"18 For
you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you
were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect" 1 Peter 1:18-19.
These
familiar verses are a part of Peter's first letter, a letter written to those
described as exiles scattered throughout various regions. The terminology used here indicates the
recipients of the letter were people who had suffered because of their faith,
they had encountered mistreatment and perhaps in some cases punishment because
they chose to belong to the Lord.
The
first segment of Peter's letter reminds Christians how blessed they are to have
such a strong hope, and Peter uses some power language to show them their
importance to God. He mentions their new
birth, and the spiritual inheritance that belongs to them, and the protection
provided by the power of God. All of
these terms describing the blessings of faithful Christians, lead into the two
verses printed above. Peter is
emphasizing the point that their redemption source isn't found in earthly
things.
Notice
first, they are told they weren't redeemed by perishable things like silver or
gold. You would probably fail if you
searched for someone that would say they were depending on their wealth and
possessions to save them. We all know
better. Yet in the actions of some, and
even among the ranks of Christians, their lifestyle is such that they are
showing a complete dependence on their success in their bank accounts, their
fancy homes, cars, boats, prestige, position.......you name it, and they have
probably been successful at it. Simply
because they are, by the standards of our society, extremely successful, there
is a tendency to place all confidence and trust in "things."
Peter
wants them to know none of these things can bring about the redemption of a
single soul. Let's also notice there is
no condemnation of anyone because of wealth or societal position. They simply needed to understand, as do we,
that our salvation can never be tied to these things.
Secondly,
in the words of the next part of the verse, they were told their redemption is
in no way tied to the "empty way of life handed from their
ancestors." That is
actually saying, you cannot be saved on the basis of your traditions. Remember how much the traditions of the
Pharisees were often more important than the written law. We can make the same mistake by holding our traditional
beliefs as more significant than the truth of the gospel.
Here
again Peter makes it clear that no matter how good our traditions may be, and
we all have traditional things which are important to us, but those traditions
are not the source of our eternal life.
Instead
of our dependence on these perishable, temporary things, Peter says our
redemption is on the basis of "the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect."
That's where we find redemption.
Look now at the next two verses, giving more proof of God's power to
save.
"20 He
was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last
times for your sake.
21 Through him you
believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your
faith and hope are in God" 1 Peter
1:20-21.
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