1 Peter 1:13-21 (NKJV) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
V13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ…” Peter gives us things we must do 1) be determined (gird the loins of your mind), 2) be clear thinking and alert (“be sober”), and 3) be confident in our hope of Jesus’s promises (the blessings of the Rapture). We do not deserve God’s grace in this life or the next, but His grace gives all the blessings we do not deserve. These blessings come at the Rapture and continuously for eternity. This hope must be carried in our hearts with patience.
V14 “…as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance…” The “obedient children” are believers and children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:5 and Ephesians 1:5). These rules are for good, not merely control. We are different with a newly created heart (soul) and nature (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old heart and sin nature is gone.
The Greek word for “conforming” is (G4964) συσχηματίζω syschēmatizō, which means “to fashion or shape one thing like another,” is translated “conformed” in Rom 12:2, AV; RV, “fashioned;” “fashioning” in 1Pe 1:14. This verb has more especial reference to that which is transitory, changeable, unstable; summorphizo, to that which is essential in character and thus complete or durable, not merely a form or outline (Vines). We can have our motives, thoughts, actions according to our worldly pre-conversion life, or we can conform ourselves to God’s ways. The same word is used in Romans 12:2.
How do we conform? Only the Bible has the truth and food for the soul. We receive knowledge by reading the Bible. We learn understanding from studying the Bible. We gain wisdom by living the truths of the Bible.
The former lusts refers to our tendency to “follow our heart” which is deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 4:17-19, and Proverbs 28:26).
V15 “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…” Holiness is a state of sinlessness in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. God is holy and the standard to measure it. He has revealed to us His standard in the Bible. The goal of our holiness is conform to God’s standards. Adam and Eve at creation, had this holiness. No other human is or can be except for the holy Son of God–Jesus.
V16 “…because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” This is from Leviticus 11:44. God is the measure of holiness and is one of His character traits.
V17 “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear…” God has no partiality, neither should we. Jesus proved this point in His earthly life. Those helped by Jesus:
• By ethnicity: The Syrophoenician woman (Luke 7:1-10), Roman (Matthew 8:5-13), and Samaritan woman (John 4)
• By religious group: Jews (Luke 19:9), Samaritans (John 4), and Gentiles (John 12:20-26)
• By financial status: Nicodemus (John 3) and poor (Luke 14:21)
• By social status: tax collectors (Matthew 9:9-10), the sick (lepers, etc. as in Matthew 11:5), prostitute (Luke 7:37-38), criminal on the cross (Luke 23:43), and demon possessed (Matthew 8:16)
When God judges, there is no favoritism to anyone. The rich or the poor, the great or the nothings, the old or the young will all have equal justice.
Christians have a judgment day, too. It is the Bema Seat judgment which is for rewards not deciding one’s salvation (Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:10–4:5, and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10).
Our daily public and private lives in public and private are to recognize who is the king and knowing God does judge. We are to honor God in all we say and do. See Colossians 3:17.
V18 “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers…” God does not need money or money’s influence (bribery). God is not impressed with Mosaic Law ritual (Isaiah 1:11).
V19 “…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Without blemish or spot refers to the perfect lamb that must be chosen and given as an offering (Exodus 12:5 VS Malachi 1:7-8). Jesus had and has no blemishes in character; He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22, Hebrews 4:15, and 1 John 3:5). An application for us is–Ephesians 1:4 (ULB) “God chose us in him from the beginning of the world, that we may be holy and blameless in his sight.”
V20 “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you…” The Greek word for “foreordained” is (G4267) προγινώσκω proginōskō, which means to know beforehand, foresight. Vincent (Vincent’s Word Studies): “Foreknown is the perfect participle, has been known from all eternity down to the present “in reference to the place held and continuing to be held by Christ in the divine mind” (Salmond). Manifested is the aorist participle, pointing to a definite act at a given time.” Adam Clarke writes: “But if we take it here in its common signification, the creation of universal nature, then it shows that God, foreseeing the fall and ruin of man, appointed the remedy that was to cure the disease.”
God had a blueprint for the universe including everything in it and its laws. He also had a blueprint for the salvation of humans of which Jesus is the savior.
V21 “…who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” We are saved through our faith (believing God’s message). Believing in Jesus’s resurrection is important (1 Corinthians 15:12-20). Jesus received glory from His obedience in everything that His Father wanted (John 1:14, John 17:24, and Philippians 2:9). Our confidence is found in the character of God who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18).
We learn:
• Our salvation and life is from the great ministry of the Lord Jesus.
• God had the plan for salvation from before creation.
• God has no partiality