Special Study 13/02/2012
THE GREAT, INESTIMABLE PRICE OF OUR
REDEMPTION
1 Peter 1:17-21
In the immediate previous verses,
Peter had reminded and challenged us of our higher calling - the calling to a
life of holiness. A preacher once wrote: The church of God
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Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit,
continues in our present text by instructing us to consider the great price of
our redemption which is also the means of our holiness. We are sojourners or
pilgrims here, he reminds us and while walking through this wilderness, we
should be conscious of the heavenly Father who is watching all our steps,
actions, thoughts and lives. His judgment is pictured as immediate and
impartial, yet fair and future.
Always holding the purpose and price
of our redemption in our minds will make us to uphold the priority of holiness
in our lives. And with the power of Christ's resurrection working in our
hearts, there is the possibility of having a pure heart and living a holy life
consistently.
1. PILGRIMS
LIVING IN GODLY REVERENCE
1 Peter 1:17; 1 Chronicles 29:15; Hebrews 11:13-16; 1
Peter 2:11,12; Romans 2:9-11; Colossians 3:25;
Romans 11:20-22; Philippians 2:12-15; Hebrews 12:28,29.
"Ye
call on the Father ... " so "pass the time of your sojourning
here in fear". We are sojourners or pilgrims here, life is short; but
our walk and work in this short life determine our eternal destiny and
condition hereafter. We are not yet "at home", we are
journeying home. This season of desert-wandering is appointed by Divine wisdom.
Throughout life, God, our Father and Judge, evaluates our walk and work, and at the end of life, He as the impartial Judge
will examine our work to determine our eternal destiny.
Our
fellowmen may regard us highly because of what they see of us and because of
what they do not know of us, but each of us must eventually appear before Him
who is "no respecter of persons", and who will estimate us and our service with
justice and impartiality. Men may praise us and approve of our actions, but
their praise and approval is nothing now and will be much less than nothing on
the day of judgment. Standing higher, God looks deeper and sees the purpose and
motive behind all our actions. "By Him actions are weighed"!
(1 Samuel 2:3).
Because
"the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every
man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter
1:17). Without reverence and godly fear we cannot serve God acceptably (Hebrews
12:28). We are not to fear earthly troubles and trials, but as we think of the
all-seeing eyes of God watching all our actions and we think of the end, think
of the coming judgment, we live in the holy fear of God. If we think often, as
we should, of ourselves standing before the judgment throne of God, we shall
say like the Psalmist, "My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee and I am
afraid of Thy judgment" (Psalm 119:120). The christian fears to offend
God, who spared not His own Son; he fears to dishonour the cross of Christ; he
fears to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
said, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no
more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him,
which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you,
Fear Him" (Luke 12:4,5). The Old Testament commands, "serve
the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling". Fear God, and keep
His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Psalm 2:11;
Ecclesiastes 12:13). The New Testament also commands us, "Be not
highminded, but fear". "Work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling". "Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear".
"Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Romans
11:20; Philippians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:17; Hebrews 12:28).
2. THE PRICE
OF OUR GREAT REDEMPTION
1
Peter 1:18,19; Psalm 49:7,8; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Matthew 20:28; 1 Peter 2:24;
3:18; Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12-14; Acts 20:28; Isaiah 53:3-7,11; 1 Corinthians
5:7,8.
Our
redemption was effected at a great cost. "Ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as silver and gold ... but with the precious blood of
Christ". That redemption is through our Lord's death, not through His
life, or example, or holiness, or mediation, but, as Scripture invariably says
with unwavering consistency, by "His Blood". God Himself bore
the penalty of human guilt that He might righteously extend His mercy to the
guilty.
The
meaning or the original idea of "redemption" is 'purchase
from slavery'. We are redeemed, that is, delivered by Christ's blood from
guilt and condemnation, from the love and practice of evil. Redemption includes
deliverance from the bondage of sin - sin no longer holding the will and the
affection. Sin masters a man, fetters his will, and binds him with iron chains
of habit, which holds him in spite of resolutions and a pricking conscience. Redemption
through Christ's Blood breaks the chains and fetters and sets him free from
slavery to sin.
"Ye
were redeemed from your vain conversation (conduct, manner of life)
received by tradition from your fathers" (1 Peter 1:18). The word
"vain" shows the emptiness, hollowness of sin. No man gets the
good which he expected by his sin". It is as when an hungry man
dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and is empty"
(Isaiah 29:8). Sin is vain, it yields no result that satisfies. A godless life
is a wasted and barren life. "The precious blood of Christ, as of a
Lamb without blemish and without spot" redeems us from sin and its
vanity. Christ makes us free from sin, from the penalty and guilt of sin, from
the love and practice of sin, from the bondage and dominion of sin. Sin's reign
had its fortress in our will and affection but Christ's death, His redemption, has broken the yoke and cast out the usurper; now
Christ is enthroned as the rightful Lord in our hearts.
3. THE POWER
OF HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION
1
Peter 1:20,21; Genesis 3:15; Micah 5:2; Galatians 4:4,5; 2 Timothy 1:9,10; Acts
2:23,24,32; 3:14-16; 4:10-12; Romans 4:22-25; 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 10:9,10;
Philippians 3:10.
"Who
verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested
in these last times for you" (1 Peter 1:20). The incarnation, death
and resurrection of Christ were not the result of a change of purpose to meet
unforeseen circumstances; they were foreseen and foreordained in the eternal
counsels of God. The sacrifice of Christ was foreordained from all eternity.
Christ was manifested in due time. Christ's manifestation - His death, His
resurrection, His ascension - was all for us sinful men, that our faith and
hope might be in God. We are not worthy of this unutterable love, this
tremendous sacrifice but He loved us so, and counted it not too great a price.
"Who
by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory"
(1 Peter 1:21). The New Testament is a continuous witness to our Lord's
resurrection. The Gospels carefully record it; the book of the Acts presents it
as the chief theme of apostolic preaching; the Epistles base the whole of
Christian doctrine and life upon it. God, who raised Jesus from the dead, gave
Him glory. It was in obedience to the Father that Christ endured pain,
humiliation, and death. So it was by the will of the Father that Christ partook
of glory.
What
a redemption this is which is based on God's eternal purpose! And what a hope
which goes back through all time, and finds its foundation in the everlasting
thought of God! "That your faith and hope might be in God" (1
Peter 1:21). God did all this that we might believe in Him! The resurrection of
Christ encourages faith in God, a righteous Ruler, a gracious and forgiving
Father. A risen Christ also awakens and sustains hope. His resurrection fills
us with hope. Christ had promised that where He is there we will be if we
believe in Him. He is in heaven, on the right hand of God. Believing in Him, we
have the purifying hope to be where Christ is, to see Him as He is and to be
made like unto Him.
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Congregational Song:
AND CAN IT BE THAT I SHOULD GAIN
Courtesy; DCLM
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