Our Hope
1 Peter 1:10-25 1/28/2020
This salvation (v.10) What salvation? the one that is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away. Reserved in heaven for you. This salvation is our bodily one. Yes we are now saved, and cannot lose this salvation. But this one is referring to our new glorified bodies, the ones will spend eternity in! In:
1 Corinthians 15:51-55
This is what we are waiting for, this is part of our treasure in heaven that’s referred to in (Matt.6:21;19:21;Luke12:34;18:22).
In v.11 The Old Testament prophets searched out and yet couldn’t understand how The Christ could be both a suffering servant and the King of Glory. In Daniel 2:44 and Isaiah 53:1-12
It’s hard to imagine what they thought of these visions and words of knowledge they received from God. Seeing the King of Kings with His everlasting reign. And, yet telling about His sufferings and death. If He is to reign forever? How could He suffer and die? They also couldn’t see the gap between his first and second coming, which is our present age. J.Vernon McGee compares this to observing 2 mountain tops. From a distance they seem to be next to each other, but there is a vast valley between them when you get closer.
Verses 13-16. The King James Version says, gird up the loins of your mind. At that time they wore long robes down to their feet, they would raise them up, bind them with a belt, freeing their legs for running or hard active work. So, prepare our minds, be sober in spirit, and fix your hope completely on the grace, of God’s free gift to us, at Christ’s return. Again, what we will receive, our treasure, our new body, our reward for our obedience to Him!
As obedient children we shouldn’t go back to what we were before being born again, but we are to be like Him… Holy!
Vs.17,18 If we are claiming that God is our Father, I remember how I would imitate my dad when I was a child. Pretending to shave, helping with projects around the house, even dressing in his clothes.
Then how should we conduct ourselves, Knowing that He will judge each and every one of us for the things we say? (Matt.12:36). Then how should we conduct ourselves, Knowing that He will judge each and every one of us for the things we say? (Matt.12:36).
V.22. Here is our requirement that we obey, submit, to the truth (Jesus) which purifies our souls so that we can love our brothers sincerely. That word sincere is literally un-hypocritical, I was given an illustration of the word hypocrite a long time ago that painted a picture I’ve never forgotten. The word was used to describe an actor who would hold up a mask in front of his face to portray someone else. Not showing who he really was, not with his own emotions or his own philosophies. Basically, hiding their true self from others. So I picture a mask when the word hypocrite is used.
Then it states Fervently, passionately putting our all into loving one another. What are we called to do? The second part of the greatest commandment.
Our flesh will not endure, it will grow old and die (unless we are raptured). It is perishable, it is defiled, and it is fading away. Thank the Lord that we get a new one. This body isn’t going to heaven with us. We get something completely new, not made with hands. Not one that has seen corruption and decay but a brand new one. Let’s compare cars, we take our old beat up car and trade it in for a new car, right? We don’t want the dealer to take our old car clean it up, give it a tune up, slap some new paint on it and give it back to us as new would we? I know I wouldn’t appreciate that. I want the brand new one. Now they’re both cars and still operate the same, so our new bodies will look similar, recognizable by those who know us and also when we look into the mirror yet imperishable, undefiled, never fading. This is part of our treasure in heaven along with our salvation all due to His grace.
To conclude: I’ve titled this Our Hope. It tells us that we will go through trials and tribulations. That we will grow old and die physically. That we not conform to our former lusts we had before being born again.
And through all this we can greatly rejoice that we, being born again,love that term, have a hope in heaven that we will receive our treasure when He is revealed in the last time. We’ll get a new body that is imperishable, undefiled, never fading (remains the same). It teaches us that we are to keep our focus on being obedient to the word, keeping ourselves holy ‘as He is holy’ set apart, pure, as a bride. For we are the bride of Christ, betrothed, engaged, to the Lord. Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. Eph.5:25-7. The wedding hasn’t taken place yet, but we look forward to it, HOPE. Therefore, having been called with a holy calling we need to remain pure, as a bride for her husband. Setting aside carnal things and set our spiritual eyes to His return.