1 PETER 1
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for actionand being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 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, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 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.
– 1 Peter 1:13-21
1 PETER 1 SET YOUR HOPE FULLY ON GRACE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
God’s grace is sufficient for you to live a pure and holy life
So, be watchful and always set your hope on grace
Renew your mind and ensure you are in sync with God’s will
Obey the laws of the Lord and you will overcome sin
Call on your Father in heaven for he hears his children
Do not allow the world to lure and trap you in temptations
Set your hope fully only on the favor you were given when you believed
Rely not on anyone but on God alone for all good gifts come from Him.
In this account Peter exhorts the Christians to be calm and self-controlled focusing on the hope that is promised to them through grace. Peter reminds them of God’s holiness which requires all believers to be undefiled and pure before the Lord. He explains the grace they have received when they believed.
They are now able to come in the presence of God through Jesus Christ, but there are responsibilities on their part to follow in order that God’s plan may be fulfilled. Because God claimed us as his people in his covenant with Abraham, we ought to follow him every step of the way. Peter reminds them of the price that God had to pay for us to be reconciled with him, the blood of his only begotten Son. This gift of grace is precious because we received it when we didn’t deserve it. We were all sinners when Jesus sacrificed his life for all of humankind. This blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is more precious than silver or gold because it allowed us to have another chance to go back to the Lord and turn away from the sinful life we led while we were still sinners and unworthy of it.
Peter calls us all to focus on the hope that Jesus is coming back again so that he can grant us a new heaven and a new earth where we will all be free from suffering, pain and corruption of this world. We only need to have the expectancy that the promise of grace is going to be fulfilled in Christ’s coming.
REFLECTION
- How can we have the right mindset as we expect Jesus’ second coming?
