1 Peter 1:13-25 (Mar.11)
1 Peter 1:13-25
What is Holiness?
(March 11, 2007)
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded,
set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
since it is written,
'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'
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,
knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers,
not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world
but was made manifest in the last times for your sake,
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.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love,
love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding Word of God; for
'All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.'
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”
This text is about holiness.
What does it mean?
How can I be holy?
Word study of terms used by Peter throughout this passage.
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action,
and being sober-minded,
set your hope fully on the grace
that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
“Preparing your minds for action = anazonnumi (an-ad-zone'-noo-mee)
“gird up the loins of your mind” (KJV);
prepare to vigorously sprint into action for God“Sober-minded” = nepho (nay'-fo)
“self-disciplined” (HCSB);
not intoxicated with wine (literally);
clear-thinking, level-headed (figuratively)“Set your hope fully” =“elpizo teleios (el-pid'-zo tel-i'-oce)
“As obedient children,
do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance....”
“obedient children” = hupakoe teknon (hoop-ak-o-ay' tek'-non)
to hear and act on what one hears;
compliant or submissive“the passions of your former ignorance” =
proteron epithumia en humon agnoia
(prot'-er-on ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah in hoo-mone' ag'-noy-ah);
your past desires (an ignoring of God's will)
15-16.“... but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
since it is written,
'You shall be holy, for I am holy'”
“holy” = hagios (hag'-ee-os)
sacred, set apart, morally blameless,
consecrated for sacrifice (just as Jesus was)“holy” <> an act of human will to be good
(must originate from God, through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit)
“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...”
“call on Him as Father” = pater (pat-ayr')
“conduct yourselves with fear” = phobos (fob'-os)
deep reverence, respect, awe,
including abject terror of what could happen without Him“throughout the time of your exile” = paroikia (par-oy-kee'-ah)
foreign or temporary residence (our lives are a vapor)
18-19. “knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways
inherited from your forefathers,
not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ,
like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
“ransomed” = lutroo (loo-tro'-o)
redeemed, set free by payment, bought out of slavery“without blemish or spot” = amomos kai aspilos (am'-o-mos kahee as'-pee-los)
perfect and pure, unquestionably stainless
20. “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world
but was made manifest in the last times for your sake...”
“foreknown” = proginosko (prog-in-oce'-ko)
foreordained (KJV), chosen (NIV), destined (HCSB)“made manifest” = phaneroo (fan-er-o'-o)
revealed (NIV/HCSB) presently and in the future
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.”
“faith” = pistis (pis'-tis)
constant conviction of God's truth“hope” = elpis (el-pece')
confident expectation (not a skeptical wish)
“Having purified your souls by your obedience
to the truth for a sincere brotherly love,
love one another earnestly from a pure heart...”
“purified” = hagnizo (hag-nid'-zo)
sanctified; ceremonial cleansing“love one another earnestly” = agapao allelon ektenos
(ag-ap-ah'-o al-lay'-lone ek-ten-oce')
fervently and purely demonstrate love together
23. “since you have been born again,
not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding Word of God...”
“imperishable” = aphthartos (af'-thar-tos)
incorruptible, undecaying, immortal“living and abiding” = zao kai meno (dzah'-o kahee men'-o)
“Word of God” = logos theos
24-25. “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.
And this word is the good news that was preached to you."
“word of the Lord” = rhema kurios (hray'-mah koo'-ree-os)
the utterance of our Master, His promise“forever” = eis aion (ice ahee-ohn')
in perpetuity
This text is about holiness.
What does it mean?
How can I be holy?
