as the Old Testament prophets pondered their prophecies, so New Testament saints agonize over the details of the fulfillment of yet future events. Let us beware of trying to learn more than God has given us to know. Let us not “fill in the blanks” which God intends to remain blank until those events occur. Let us realize some prophecies are more for those who will live after us than they are for us.
Third, in light of the fulfillment of many prophecies, let us be reminded of the privileges and responsibilities which come with receiving divine revelation. As Jesus told those who heard Him:
“For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:17). Those to whom He spoke were those who had rejected His teaching, and who were, from that point on, to hear parables rather than clear proclamation. To receive divine revelation and reject it is most serious, as we see in the writer to the Hebrews’ solemn warning:
“1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will” (Hebrews 2:1-4).
Let us take heed to the word which we have received as saints, not only unto salvation, but also unto obedience to His glory and to our good.
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