“ 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 Peter 1;13}

Peter has been telling them of the Greatness of God and the Greatness of their salvation which He has gifted them! Where up until now He has been stating facts with the word “therefore” comes the change to application and how we are to respond in our relationship to God.

In verse 13 is a command, “fix your hope,” it is the main verb in the verse. “Fully Hope,” It’s a command for every believer to – do this, keep doing this. Note, he says “fix” or “set” your hope.” We are told to live in hope! Hope is to live to expect. Live in anticipation of a future promise!

Live for what God will do.

Faith trusts Him for all He has done and believes Him for the present, while Hope lives in anticipation, expectation of the future, both faith and hope trust Him.

Hope glorifies Him. -{Read Romans 4:20} We were created to glorify Him -{Read Isaiah 43;6-7}. We were to glorify God with our bodies! -{ Read 1 Cor 6; 20 } We are to do all that we do for His glory. -{Read 1 Cor 10:31} and we Hope in Him as it glorifies him when we do!-{Read Rom 4:20-21}.

Note, we are to set our hope not half-heartedly but “Completely,” unreservedly, total commitment, a definite defined commitment. We are to set our “hope,” unreservedly, wholly, completely, definitely in God;s grace. He deserves that, after what He has done for us, the magnificent SALVATION He has provided for us and now He calls us, commands us to set, fix our hope in His coming Grace, unreservedly, completely.

Note what we are to set, fix our hope  completely in “…THE GRACE to be brought OR is being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  The way it is written is “The Grace that is being brought to you.”

“…present-tense verb “is being brought.” It could be seen as a future by implication because often the Greeks when they wanted to say something in the future  was so certain that it would surely come to pass they said it in the present as if it was already happening.  And that’s kind of the idea here.  It’s on the way already. You can believe God for it. So we’re to believe God for the future grace to be granted when Jesus comes for us, that is, the grace of our full salvation.  That’s such a good perspective to have. Just keep looking for grace, more grace, and the fullness of grace when the Lord gives us the inheritance that He has promised us and that gives all the glory to God.”-{John MacArthur}

Did you deserve to be saved? Did you earn it? Did you work for it? No, it was all of Grace, God’s kind, undeserved, unmerited act towards you. His Gift.”For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.“-{Eph 2:8-9}. His Grace in sending His Son to die for us so that we would not die in our sins. His grace of full forgiveness for us. His Grace of adopting us into His family. His Grace of sending the Holy Spirit to indwell us and be our Teacher to guide us into all truth.-{John 16;13}. His Grace to redeem us from our futile way of living. His Grace to give us a new power to live. -{2 Peter 1;3-4}. His Grace sufficient for us in our trials. -{2 Cor 12:9}. His grace to strengthen us to serve. -{2 Tim 2:1}. His Grace, undeserved favor, kindness lavished upon us so that now before Him we stand in grace, in the favor of God for all eternity as His Beloved children.-{Read Romans 5:2; 1:7}.

And when we see Him  and receive from Him our inheritance and experience full salvation in glorification, it will all be of …Grace! His initiation, His gift, His undeserved favor, His impeccable, eternal kindness. His generosity based solely on the work of the LORD Jesus, His perfection, not mine or yours for we will know of our failures, imperfection, sin, “But God…” extends HIS Grace in our salvation and glorification. We set our hope on His future provision of His second coming and being with Him and it will be all because of His GRACE! We do not deserve it, we will not have earned it by some great feat, or “perfection” on our behalf. But by His Grace we will have our bodies redeemed and receive new bodies raised imperishable, in honor, powerful, spiritual, equipped to live with Him forever!-{Read 1 Cor 15;42-45} .

Set your hope in the grace that is coming to you with His second coming that you will spend eternity with Him. “ Now to Him who is able…, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,”-{Jude v 24}. His delight to have you there and that not with any sin, condemnation but “blameless… faultless…” and He presents you not with Great reluctance, Great apathy, Great indifference, Great disgust, but look what He says,”…with GREAT…JOY.” His delight you are there and He He makes you, enable’s you to stand in the presence of Pure and perfect Holiness of His Glory. You will be fitted by Him to be able to stand so, because of His …GRACE! He saved us by Grace, He sustains us by Grace -{Read 2 Cor 12:9; Phil 1:6} and we will be presented in glory all as as  a result of His GRACE. And that represents the Glorification when our salvation is completed and we see and be with Him for all eternity. And this is all a result of God’s Graciousness to receive. “…an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,  who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.“-{ 1 Peter 1;4-5}.

Hope in His future promise of the Grace that is to be brought to us at the return of Jesus Christ! Jesus is returning and we are to set our hope on the grace that He is bringing for His people!

During my time confined to bed for over 19 months with an incurable and very very painful muscle disease, our second youngest son was so excited and for several days in a row would come into my room and stand beside my bed and declare, “Five days until my birthday.” The next day he would do the same,”Four days until my birthday… and would proceed daily.. three days… two days… one day…” He was looking forward in hope, anticipation of what was coming, his birthday! We have SOMEONE to look forward to. We set, fix our Hope completely, continually on the GRACE that is to brought to us…! On His Promise, of His second coming and on the GRACIOUSNESS of God that makes it all happen!

 HOW DO YOU SET YOUR HOPE COMPLETELY ON GRACE?

IT IS A COMMAND. CONTINUALLY LIVE IN HOPE.

The main verb is “Set,fix your hope.”  There are two participles, in the Greek always modify the main verb. They come at the start of the verse, “Gird your minds for action and keep sober.” That’s how we fix our hope as believers.

TWO WAYS we do so

1.” Therefore, prepare{Gird} your minds for action,… “ 

Prepare or as one translation says “Gird,” which was used of  to tie something that was loose. In those days men wore long garments and when they wanted to move quickly they would  pull up the garment in their belt so they had freedom for their legs to stretch as they ran and not be tripped up by the long robe. So we are to remove anything that impedes our mind from thinking clearly on eternal realities and in this case the hope of the grace to come. There is nothing here on this earth to keep us so we are ready to go be with Him

When God was telling His people to get ready to leave Egypt He told them, “Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste– it is the LORD’S Passover. “- {Exodus 12:11}. Note, they were to be ready, they were leaving He had promised, and they were to be ready to go! Nothing to hold them back.

He is saying, think right, get your priorities straight, live in light of the second coming of The Lord Jesus. Live in light of eternity. Live in hope of the grace that is being brought to you. And we know of this from His Word – The Truth!

CONTROL WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT, the things you choose to set your mind on to dwell, mediate upon.

Do not be entangled with the affairs of this world, as though this is your end, you are on assignment from God.-{Phil 1;16} Be about His business fixing your hope, the certainty of Christ’s return and the grace that is to be brought to you when He returns or you see Him…and all the inheritance that is yours because of His GRACE.

Don’t let your thoughts, affections, decisions be distracted, dampened, deviated by this worlds system, desires and allurements, to turn aside from The LORD and living for His Kingdom in this world. It is settling down living like you did before you knew Him! “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. “-{Col 3:2}. Live in light of eternity. Think on the grace that is to be brought about when Jesus returns. Let this motivate you as you live on this earth.

2. “…keep sober in spirit, “ “Keep sober,” is the second participle.

“Sober” {Nph} it means literally not to get drunk. Metaphorically it means not to be intoxicated by the world. Sober minded speaks of spiritual self control, clarity of mind, spiritual steadfastness, to be disciplined of mind, heart and not intoxicated with the various temptation of this world’s system, value system.

Being drunk distorts thinking, dampens the senses, and reality. It is not go be in control but under control of a substance  so that there is a lack of mental clarity. It is destructive!

Be Sober speaks of spiritual alertness and to see things through the lens of truth and therefore being able to evaluate things clearly and the mind is not numbed, dazed, nor intoxicated with the world’s value system. It implies alertness, and evaluating things correctly, because you see clearly, and your mind isn’t numb with intoxicating influences.

Be free from everything that seeks to cause you to lose mental and spiritual loss of self control and instead to exercise self control. A life of discipline! It speaks of the life being discipline in mind and heart. Live a disciplined life. You are a purchased possession-{1 Cor 6:20.}. For His glory!

They both mean to  gather up your thoughts and control your thinking, live in light of the return of Christ and the grace that is to be brought with you and a disciplined life that is not permeated, controlled, intoxicated by this world’s value system that lives as though Jesus Christ has not come and is not coming… do not fall into the trap.

WHEN my twins were about two years old we lived in the countryside and the nights were pitch black due to the lack of light. One cold evening I arrived home with them and one by one carried them into the house. I carried our little boy first and the stars that night were beautiful. I put my hand under his chin and said, “Look at the stars King Jesus has made.” He lifted his eyes to the heavens and said, “Wow, wow, wow!” I left him inside in the warmth.I went and got his sister and as I carried her I said to her also,”Look at the stars King Jesus has made.” She never looked up. So I gently put my hand under her chin and tried to get her to look up. But she would not look up and missed the stars. There was no “wow” from her lips because she never beheld the wonder of the stars in the sky!

Have you lost the wonder of the Grace of God towards you? As this world and all its allurements, offers, callings and values caused you to fail to think on His return and the grace that is being brought to you of s future inheritance? No “wow” from your lips because no beholding the wonder of His Grace! Grace has lost the wonder to you. Consider how sweet and wonderful, awe inspiring it was to you when you first tasted it in salvation. What happened? ‘Life?’ School, work, buying a car, a house, where to live, bills to pay, a career to pursue, long hours of work expected of you so as you can ‘get ahead.’ Such is what has dampened your enthusiasm for Him, His Grace to come!

Time to gird up your mind. Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ! Guard your thought life. Choose what you will think of. How? Saturate your mind with the Word of God. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY…”-{Col 3:16}

Be Sober, do not be intoxicated with this world system. Be self disciplined.

How can you live today with a fixed hope?

Get your mind thinking on truth and be guided by it.And the promise of His coming and the Grace that is to be brought to you.

Hope Fully In The Grace to come, do not let your mind be drunk, intoxicated with this world!

Don’t allow the world to entice you to drink in it’s value system. Sober up, keep from being intoxicated by the world instead stay mentally and spiritually alert.

“Fix, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ!”