“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”1
Okay, here’s the deal, Christians: reality is utterly different than the majority of people around us realize.
We have come to understand that everything we see is governed by a personal and holy God, a God whom we all have deeply offended by our sin. But God in his love for us has provided a savior by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. Because we have accepted God’s offer of forgiveness by placing our trust in His Son, we have been born again and are God’s children. And because Jesus rose from the dead, he will come again to establish his kingdom on earth.
Given this new understanding of reality, Peter writes in 1 Peter 1 that now it’s time for us to think all of this through and act upon it; to draw out the things we believe to their logical conclusions.
For example, there’s this thing called lust. We all have it and it leads to unholy and destructive behavior. Therefore, if what we believe is true, then Peter tells us:
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.‘”2
Something else to think about and act upon is the reality of our coming judgment. Everyone will be judged by God according to their works. Sadly, though, we know that no one can merit heaven with their works. But as Christians we know that because Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sinful works, we will be judged only for works that merit a reward. So the logical conclusion for the thinking Christian, Peter writes, is:
“If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”3
So far, the logical conclusions of our faith have been fairly negative: don’t indulge your lusts and fear the One who judges all the earth. But now Peter turns to a third logical conclusion for us to think about and act on, only this one is very positive:
“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.“4
The thinking Christian who takes action based on what he believes will sincerely and fervently love the brethren. Notice here that Peter is not simply talking about loving our spouse and children, although they are certainly included. Rather, Peter is talking about the entire church.
The ultimate logical result for the Christian who takes action based on what he believes is that he loves his fellow believers extremely well.
Now that is something to think about.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
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