“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.”-{1 Peter 1:18-19}
The great need of our hearts is to be redeemed from our sin and reconciled to God and this Peter points out happens exclusively through the Blood of Christ! The word “redeemed” means “to be set free by a ransom paid. The noun form means a ransom. It’s a technical term for a price paid to buy back somebody headed for judgment, to buy back particularly a prisoner of war or to buy a slave’s freedom.“-{MacArthur}.
What do we need to be Redeemed from?
SIN. We were born into a life where our nature is sin centered, controlled and we need deliverance from the penalty, power of sin.
Peter says, “… As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,”-{v 14}
Sins, which he characterizes as…
1.- “LUSTS.”
…which speaks of strong desires of the heart for what is evil, what is wrong. We are morally sinful- all of us, without exception. When we hear the word “lusts” people may be inclined to think it refers to ‘sexual sin’ only. And therefore it does not refer to them. But the word “lusts” speak of the bent of the heart to crave, desire evil and do wrong be it “acceptable sins” such as gossip, the lusts to be the “main” person and will do anything to have that position even if it is just in a conversation the sinful desire, just to put people in their place, to sinfully boast, the “lust” to lash out at people verbally, bitterness arising from an unrepentant, unforgiving heart. The “lusts” for possessions to have ‘identity” to be ”greater” than others, the pride of life the “lusts of the eyes.”
These “sinful lusts” manifest themselves in various ways, whether self-seeking “lusts” including towards wealth, power, pleasure, but always it is the revelation of a morally corrupt, sin sick controlled lustful person! We need to be redeemed from such!
You can dress a pig up but its still a pig and is at home rolling around in the mud. You can “educate” a sinner and he or she may be valued, praised in society but they are still at the core of their being a sinner, hopelessly bound by sin and they gravitate back toward the bent of their nature namely, various “lusts,”strong desires of the heart for what is evil.
The “lusts” to lie, to selfishly gain, the craving for what is evil. The strong sinful emotions towards self gratification and the pull of sin and the yielding and pursuit of sin for selfish gain.
We are morally corrupt- all of us without exception.
It can come forth in various vicious immoral ways and it can come forth in what is acceptable. The lust for power, possessions, to be achieved at any cost, no matter how it is gained or who has to be walked over in order to look out for and to be number one! People will be religious, but will not submit to Jesus Christ because they “lust” for control of their own life, they do not want to submit and give up control of one’s own life. Such is the power of “lusts’ it is deceptive it is rebellious, it is sinful! It craves what God says is evil. Why? Because our hearts are evil. Evil is not something we do but who we are and because we are we do it as it is a reflection of our hearts. “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”-{Jer 17;9}.
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.-{Genesis 6:5}.
“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”- {Matt 15:19}.
“Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward “-{Jer 7:24}
The heart of every problem is the heart!
We all need to be redeemed from such.
2. -“IGNORANCE.”
(agnoia from the a = not + noéō = to perceive, understand) literally it means, “not knowing”. To not have information about, a lack of knowledge, ignorance. Peter uses it at Pentecost when addressing the people, “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.”-{Acts 3;17}. Paul used it when speaking to people about their idolatry. “”having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent.”-{Acts 17;30}. Paul speaks of it in Romans 1:21-“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” In Ephesians 4 :18 we read “darkened (their minds were blinded, perfect tense speaks of the blinding by sin completed in past time having present results) in their understanding, excluded (estranged) from the life of God, because of the ignorance (agnoia = not a term merely of intellect. It denotes an ignorance of divine things, a want of knowledge that is inexcusable and involves moral blindness) that is (deep-seated) in them, because of the hardness of their heart (the insensitiveness of their moral nature).” -{preceptaustin}
It has to do with being sinfully intellectually. We are ignorant of God, His Law, His standards, His Word. We are ignorant, spiritually blind, darkened minds. “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”-{1 Cor 2:14}. “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,” -{Rom 1:28}. We are ignorant of knowing God personally. We may “know” about Him, but not know Him personally! Ignorant. Educated in the ways of the world, perhaps, but ignorant no matter how many degrees you may have behind your name apart from the Holy Spirit living within as the abiding Teacher to lead you into all truth, you are spiritually ignorant of God, a darkened mind due to a dead spiritual heart and in bondage, spiritually blind, under the authority of satan and viewing life as though the one true God does not exist or have any say and if He does exist He is impotent or uncaring to help. He has no relevance. – {Read John 16:13, Eph 2;1-3; 2 Tim 2;25-26}. We all need to be redeemed from such!
The need is to be redeemed from such “lusts,” such “ignorance” to a new life and a new mind that has the ability to know God and to know His Word and be enlightened and empowered to live this new redeemed life.
3. “FUTILE.”
The word “From,” means – out of! Redeemed from Futility of life. This has to do with socially. “…you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, “- {v 18}.
The word “futility” means “empty…groundless…invalid…valueless”. Such is life apart from Christ… empty… valueless… invalid…in regards to eternity. No spiritual relevance or benefit to anyone around us. Absolutely, totally spiritually valueless to society!
It has to do with SOCIAL. Socially contributing nothing to eternal well-being of others around you! And these valueless ways were handed down from our forefathers the passage teaches. Useless, empty, valueless, futile messages passed down through parents, grandparents, great grand-parents that are of no eternal value to society spiritually! What a tragic legacy!! We need to be redeemed from such!
Peter lists sins we need to be specifically redeemed from that affect us MORALLY, INTELLECTUALLY, SOCIALLY! WE CANNOT FREE OURSELVES WE NEED JESUS CHRIST!
Redemption comes exclusively through Jesus Christ and His “Precious Blood” the price. His blood is the evidence of HIS DEATH and though His death all who acknowledge their sin, recognizing their lusts, intellectual, social, bondage in sin. Turning To God and submitting to Jesus Christ.
Sinfully corrupt morally, intellectually, socially is the condition of all human being apart from being redeemed through the precious, powerful and personal blood of Jesus Christ!
4. “…inherited from your forefathers,“ this valueless, empty, invalid life you are living has been passed down from one generation to another all the way to you. It literally means that which is handed or delivered down from one’s father or from ancestors. It is only used in 1 Peter 1;18. Adam handed down a sin nature and it continued and every child is born with a in nature and comes into a home where lusts, intellectual sins rule and habit patterns are passed down to the child and unless the parents are saved these patterns in the child are passed on to the next generation. We are sin carriers imparting sinful ways in how to live life!
Futile, empty, useless traditions and in some cases even religious traditions passed down from one generation to another and it is futile! Peter was of Jewish background and he would have looked down on Gentiles as a useless religion whatever form it took, Religiously corrupt, futile, useless, valueless religion because it is sinful, corrupt because it down not have Jess Christ in His rightful place. But then he would have come to see upon conversion that what he had believed was useless, valueless, empty as it was without the LORD Jesus.
Note the futility of valueless teachings passed down the family line. All tainted by sin and of no eternal value, passed on from one generation to another. Who can break the family bondage? Jesus! “The Precious Blood of Christ”
So we see that the characteristics of sin in this passage of v 14-19 are namely, Morally sinfully- “Lusts.” Intellectually sinful- ” Ignorance.” Socially sinful as it of no eternal benefit and of no good to anyone, therefore “empty,valueless.” And religiously sinful what has been passed down to us through our forefathers… so we are corrupt sinfully in every area of life!
We are controlled by sin and have nothing to offer but sin in trying to deal with spiritual problems. Spiritual slaves trying to tell other spiritual slaves how to be free when they themselves are bound and dead in sin without Hope without God.
We are spiritual prisoners and without the capacity to free ourselves, to turn over a new leaf is still dirty on the other side, we are described as dogs returning to its vomit. Sin masters us, sin manifests itself, sin is moral, intellectual, socially and religiously affected and corrupt by sin. We need redemption, we need a Savior, to save us from ourselves, satan’s hold, God’s wrath we need to be saved from the danger of all three.
How Are We Redeemed?
Redeemed with precious blood, the blood of Christ, the price paid for our life. For us to be set free from the bondage of sin, satan…and the wrath of God! We are released through payment, and that payment the “precious blood of Christ!” His death the cost of our spiritual freedom! “Redeemed” speaks of freeing a prisoner or slave by payment. In Rome there were estimated over six million slaves and so it was big business buying and selling people. If you bought someone to free them it came with a certificate testifying to their deliverance and freedom. And this JESUS did paying the ransom, price with His life. A once for all eternally permanent freedom. “…and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption…For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”-{Heb 9:12, 15} “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”-{Titus 2:14}.
“A missionary in West Africa was trying to convey the meaning of the word redeem in the Bambara language. So he asked his African assistant to express it in his native tongue. “We say,” the assistant replied, “that God took our heads out.” “But how does that explain redemption?” the perplexed missionary asked. The man told him that many years ago some of his ancestors had been captured by slave-traders, chained together, and driven to the seacoast. Each of the prisoners had a heavy iron collar around his neck. As the slaves passed through a village, a chief might notice a friend of his among the captives and offer to pay the slave-traders in gold, ivory, silver, or brass. The prisoner would be redeemed by the payment. His head then would be taken out of his iron collar.”
Jesus Christ alone is the solution, exclusively and this He did through the shedding of His precious blood. His blood is the evidence that He gave up His life in death so that we would not die in our sin as He became sin for us on that cross! “Precious Blood” because it is His Blood, Precious because of the eternal value it holds. precious because it is to be personally embraced applied. His Blood the evidence of His life laid down for us that we may be redeemed from the sinful life and it’s characteristics that Peter mentions in this passage. John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “-{John 1;29}.
Jesus Christ completely, eternally satisfied the justice of God!
FAITH AND HOPE ANCHORED IN GOD.
“For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who 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. “- {v 20-23}
Jesus was known before the foundation of the world. He was raised from the dead and was given glory! He gave up His life entirely,willingly. Why did Jesus do this? “To Bring you to God.”-{v 21}. He did all this to enable us to become children of GOD-{Read John 1;12}. He did this so we could become Christians! How are we Christians? Because it is “…through Him are believers in God.”
“Your Faith and Hope are in God.” The world has faith in self, “be all you can be” Self help books. Positive thinking…. it’s all self… selfishness… sin centered, sin promoting faith in self! Delusional, a faith that has no eternal foundation. That is not built on His Word, is compared to a foolish person building their life on sand!- {Read Matt 7:26-27}. In comparison the believers faith, confidence, reliance is in God. His Word and is compared to a wise man and built his foundation of life upon the rock which is the Word of God!-{Matt 7:24-25} is a solid foundation to build one’s life upon
They have “Hope” in self, in this world’s value system and it is a false hope. It is the hope of a gambler. The “hope” of chance. Where as the believers Hope is the “hope” of certainty in God, His Word, His Promises. The hope of certainty in the Person of Jesus Christ, His Work, His Word.
This is what Redemption does, it buys us out from the market of slavery and places us into the family of God. It “Brings us to God!” This is salvation and so our faith is in Him and for all eternity and our Hope, certainty is in Him!
This is the good news. Jesus has done it all. HE HAS PAID FOR ALL OUR SIN.
So we must come to the realization that we all have sinned and we must acknowledge to Him our personal sin against Him. That in every area of our life we are in bondage, enslaved to sin. We turn to God and submit to Jesus Christ to be LORD to rule over us and Savior to save us from our personal sin!
Our SIN.We are responsible and we acknowledge morally, intellectually, socially we are owned by sin!… Jesus is our SUBSTITUTE… He gave Himself up and His blood the means to redeem us. Our responsibility is to SUBMIT to God and receive from Him full salvation, forgiveness, new power to follow HIM and a heart to do so-{Read Phil 2:13- 2 Peter 1:3-4}.
Praise God for the “precious blood” of Christ. The powerful blood of Christ which is the manifestation of His Life been given up in death to satisfy the Justice of God completely, eternally and as a result we do benefit spiritually!
“For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who 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.”
So we are redeemed from the penalty and power of Sin. Morally and Intellectual sin that corrupts and offends God, socially empty in regards helping others towards God, futile, and that passed down from former generations is valueless in regards eternal worth. Sin has corrupted, controlled every area of our lives, “BUT GOD…”sent His Son and through Him we have been…
Redeemed morally, intellectually, socially and for our sake through Jesus Christ…we are believers in God…our Faith is in God…our Hope is in God!
Redeemed through the precious Blood of Christ!!
“Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.”- {Frances Crosby}