If you had to make a list for your homeowners or apartment insurance of what you considered valuable or precious, what would you put on that list? Probably any expensive jewelry you might have. If you had some special collection of items or antiques, they might go on the list. Perhaps important documents. The reason we insure these items is because they can be destroyed or stolen. If a fire, flood, tornado, or hurricane happens, they are likely gone or ruined. Or if a thief breaks into your house, they will be stolen. If there is an economic collapse, your possessions might end up losing value, and the insurance is useless. Their worth is gone or lost. What about something which is worth far more than anything we insure, something that can never lose its value or be lost or destroyed? Our Scripture today speaks of something that is the most precious thing in all of the universe for believers, something that will never lose its value, that we can never lose, nor can it be taken from us, and because of that, how we should respond. Let’s look into God’s Word.
The Apostle Peter wrote his two epistles to believers who had been scattered from their homes and neighborhoods, and were suffering persecution for their faith. He wanted to strengthen their identity in Christ, and to call them to holy living while they remain in a hostile world. As our Scripture begins, Peter was reminding these believers to continue to live in reverent fear of the Lord. He is not only their Father, but He is also the impartial Judge (vs. 17). When we are saved, we do obtain an intimacy with God that the unsaved do not have, but that should not mean that we treat Him with casualness. He will judge each believer’s works with fairness. This isn’t works that one might do to be saved, as works don’t and can’t save us, but speaks of works for the Lord that we do out of love for Him after salvation. This fear Peter speaks of is not terror of losing our salvation, but is a sober awareness that God sees, knows, and evaluates our conduct.
Peter then reminded his readers, and us as well, of the cost of our redemption (vs. 18-19). Because of our sins, we were all destined to an eternity in hell, and there was no amount of earthly wealth that could purchase our salvation. However, the Precious Blood of Jesus did just that. It was the highest possible price, as Jesus is the perfect, sinless sacrifice. Our redemption is substitutionary, blood-based, and rooted in Jesus’ sinlessness. It didn’t cost us anything, but it cost Jesus the shedding of His life-blood.
Again, we consider what we think of as precious. When it comes to our Christian faith, often people think of grace, forgiveness, and God’s love. However, with our sanitized Christian culture today, we don’t speak much of the Blood of Jesus. Yet His Blood is the only basis for our salvation. What do you have if you remove the blood from a body? You just have a lifeless corpse. The same is true of the Bible. Scripture would be no more than historical literature if we edited all of the "unpleasant" parts regarding the blood sacrifice, Jesus dying on the cross, or the power of His Blood.
As we continue to read, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was foreordained before creation (vs. 20). The cross was not an accident. It wasn’t that the religious leaders in Jerusalem somehow got the upper hand and crucified Jesus, taking God by surprise, and then He had to resort to Plan B, by raising Him from the dead. No, this was God’s eternal plan from the start. Jesus came to earth for the sole purpose of dying for our sins.
Peter continued by explaining that our faith and hope in God comes through the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 21). He is the Mediator through whom we come to God. The resurrection of Jesus validates that His death was adequate and sufficient for our salvation. We can have confidence in God’s completed work. Knowing the price that was paid for our salvation, Peter closes this segment of Scripture by admonishing us to obey the Gospel, applying God’s Word to our heart (vs. 22-23).
As we look back over this Scripture passage, let us remember the cost of our redemption, and let it shape our choices in life. The Blood of the Lord Jesus is too precious for us to live carelessly. God sees every motive and action, so let us pursue holiness with reverent fear. And let us stay rooted in the Bible, God’s Word. Our new life came through the Word, and our growth depends on it.
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