A Letter to God's Elect - Part 2: Trained for Troubled Timesಮಾದರಿ

THE MANNER OF THE SAVED - OBEDIENT TO GOD

1 Pet 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (John 1:13 - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.) 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

Response: How do we purify ourselves or become holy? How, then, shall we live? Obedience is the key. When we obey the truth, we eliminate everything sinful, corrupt, and immoral.

What is my obedience quotient? The purity of my life is directly proportional to my obedience.

What does this result in?

The understanding of our salvation, the testing of our faith, and the trials we undergo must result in a transformed life expressed in love for one another!! Amazing. You would have thought Peter would say something like, "Your obedience will earn you a promotion, power, or position." None of that! It should result in love for each other! I am reminded of John 15, where Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey my commands. This is my command: love one another.”

The Message translates it as “Love one another as if your lives depended on it.”

NESV - Love one another earnestly from a pure heart.

KJV - Love one another fervently with a pure heart.

Obeying the truth. We can only be purified by the Word when we obey it. Be careful of reading the Bible as a mantra without faith or obedience. The Word is like activation powder or yeast. When combined with the right ingredients in the correct manner, it is activated and produces the desired effect. (The parable of the Sower – nothing wrong with the seed, it is the soil that is the problem.) Sometimes, we wonder how a person who comes to church can still fall into grievous sin. How did they attend church for years and stay a spiritual infant needing attention? The question is, did they mix their knowledge with the vital ingredient of obedience? This is the acid test of every Christian. This serves as a warning for all of us as well. Peter refers to obedience again (Obedience that comes through faith v2).

V22b – Peter says our obedience will translate to love for one another. Peter qualifies this love as "sincere." The word sincere means without hypocrisy, falsehood, pretense, or deceit.

The word "deeply" implies putting in a great deal of effort to make it happen.

V23 - WHY? Because we are now new creations (born again) from an indestructible seed (Jesus) through God's living and enduring word. The Word of God (Logos) is also likened to a seed. Jesus referred to the Word as a seed in parables. The metaphor of planting refers to the Word being planted in our hearts.

V24. Peter now quotes the Old Testament to compare our world and life, which is here today and gone tomorrow. But the Word of God will never perish. It is immortal (Is 40:6-8). Therefore, we can put our confidence and trust in what it says.

CONCLUSION

Peter closes this section by reminding his readers that this is the true gospel. Don’t forget it; don’t allow it to be diluted or corrupted. Don’t we all need this reminder? We must constantly be reminded to stay close to the truth, as straying away is easy.

We need to be reminded of who we are, how we obtained our salvation, what we believe in, and, therefore, how we should live. Our Salvation and faith must translate into how well we love each other. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. This is the best way for the gospel to be known.

As we close this devotion, let us remind ourselves that we are strangers on the Earth, bought with the precious blood of Jesus for a high purpose. Let us live well.

REFLECTIONS:

• Ask yourself: Are you living in a way that is apart and above the standards of this world?
• Are we practicing love for our brother or sister? When was the last time you sent someone a text or made a call for no reason just to express care?
• How are we responding to the challenges that are coming our way? Can you see your faith being refined?