Be Holy
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1 Peter 1:13-23
13. Therefore gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15. but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16. since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17. And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. 18. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19. but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. 21. Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. 23. You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God
My NIV translation of v17 says, “Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your life as strangers here in reverent fear.” I work with a woman whose family fled Iran during the last war in that part of the world. Her father still barely speaks English. She works two jobs because her parents have still not adapted to our language and to our way of life, and she helps support them. She is the caretaker. When I think of reverent fear I think of her parents. They were quite wealthy in Iran. I don’t remember if she ever told me what her father did – a government job I think. But they feared for their lives so they came to America and left everything behind. They have a reverent fear for the freedoms America offers. Her dad just recently relented and has begun using a cell phone so she can keep track of his adventures in the car! (That’s a tale for another day!) They are grateful for their freedom. They love America. They have a reverent fear of the potential and for the possibilities America offers them and their family. (They have seen first hand what can happen when power is abused.)
That’s what Peter is telling us to do. Leave behind everything, absolutely everything of worldly value and seek after only the imperishable word of the living God. There’s that word “abiding” again! “the living and abiding word of God.” We are to live in reverent fear of the salvation won for us. We are to be ever in awe of the loving and gracious God who planned for our salvation eons before He even spoke the first stars into being! We are to live as aliens – set apart from a world that honors wealth and power and corruption and greed. Our fear is of retribution for living as one conformed to the world.
Aliens love their new country, where they find refuge, safety, security and freedom. Peter is telling us that it’s okay to live in the world – but we must be careful, deliberate, and yes, fearful, when making decisions about in what and in whom we seek our refuge, safety, security and freedom. There is only ONE source of all of those. The risen Christ has already been revealed to us! He is our role model and perfect example. He is our savior and He is the source of all we need to live.
I hope you spend your day in fearful awe and wonder at the sacrifice of Christ. And that you spend your life living as a stranger in this world.
Mary
