Studies in First Peter Part 7
“17If 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; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21who 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” (I Peter 1:17-21).
Peter reminds us again to walk courageously, live confidently, in this present age because we stand on an incredible foundation. The foundation for who we are is built entirely upon the blood of Jesus. “You were not redeemed with perishable things,” means your redemption was not less than perfect. You were not partially cleansed and forgiven. You were redeemed by the “precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”
There is power in the blood because it is precious, unblemished, spotless, and belongs to Christ Himself. And this power was applied to you the minute that you believed the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Christ’s blood carries the power to completely forgive and eternally cleanse you once and for all time.
“But now once at the consummation of the ages Jesus has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself … Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but Jesus, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 9:26, 10:11-12).
You were redeemed “from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers.” The old covenant, inherited from their forefathers, was indeed an exercise in futility. It was overbearing and impossible to keep. But Jesus came to free us from the condemnation of the Law, to free us from that “futile way of life.”
Christ “appeared for the sake of you,” yes, you! He came for you! He died for you! And “through Him we are believers in God.” We believe that God “raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory.” This confirmation that Jesus died in our place, His blood completely cleansed us, and He rose from the dead brings reality to our “faith and hope.”
Our faith and hope are not in some kind of wishful thinking. Our faith and hope are not based on a fairy tale. Our faith and hope are based on an historic fact. Christ came, He died, and He rose again on our behalf by the power of God. “Our faith and hope are in God.”