1 Peter 1:14-16—Conformity
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16
As obedient children…
In our age, obedience, whether to parents, the law, or any other authority, is not highly valued (unless, of course, someone decides to go against a certain Supreme Court ruling—then all bets are off, and their detractors become Bible scholars, pulling out the Romans 13 card). In contrast, rebellion and lawlessness are exalted in popular media and movements. Obedience, especially to God and His Word, is ridiculed in many circles and considered tedious or restrictive in others—including in the church world.
And yet, to God, obedience in His children is of immeasurable value. The prophet Samuel once said, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).
… do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance…
Have you ever messed up? Were there things in your life before you met Christ that might cause you shame or concern if they were splashed all over newsfeeds or headlines? Most of us can answer “Yes” to one or both of these questions; the rest of you would probably fail a lie detector test! 🙂
Peter states very bluntly, “Don’t jump back in there!” concerning all the stuff you messed around with in your past. “Don’t conform yourself! You who have made a public profession of Jesus as Lord—why start mixing it up with the very stuff that was suffocating the life out of you before you were saved?”
Once upon a time, you were ignorant of the spiritual realm around you. You were ignorant of the forces to which you yielded when you pursued that stuff. And if you were anything like me, the reason you turned to Christ was because you realized that you were no longer in control of your desires—they controlled you; and you longed to be released from their cold grip.
With me, one of my main lusts was alcohol. And as I realized the stronghold it had upon my mind and behavior, I spiraled down into gloomy resignation that nothing would ever change; it was downhill from here—I had already witnessed what it had done to my dad.
But thank God! Jesus had other ideas and set me free as He came into my life. I felt the change; I literally felt something leave my body. The craving for alcohol was gone.
But years later, I decided that it wasn’t that big of a deal to have a little wine now and then. And it wouldn’t have been except for one small thing….I liked it every bit as much as before, and I soon began drinking a little more and a little more each time. I learned something: Alcoholism doesn’t forget its kids—even though one of them once kicked it to the curb.
What was happening to me? I was conforming myself to my former lust. The only difference was this: I was no longer ignorant of the spiritual realm and the implication of my choices.
Thank God for His mercy. After nearly five years of flirting with the very thing God had rescued me from, I was fully sickened by my hypocrisy. I confessed to a trusted individual on staff at my church. Instead of hoping to hear, “Oh, that’s OK; we all stumble,” I told her that the next time I ever bought liquor, I was honor-bound to tell her—and then she could tell my pastor or his wife or just get on the microphone some Sunday morning at church and tell the entire congregation, “Dorothy is drinking again.”
And you want to know something? It worked. I quit. Yes, the liquor bottles at the grocery store still sang to me for a few years after that, “We’re on sale! Just come on by and get a deal!” as I walked past their aisle. And I would sing back, “No. I’ll have to tell Nancy!” and I walked on by.
As believers, you and I have a choice in the matter. We can be conformed to our former lusts, or we can resist carnal conformity. But none of us who knows Christ can claim in our carnality, “I didn’t know!”
Peter offers a far better choice:
… but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
As formidable as this command sounds, it simply offers the alternative to living for yourself—live for God. Live for His glory.
The Lord alone is holy. The beauty of the new birth, however, is that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
And the new that has been birthed into you is saturated with the grace of God—not so you can sin now without ever having to face eternal consequences—NO! The grace of God that dwells within you is there to empower you to obey God and to conform to Him alone.
As you yield to Him and make choices consistent with the new birth, you are holy in your behavior. You may not be perfect, but you are holy, i.e., determined to spend the rest of your life, not for the dead-end, life-sucking pursuits of the flesh, but for the purposes of God.
Godspeed as you choose to conform to Him and not to past lusts!
Dorothy
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Read More1 Peter 1:13—Stances of the heart
Therefore, prepare 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
Therefore…
When you see the word therefore in the Bible, you need to learn what it’s there for. Numerous Bible teachers recommend doing this—and it’s a great help. Therefore is a clue that what you are about to read is strongly connected to what you’ve just read. Having that little tool in your Bible-reading belt will open up all kinds of insight as you study the Word.
Therefore, since prophets carefully searched and inquired into the rumblings of the Spirit concerning the salvation to come; therefore, since angels yearned to peer into the coming grace that would be extended to the human race; therefore, since now, for a little while the believers experienced distressing tests despite their glorious inheritance in Christ, Peter listed three stances of the heart which would bolster them as they sought to live in a manner worthy of their calling.
1. Prepare your minds for action.
Peter wrote to believers in the first generation, A.D., to take charge over their minds. Twenty-one centuries later, this instruction is all the more relevant. This is what I mean:
You’ve just plopped down to read the Bible, and suddenly, everything that you usually never notice leaps out at you: a smudge on the refrigerator. Dust on the blinds. A piece of junk mail you haven’t looked at. A picture on the wall hanging a little crooked.
You settle down to pray, and like clockwork, random thoughts flood in: Is my hair appointment in four weeks or five? Why did Brother Whatsit look at me like that yesterday? Did I empty the dishwasher? What did Sister Whosit mean when she said that? Whatever happened to the guy who played Boom Boom Washington on “Welcome Back Kotter”? My yard could use some watering. Wonder if I have any notifications on Facebook? Wait a minute—I’m supposed to be praying! What time is it, anyway?
If you’re anything like me, more often than not you have to determine to set aside time for the Lord…and then you have to fight your wandering thoughts to stay on task! That’s why Peter admonished us, “Prepare your minds for action.” Ask the Lord for wisdom about your focus, and He’ll show you what will work for you and your unique set of distractions. Then it’s your job to follow through.
In fact, when you apply the anti-distraction strategies you receive from the Lord to your daily quiet times, you will begin to notice pay off in other areas of your life as well. Just like bringing the first fruits of all your income to the Lord causes you to experience blessing in your finances, (see Proverbs 3:9-10), giving the Lord your attention in prayer and the Word on a daily basis will cause wisdom and stability to grow and prosper in other areas. Because you have prepared your mind for action when you seek the Lord, discernment and clarity will begin to direct you in the rest of your life, as well.
2. Keep sober in spirit
I know a little bit about this stance; I used to avoid sobriety as much as I could before I was saved—and I would have paid a high price for it if Jesus hadn’t intervened quickly!
Sober people—as opposed to drunks—are typically alert and in control of themselves. A sober person will likely realize that his words and behaviors matter. A sober person will probably consider the consequences before he acts.
A believer who is sober in spirit—as opposed to one who lives frivolously and flippantly, placing little value on his relationship with Christ—will be alert to both those around him and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. A sober Christian will operate in the fruits of the Spirit, including the fruit of self-control. A sober Christian will use his words to bring help, health, and healing to those he encounters and will refrain from reckless boasts or judgments. A believer who is sober in spirit will avoid carelessly behaving like the world around him.
A believer who is sober is far less likely to stumble into the enemy’s snare.
3. Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
You have hopes, and if you’re like me, they come and go. But this third stance prescribed by Peter is that you keep your hope fixed—immovable—on the grace of God in Christ Jesus. You walk in that grace now; you anchor your hope upon receiving ever-increasing grace as you come to know Jesus more and more.
First John 3:3 declares, “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” The hope birthed in your heart through faith in Christ is potent—this hope purifies you as you fix it resolutely upon Him.
Despite the difficulties, tests, and trials that tend to bombard believers, we share in an amazing inheritance through our faith in Jesus Christ—the very stuff into which prophets earnestly searched and angels longingly desired to look.
The battle for our attention and affections rages; yet our inheritance in Christ is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away (verse 4). And though our Savior be strong and our inheritance eternal, Peter’s admonishment stands firm—each one of us has a part to play while we remain on this earth:
Three stances—prepare your minds for action; keep sober in spirit; and fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
You will never regret it.
Dorothy
Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Luke 12:35
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Read More1 Peter 1:10-12—Longing, careful search
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 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. 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. 1 Peter 1:10-12
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you…
During Old Testament times prophets—like the rest of their fellow Hebrews—lived under the Law. But a theme was forming by the Spirit of God in their hearts—revelation of the grace to come which would usher in true salvation for “whosoever will”. This was a new thing—a thing never before known on the earth.
… the prophets…made careful searches and inquiries…
The prophets of Old Testament times were among the few godly people (only three categories: themselves, the prophets, and kings, and priests) who could expect to receive from the Spirit of God with any consistency. And yet it is evident that they were not hasty in declaring what they were sensing from Him. Before they uttered a syllable, they carefully searched the sacred Hebrew writings, checking what they were hearing from the Spirit with Holy Scripture.
Many voices abound in our time along with the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He resides within all believers and does not remain silent. Because of that, we in whom the Spirit dwells are to make careful search and inquiry into the written Word just like the holy men of old. You can never be too cautious to place the Word of God above every voice you hear—whether from without or within—and to test it all by the full counsel of God’s Word. This is an eternal safeguard for all who seek to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
… 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.
The prophets all bore witness to this: The Messiah would suffer untold agonies, and that by His suffering, magnificent glories would follow for Israel and all mankind.
What was not clearly revealed to them was this: Who would be the One for whom they should look? When would He appear on the scene? Would He arrive during a time of peace and prosperity or in a season of chaos and calamity? Would they even recognize Him?
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you…
Surely hope was being stirred deep inside of these holy men as the Spirit of Christ within them revealed snippets of a great salvation to come with the advent of Messiah.
And yet, as they prayed, sought the Scriptures, and probed the Spirit of God for clarity, every one of those prophets discerned a common thread: The revelations they received weren’t for themselves or their generation…the prophecies were for a generation yet to be born—and all those to follow. The revelations about the Messiah were for…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…
The prophecies of Messiah and the glorious salvation He would bring are now being proclaimed as the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The promise of salvation has arrived; good tidings of great joy has come and is graciously being proclaimed. The Holy Spirit from Heaven moves upon the preaching of the gospel; He attends both the listeners and the proclaimers.
…things into which angels long to look.
In our time, believers are intrigued by both the prophetic and the angelic. Yet strangely enough, the very thing which so many of us tend to take for granted—our salvation through Jesus Christ—is the one singular thing that both prophets and angels ached to see and understand.
More extraordinary than the prophetic move of our time is your eternal salvation in Christ. More glorious than the angelic realm surrounding us is your right standing with God through the death and resurrection of His Son.
Prophetic utterances and angelic visitations are indeed wonderful; yet the crown of all that God has accomplished is this: The salvation of men and women, boys and girls through personal, living faith in Christ who bore their sins…and yours.
Priorities. Joyful, glorious priorities.
Dorothy
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Read More1 Peter 1:8-9—Faith in the unseen Lord
…and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9
… though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and… though you do not see Him now…
“You can’t prove that Jesus is real. Have you ever seen Him? Can you see Him now?”
Ever talked with someone like this? Our generation is loaded with cynics, forever questioning your faith in Jesus, demanding proof. If you can’t produce evidence, then Jesus doesn’t exist, according to their rationale.
Even back in Peter’s day, although he himself had been a part of the Lord’s inner circle, the vast majority of souls to whom the apostle ministered had no personal recollection of Jesus Christ.
Did Peter consider himself superior to folks like this? Did he possess an “edge” around the “less enlightened”—those who had never known Jesus personally as he did?
No! Instead of constantly name-dropping about his earthly connection to the Lord, Peter marveled at the faith that pulsated in those who had never seen.
…and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and… believe in Him…
Peter wrote this with wonder, a glowing assessment of the genuineness of their faith. They who had never seen Jesus walked by love and faith not based on sight.
On the other hand, Jesus had said to Peter’s friend Thomas (the one who had demanded to see), “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29).
There’s something extremely potent about believing without seeing…
… you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory…
This was no phony fanaticism. Pure joy bubbled up from within them despite the opposition they encountered on a daily basis. This joy was deeply rooted and uncontainable. Not based on circumstances, its source was from above and beyond their ability to express in full measure—but God’s glory saturated every manifestation of their joy.
…obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Faith is a state of being—being assured of the things you hope for and being convinced of the things you don’t see (see Hebrews 11:1).
And faith obtains. Always.
Hebrews 11:7-38 lists a sampling of all that faith obtained in the lives of those who went before us. By faith mountains move, bodies are healed, men are delivered, women are empowered, children are set free, and nations are turned to God.
But at the summit of all wonderful things which faith can obtain is this: Obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your soul.
Nothing is more precious and nothing is more valuable than your soul. It cost the blood of Jesus to ransom you from the hater of your soul, the devil. Jesus paid an exorbitant price—a torturous death on the cross while bearing the sin of the world—to attain your freedom from the tyrant from hell.
And as you grab hold of Him as your Rescuer and Lord by faith…you obtain the best outcome available in the universe—the salvation of your soul.
Never downplay the magnitude of the faith that lives in your heart. Never dismiss the eternal value and significance of the salvation of your soul.
Because of your faith in Him whom you have not seen, you will have an inexpressibly joyful and glorious forever.
Dorothy
…Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed. John 20:29
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Read More1 Peter 1:6-7—The proof of your faith
In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…1 Peter1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice…
Why the rejoicing? Here’s why:
- You are protected by the power of God.
- You don’t have to depend on your own mental or physical prowess, but you receive this protection through faith.
- The complete package of all that belongs to you in salvation will be revealed in the last times (verse 5).
… even though now for a little while if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials…
However, despite that incomparable salvation and wonderful hope you have attained through faith, there is this awkward thing called the troubled here and now…
Think about it. There you are, with the full counsel of the Word of God sitting in your lap, and yet you have experienced the intensity of hard times and trials that never seem to end! And if that’s the way you feel right now, there’s some good news packed up in what Peter said. He boldly wrote “now for a little while”.
Before you snort, “Yea, right! ‘A little while’”, here’s a devil-busting nugget of truth you can cling to when all hell is breaking loose: It IS just for a little while! The Bible says so!
You still don’t believe it? Well, here’s a second witness—Paul the apostle. In the middle of all of the craziness and compounded persecution that Paul faced in his life, he stated, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” (2 Corinthians 4: 17, NIV).
Yes, trials are distressing. But the key to enduring to the end is in the perspective—it’s just for a little while. It’s only temporary —momentary.
…so that the proof of your faith…even though tested by fire…
When you are experiencing the bitter difficulties of life, it’s extremely valuable to not only view them as momentary—lasting for only a little time—but to recognize that every single bummer you face can be counted as a test. Why? Because tests—like the ones you took in school—come to an end!
That’s what the word “proof” means here—a test. And what is being tested is your faith—your assurance, confidence, and solid trust in Jesus Christ and His loving provision for you.
The tester—the one whose goal is to rip your faith out of your inner man and to desecrate it by impelling you to cast away your confidence in Christ with every fiery circumstance, thought, mood, and attack he can orchestrate—is the devil. The one who throws fiery ordeals your way with an ugly vengeance is not the Lover of your soul.
But in the middle of every difficulty and every ordeal, you have the right to walk through it with the Teacher—the One who is the Lover of your soul—Who will hold your hand, helping and guiding you every step of the way. And the only thing He’ll test you with is this: Will you cling to His Word in the midst of the enemy’s evil test? The evil is from the enemy; the Word you receive in your heart is from God. (See John 10:10.)
The wonderful thing is that Satan always overplays his hand. His attacks, meant to destroy your faith, actually prove your faith as you hold fast to the Lord. All those fiery darts he launches your way—with all their hateful intent—will only serve to purify and beautify your trust in Jesus as you keep your gaze fixed on Him.
Paul said it this way: “…look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Keep your sights fixed on your Teacher and His Word; don’t fixate on the circumstances threatening your demise. This is the time-tested method by which God brings His kids through every test safe and sound.
… being more precious than gold which is perishable…
Peter said “the proof of your faith” is “more precious than gold which is perishable”. Is it the faith itself or the testing of your faith that is more precious than gold? I’ve heard both interpretations. But this is what I truly believe Peter was saying here: Your tested faith—the very faith you carried with you into the furnace of testing and then by it emerged—victorious, despite the hateful storms that blew your way—that is the faith which is more precious than gold. That kind of faith is imperishable. And that kind of faith—in embryonic form—is the very substance God planted in your heart when you first believed—whether you feel it or not.
… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
It isn’t the test that brings glory to God; it’s the faith that comes out of the test, despite the test, even though battered by the test, but triumphant nonetheless; that—your proven faith—is what will result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
May the proof of your faith result in praise and glory and honor to God.
Dorothy
But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Read More1 Peter 1:5—Protected by the power of God
…who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:5
I have experienced amazing close calls and supernatural deliverances from death and harm in my life. I have documented several of these experiences in this blog, FirstOfAllPray.com. Here are a few of my testimonies:
“Ever thought you might be martyred???”
God’s supplemental insurance policy, Part 3
I definitely have confidence that part of our inheritance from the Lord is access to His protection for our physical bodies here on the earth. I believe, however, that this particular verse refers to our spiritual protection even more so than our physical safety.
… who are protected by the power of God through faith…
A very important nugget is revealed in this portion of Scripture: You are protected by the power of God through faith. Whether you seek God for physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual protection, all protection from God is best accessed by faith in His faithfulness, His covenant, and His great mercy. And as I have seen in my own life, sometimes my faith is very small—yet even then He has come through for me. When you experience Divine intervention in any way—whether you exercised your faith for it or not—rejoice and give thanks to God for what He accomplished on your behalf. I believe that a thankful heart paves the way for future help from Him even when your faith starts to falter.
How do you develop faith to counter all the fearful thoughts, events, and lurking dangers out there? The best way I know to do this is to find Bible verses on God’s protection, copy them, and absorb them. Live in them until they become a part of your very being—a part of your DNA. Although I believe that 1 Peter 1:5 has more to do with spiritual protection than with physical safety, the Bible is loaded with other verses that promise His protection for our bodies in the here and now. But again…as Peter stated in verse 5, this protection is accessed through faith in Him.
… for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Jesus once said, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) You can live a secure, prosperous, satisfying life throughout your time on the planet, but if you haven’t invested in your eternal soul through a relationship with God built on faith in Jesus, everything you’ve built and worked for will evaporate the very instant you take your last breath.
Conversely, you may have struggles, issues, lack, and unanswered, nagging questions during your lifetime. However, if you have invested in your eternal soul through entering into a relationship with God through faith in Christ, for you the doors of Heaven will open wide on the day you breathe your last. For you, salvation is ready to be revealed in that last time.
Why then, does someone who is already a believer need to be protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed? Because so many pitfalls, snares, temptations, and trials cross our paths that without the keeping power of God, many of us would likely follow the advice of Job’s wife, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9)
Have you ever been tempted to give up on your faith? On God? On the church? On life? Evidently, you’re not alone, and God has made provision for this very possibility by providing for you His keeping, protective power. All He requires is faith—not great faith (which, at low times, you will not have)—He requires a tiny grain of faith—a mustard seed of faith, a barely utterable squeak of faith—and in return, He will be the unseen Presence with you in the midst of your darkest hour, guarding you, helping you, steadying you until you come out on the other side of your pain, chaos, and confusion.
Yes, I have been delivered out of many potentially deadly scenarios, and for that I will be ever grateful. But even more amazing, humbling, and praiseworthy is that God—time and again—has rescued me and kept me safe and secure from the unseen, spiritual forces of darkness intent upon leveraging me away from the blessed hope and assurance that I have in Jesus Christ—forces bent upon robbing me of that salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. God’s keeping power toward me—and you—is sufficient to preserve us in Him for the rest of our lives.
And for that, I am eternally thankful!
Dorothy
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
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