Homemakers, God is calling you to live a holy life, are you answering? St. Benedict (480-547) reminds us, “Do not aspire to be called holy before you really are, but first be holy that you may more truly be called so.” Let us start now, inspired by God’s Word, filled with the Holy Spirit, to begin to make the changes needed for each of us to be holy.
Introduction “First Peter Series”
As we dive into studying First Peter, let us pray that our minds and hearts would be open to the words God has given us, to the message He wants us to receive, and to the Spirit who can change our lives. Let us pray for wisdom and understanding as we cover all five chapters in the First Letter of Peter.
- Homemakers, Live a Holy Life (1 Peter 1:1-25)(this post / video)
- Homemakers, Live as Servants of God
- Homemakers, Suffer as a Christian (week of March 3)
1 Peter 1:1-25 (Live a Holy Life)
Salutation
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood:
May grace and peace be yours in abundance.
A Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, 11 inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look!
A Call to Holy Living
13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. 15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
That word is the good news that was announced to you.
Study “A Living Hope” (Verses 3-12)
Our Hope (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Let us start by reflecting on verses 3-5. Peter begins by acknowledging that we are NOT the same person we used to be. We are born anew, or given a NEW birth through the resurrection of Jesus! So whether you have already been renewed, or are just now finding Jesus, or choosing to follow Jesus, this is our reminder that we are no longer called to our old ways of living.
Peter is telling us that through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we are called to a living hope and inheritance that will never perish, is undefiled, and is kept in Heaven, being protected for us! God’s powers are guarding this inheritance through faith for our salvation, which is to be revealed.
Because of God’s great mercy, we can be born again! We have the opportunity, the amazing and underserved opportunity to accept this amazing gift, the gift of mercy. Jesus is our living hope, for we know that because He died, and rose from the dead, we CAN have eternal life with Him in Heaven – in the last time! The only thing left to await is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Suffering and Trials (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Peter is also reminding us that this is our hope, and we should rejoice in it! He is also reminding us that our time and days now may be filled with suffering various trials. Peter doesn’t just leave us hanging, he explains why. He says, “…though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may be found to praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Peter is telling us that suffering is purposeful. Suffering tests our faith.
James 1:2-4 tells us, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Our faith will be tested by fire, will be put to the test. We are to praise and glorify the Lord during and after this suffering, through the test. We are called to have faith, and to suffer, so we can in turn honor Jesus Christ.
Salvation (1 Peter 1:8-12)
There is such beauty in faith. When we look at the story of Thomas, Jesus’s disciple doubting that Jesus rose from the dead in John 20:29, we can often relate, as we are not always trusting in the Lord either. But we need to reflect deeply on what “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’”
We are reminded of this great blessing in 1 Peter 1:8-10. No we have not seen Him, yet we love Him. Why? Because we trust what we have been told, trust what we have been taught. We can see God working in others, and working in our own lives too. The Holy Spirit moves within us, miracles happen in lives around us, God is an active and loving God changing hearts and minds, including our own. Why do you believe?
Peter is describing the cause and effect that should be resulting from this belief. When we believe —> we need to rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy! Do we do this? How many morning do you wake up, how many nights do you go to sleep, praising and rejoicing with such joy? Again we turn to the cause and effect chain, belief —> rejoicing —> for we are receiving the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls. How can we not rejoice?!
Study “A Call to Holy Living” (Verses 13-25)
Prepare Yourself for Action (1 Peter 1:13-15)
Our hope is in Jesus. Our hope is in the living God that watches us every day, that knows the number of hairs on our heads. We have faith, we believe. But believing involves more than words, it involves actions. We are reminded in James 2:14, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?” He reminds us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). But what does this mean? This means, that TRUE faith in Christ, will always produce good works. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith (James 2:18). Peter tells us, “Therefore prepare your minds for action.” Let’s dive in deeper!
Peter tells you to discipline yourselves by setting all of your hope on the grace that Jesus will bring when He is revealed. You are called NOT to be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Think about what desires you still allow to dwell in your heart, keeping you from the call of holiness. Do you get drunk, gossip, over spend, live selfishly, keep from forgiving others, hold malice and bitterness in your heart, speak evil, or withhold love? Peter tells us in verse 15, “Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'” Are you holy in all your conduct? What needs to change? Look at Jesus as your example. With Jesus as our example, we are called to live like Him, holy.
Jesus is Died for You (1 Peter 1:17-21)
Reflect on verses 17 and 18. Peter is reminding us that Jesus has brought us freedom, freedom from being ransomed by Satan and the bondage of sin. By Jesus’s blood, we are set free. He paid the price for us, not with silver or gold, but with His life, with His blood. Even though He was perfect, “like that of a lamb without defect or blemish” (verse 18), He still gave Himself up for us, so we could have eternal life with Him. This was God’s plan before He even created the world.
Take a moment to dwell on the last verse, verse 21. “Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.”
Live Obediently (1 Peter 1:22-25)
May our hope and faith truly be set on God. How do we do this? We become obedient and holy. We change our ways, and allow God to come into our hearts and minds and transform us. Peter tells us that we now have purified souls by our obedience to the truth… How do we be obedient? When we are obedient, when we listen to God, believe in His Word, follow His commandments, God creates in us a genuine love. Verse 22 tells us this love will be a mutual love, love for one another deeply from the heart.
We no longer are to live in our old ways, no longer conformed to this world, and its pleasures and evil desires. We are called to holiness, a new way of living, to live a holy life. Verse 23 tells us, “You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Our hope is in Jesus. Our example on how to live is Jesus. The Word – the good news – the death and resurrection of Jesus, announced to us will endure forever. This Word (Jesus) will transform your life, will make you holy, if you believe in Him and let Him work through you.
Study Questions and Summary
DO YOU LIVE A HOLY LIFE?
Below are some personal questions to get you thinking, and hopefully lead to any convictions needing to be address. Truly pray about any convictions the Holy Spirit lays on your heart, so your relationship with Jesus can be strengthened through change.
- Do you have hope in Jesus?
- If yes, what does that look like?
- If no, why not?
- Do you have faith without works? Do you show your faith by your works, or do you just say you are faithful?
- In verse 12, Peter talks about how it was revealed that the prophets were not serving themselves, but you. They shared the things that have now been announced by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
- Do you take for granted the good news sent from heaven?
- Do you avoid reading the Bible, learning about the Church, ignore God, pray when it suits you, etc.
- Do you realize that if you have a Bible in your presence, that you have God’s love letter to you? Do you share this beautiful gift, or even take advantage of it for yourself?
- What areas of sin and living do you need to discipline yourself in?
- Are you obedient to God’s commandments?
- Are you holy in how you conduct yourself? What are you going to do to change this?
St. Benedict, who lived in 480-547 summed up 1 Peter 1 best when he said, “Live by God’s commandments every day; treasure chastity, harbor neither hatred nor jealousy of anyone, and do nothing out of envy.”
Never lose hope in God’s mercy. By His grace we are saved. Let us live for Him, TRULY live for Him, and strive to holy.
Shop
Download the “Homemaker’s Helping Hand Planner” and “4 Week Meal Plan” for FREE
*Amazon and Toups and Co links are affiliate links
- Great Adventure Bible: https://amzn.to/3uCxzQG
- Word on Fire Bible (Gospels): https://amzn.to/3Rl5uq5
- Word on Fire Bible (Acts & Letter & Revelation): https://amzn.to/3RiQSHJ
- Word on Fire Bible (Pentateuch): https://amzn.to/3OMrGI5
Leave a Reply