Living The New Life - As Obedient Children

1 Peter 1:13-21 - (C) 2009

In living the new life as obedient children, we are not to fashion ourselves according to the former lusts in our ignorance (when we were lost in our sins). Paul said in the book to the Romans in Rom. 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. We are living a new life, not the old life under the law and under sin, whereby sin reigned in our flesh.

Living Hopefully

1 Peter 1:13 tells us that we are to be sober (sober-minded) so that we can hope to the end of grace. That end is our deliverance from this world at the return of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Many believers do not live hopefully; they live as though they are burdened down with yesterday's and today's burdens and problems. If we were to look to the future at the grace that will be ours in our great deliverance, we would not be so anxious about the things that come to us every day of our lives.

Living Holily

1 Peter 1:15 tells us that we should be holy in all manner of conversation (practices of life). We should consider everything that we do whether it is holy or whether it will bring shame to our Savior or bring disgrace to our own witness. Peter alludes to a scripture in the Old Testament to call us to holy living: Lev. 20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

Living Fearfully

Notice 1 Peter 1:17 says that we are to pass the time here on earth with fear; that is, if we call on the Father, who judges without respect of persons. Everyone wants God to be his Father, but we must all remember that he is the Great Judge of all. He will not count us guiltless who claim him as our Father and then disregard the judgment of God, for one believer is no greater than another in God's judgment. We are to fear this judgment, for he will judge every man's work--my work and your work. He will not allow one work to go unjudged. We should live in the fear that we might disobey him in his commandments; therefore, we should study his commandments, meditate in them day and night, and obey every one without slackness.

Living Redeemed

Part of living this new life is to know that we were redeemed, but not with corruptible things such as silver and gold or from the religious practices from the tradition from our fathers. We were, however, redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who is without spot. Notice 1 Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: This Redeemer was foreordained to be our Redeemer, and he was manifested (shown) unto us in these last days for us to love and appreciate and obey.

Living Faithfully

We believe in God by Jesus Christ, his election and calling, and his mercy and grace. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). God raised him from the dead, which is the crux of the Gospel, the living value of the life and work of Jesus Christ, that in which we have our justification. Our faith and hope are in God through Jesus Christ; therefore, it is important that we live this new life by faith. Remember, the just shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38).

This is an awesome new life that we are living, but we are not living it for our own benefit but for the glory of God. Jesus is the reason for our faith, the awesome object of our faith, and the finishing of our faith. Through faith in Jesus Christ we have abounding grace and sustaining faith that will lead us into a bright future. We cannot lose, because Rom. 8:31 says, What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?