Category: Sin

Purified by Obedience

On By TimIn 1 Peter 01, Daily Walk, SinLeave a comment

Since your souls have been purified by obedience to the truth through the Spirit unto a genuine brotherly love, love one another deeply with a pure heart, for you have been born again, not from perishable seed, but imperishable, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

1 Peter 1:22–23 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Since your souls have been purified… You’ve already believed and it is accounted to you for righteousness. This is the message of faith that was demonstrated for us by the patriarchs. They are the ones who fell far short of the mark but believed God and He made up the difference.

Obedience to the truth.

There are times that we want to conflate this idea of obedience with law-keeping and morality. That is not what Peter is speaking of, clearly. He uses the phrase and places the objective of obedience to truth. He spoke of that immediately preceding this: “Through Him you believe in God who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1 Peter 1:21)

Obedience to the truth is believing in God.

It comes through the witness of the Holy Spirit. Seriously, without His working even before we believed, there is no real hope for us. It is the Holy Spirit Who has orchestrated the events in our lives to reveal Jesus to each of us in a real way. And can I say… In these last times?

It’s like how Peter expressed it at the beginning of the epistle. Even though his intended audience is Jewish people who are scattered throughout the world at that time, there are important things we can glean. Especially in the very season we find ourselves.

It is this work of the Holy Spirit that reveals Jesus to us and continues to lead us toward sanctification. He leads us to Jesus and once we believe, He patiently works to sanctify us.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To the refugees scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter 1:1–2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There is a purpose for sanctification. It is purposed for you. That is why the word elect (or chosen) is used. It is purpose.

The objective is obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus. These two ideas go together. Just as I offered before, this obedience isn’t to the law or even good morals. But it is to the truth. By being obedient to that truth, your sins are covered by the sprinkling of Jesus’ blood.

Because of these truths, it leads us to holy living. That we may be used to be a witness for others.

Brotherly love.

This will be expanded upon a bit later in the epistle. For now, understand that our salvation has brought us adaption into the family of God. You and I have a brother, Jesus. He is the perfect example of brotherly love.

He asks us to love others with a pure heart. Remember, if you’re saved your souls are already purified. And because you know brotherly love from Jesus, it isn’t difficult to extend that love to other brothers and sisters in the faith.

Listen, our hearts separate from God seek to alleviate our own discomfort and seek our own comfort. With a pure heart, we esteem others before ourselves putting their needs before our own. Just as Jesus did for us.

You have been born again.

There is a reason certain analogies are used. This idea of being born again may seem old-fashioned. I certainly hope it isn’t. It’s a very clear way to teach the truth.

Peter is saying we’ve been born again with imperishable seed. He contrasts that idea with our natural birth into the human being we are. He notes that birth comes from perishable seed. That means it is will not last. We know that, as we are born dying.

But unlike our natural birth, our new birth is from imperishable seed. That means there is no corruption. There is no death in that birth. Praise Jesus!

There is another truth that undergirds all of this. A person, once born can never become unborn. One born from perishable seed can never have that birth undone. Such may perish, but that doesn’t undo the birth. The same is true for our new birth. It cannot be undone. Because that birth comes from imperishable seed, there is no corruption or death.

If you think I am saying you cannot lose your salvation. I am not. Peter is, in holy writ revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God lives and abides forever.

Does it live in you?

If it does… It lives forever! It abides forever!

For
“All flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
This is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:24–25 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The temptation is to think of the flesh as Gnostics do… But this is vitally different. It’s not that the flesh is made bad. It has been made corrupt, having inherited that from the disobedience of Adam. Death is passed on.

Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death has spread to all men, because all have sinned.

Romans 5:12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This flesh will pass away. Everything that we do here and in that capacity is going to pass away. It’s the word of the Lord that abides forever.

That is precisely why Peter is calling us to holy living. We know that our Father will judge impartially. We are just passing through this world. It has many snares for us, all of which are vain and lead to perishable rewards.

It’s this higher calling that has everlasting benefit. Holy living doesn’t earn you much in itself, but it points others to Jesus. In that is much benefit.

Those Who are Sanctified are All of One

On By TimIn 1 Peter 01, Encouragement, Eternal Security, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Last Days, Return of Jesus, Salvation, Sanctification, SinLeave a comment

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that should come to you have inquired and searched diligently, seeking the events and time the Spirit of Christ, who was within them, signified when He foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, concerning the things which are now reported to you by those who have preached the gospel to you through the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven—things into which the angels desire to look.

1 Peter 1:10–12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Remember how we discussed previously how our salvation will be revealed in the last time. This is a reference to a time yet future that will be the end of this temporal existence. But this salvation is not hidden from us or others but is continuously being received until its full revelation at the end.

The Old Testament prophets received from God the revelations of the Spirit of the Anointed One, Jesus. Though they didn’t clearly understand the mysteries hidden in the revelations they were given. That is, the grace extended to the gentile nations. Of which we benefit.

Paul also spoke of it. He called himself a steward of God over a commission given specifically to him for us gentiles.

I have been made a servant of it according to the commission of God, which has been given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, even the mystery which has been hidden from past ages and generations, but now is revealed to His saints. To them God would make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the nations. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present them perfect in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:25–28 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It was a truth hidden in the past.

Now, it’s almost fully revealed. What I mean is, those old-time Israeli prophets spoke of both a suffering Messiah and a triumphant Messiah. Though the prophets diligently sought to know what we know, His suffering has already been revealed to the world. It is recorded for us to read.

The glories to come are still for some future time when our salvation will be fully revealed. And that to the glory of Jesus!

We know the sufferings of the Messiah and in a similar fashion as they, we look forward to the glorious appearing and consummation of time when all is fulfilled. (The time when the New Jerusalem comes down from God.)

His triumphs and glories, though very real today and being revealed in us His saints… Are yet for a future time when He returns to Earth. When He defeats the evil that preys on humans and the world. He then takes the throne of David and rules Jerusalem and Earth. It will be as God had desired from the beginning, humanity having dominion over creation. After which Jesus will finally and gloriously put an end to the rebellion.

Those prophets knew they were serving a people yet future. Such things have resulted in your salvation. Those first-century Christians shared the testimony of the Jewish prophets who spoke of the sufferings of the Anointed One. They could show them this very same Jesus that was known among them and attested of long ago.

Why would angels want to look into these things?

Angels serve humanity. These are things also revealed by these messengers of God to men. These messengers desire to look in on. It’s salvation. The hope of glory that lives in each of us who are saints.

Considering that humans were made of the dust of the ground, with the breath of God breathed into us, we are not made in the same hierarchy as angels. We are made a little lower and intimately united with the physical reality we occupy. Humans are made of the very dust of which the earth is made.

We also have a spirit that connects to the reality that supersedes ours. Better said, it is the supernatural realm where spirits dwell. Because of sin, that reality has been veiled to us.

It’s these glorious heavenly angels who were assigned to serve the dirt creatures. It’s like that in God’s economy. The older serves the younger, the least is greatest.

That idea has been corrupted, though. When sin entered, the dirt creatures took upon themselves the desire to be like God. They fell away. And corrupted His order by serving their own selfishness. Not serving others, let alone the least.

What is this?

That the very Creator of these dusty men would humble Himself and add that very same dusty nature. He would step that low, placing Himself even under the angels.

I am thinking wholly of the first two chapters of the book of Hebrews and how eloquently it describes the suffering and then triumphant Messiah. This is how the author says it:

But someone in a certain place testified, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”
For in subjecting all things under him, He left nothing that is not subjected to him. Yet now we do not see all things subject to him.

Hebrews 2:6–8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This speaks of how Jesus came to us as One of us, made lower than the angels. Yet at the same time, crowned with glory and honor. (Yet to be revealed in the last times and for which we patiently wait.)

It was that sin. Rebellion was taken on by creatures made of dust. That very thing would be used to defeat sin and death.

Sin earns wages paid in blood. The God of all paid His own blood to satisfy the wages of sin. Sin had no claim on Him, but death attempted to master Him.

The enemy, thinking this would be a perfect way to vanquish God, seized Him. He was crucified and died. Being perfect, death really had no claim on Him.

Yet His blood was shed.

His divine-human blood was the perfect payment for an infinite human debt. A debt He didn’t owe, but one that encumbered all of humanity was completely satisfied.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels to suffer death, crowned with glory and honor, so that He, by the grace of God, should experience death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I can scarcely comprehend that. Even as I write this stuff. It’s above my pay-grade. Yet I know it is true.

There is more.

This Son of God is now (also) a Man. (I am writing it like that for lack of a better way to understand. The Son of God took on humanity. The divine and human United in One. I italicized the One to emphasize not only this but the Unity of Father-Son-Spirit.)

He has wrested the rights to dominion over the creation as God had intended at creation. Men will master it. In this case, One Perfect Man.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of One.

Hebrews 2:10–11a — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Things into which angels desire to look.

Now is the time to recall why One is emphasized earlier.

God becomes the Author of salvation by that suffering. The suffering that came by submission to His own creation.

It could only be done with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.

Blood that only exists in our temporal physical reality. Angels don’t have blood. Blood cannot be shed for them. That is why those fallen spirits tremble at the name of Jesus. Their destiny is sure and there is no hope for them.

Angels were made higher than humans. The Creator made Himself human. He placed Himself lower than them. He died, rose again. Setting humans higher than angels. (Do you not know you are going to judge angels?)

Just as Jesus partook of the nature of humanity, taking it wholly upon Himself… He invites us dirt-creatures to partake of the divine nature. It starts at our salvation when He comes to live in us.

Those who are sanctified are all of One.

We celebrate that every single time that we come to the Lord’s Table. As we hold in our hands the broken bread and the wine, these represent His human body broken for us and His human-yet-divine bloodshed from it. We are to take that inside of us. It’s a typification of what is yet to be revealed. We partake of the divine nature.

But to partake, one needs to be like Him. We all need to humble ourselves.

1. Acknowledge in our minds that the things written about Him are really real.

2. Believe that what He says is really real. That He rose again. That is for us. Trusting in it like you would trust a chair to hold you up by sitting in it.

3. Confess the truth out loud with our mouths. And the. Confess our sins to Him asking Him to remove them completely.

That’s the first step to partaking in the divine nature. You are then given new hope through the resurrection.

Were You Really Born This Way?

On By TimIn Jeremiah 07, SinLeave a comment

How many times have you heard it said that God has already determined all things that are to be, and has ordained and decreed them to be?

What does the Bible say to this?

For the sons of Judah have done evil in My sight, says the Lord. They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it. They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My heart.

Jeremiah 7:30-31 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Because they have forsaken Me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into My mind—therefore, surely the days are coming, says the Lord, when this place shall no more be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.

Jeremiah 23: 4-6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

They built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molek, which I had not commanded them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

Jeremiah 32:35 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Recorded three times for the hardened-of-heart who would want to blame their sin on God by saying “I was born this way. He made me a sinner.” God doesn’t command, decree, or imagine all things that do come to pass. There are things that happen that do not come from His mind.

Don’t fall for the false gospel of a false god who is powerless to save all.