1 Peter 1 Our Identity in Christ
Notes
Transcript
We are the elect
We are the elect
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
Peter’s intro is a little confusing
the elect
the Dispersion
The audience is easy: Northern Turkey
Date is probably just before Nero’s persecution
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
The entire Trinity participates in our identity
We are the people picked to deliver God’s message to the world through:
Foreknowledge of the Father
Prognosis
God made a plan and we were part of it
The work of the Spirit
He introduces us to Christ
He transforms us into His image
By the work of Jesus
through Jesus’ obedience
through Jesus’ sacrifice
And now we have a new identity
And now we have a new identity
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Peter reminds his reader’s of their inheritance
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading
new, never used, unfailing
But Peter is also encouraging them to keep the faith
Their faith reveals God’s power
The readers have a reason to be happy
The readers have a reason to be happy
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Some of us use grief for fleshly gain
God’s amazing plan allows even grief to strengthen us
God’s power is revealed through faith which is refined by trials
The ultimate payout is in the end
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Our faith allows us to have inexpressible joy
The result is salvation
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
This is how important we are to God
The prophets were prophesying about your salvation
Even the angels are amazed
How can we be casual about our faith?
How can we be casual about our faith?
Peter wants His readers to take their faith seriously
They are to be distinct
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Christianity does not come naturally
You have to make up your mind to pursue holiness
Peter tells us how
plan for action
think clearly
remember your salvation
New thoughts lead to new actions
We should look different
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
The Christian life should not look like the non-Christian life
Holiness is a requirement for our conduct
Now our identity is tied directly to God
Now our identity is tied directly to God
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
Remember who you serve
Remember what he paid
Remember what you are worth
A flippant view of your faith devalues all these things
You are saying your “futile” way is better than His
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Once again, you are the culmination of God’s plan
He is amazingly graceful to you
Even before you knew about Him
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
You now know the full plan
You are a central part of that plan
That should change you
for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
We commit ourselves to such temporary things
And we have access to an amazing and infinite God
We have a distinct identity
We have a distinct identity
It is based on His love and salvation for us
It is based on His love and salvation for us
He has proven how important you are to Him
He has proven how important you are to Him
But does your life reflect this truth?
But does your life reflect this truth?