Wednesday: Living the Life of Salvation
Read 1 Peter 1:13-21. According to this passage, what should motivate Christian behavior?
The word therefore, which begins 1 Peter 1:13, NKJV, shows that what Peter will say next grows out of what he had just said. As we saw in yesterday’s study, Peter just had been talking about the grace of God and the hope that Christians have in Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:3-12).
Image ©Review and Herald Publishing Assn. Goodsalt.com
As a result of this grace and hope, Peter urges his readers to “gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Pet. 1:13). That is, as a response to the salvation that they have in Jesus, they must prepare their minds in order to stand firm and be faithful (1 Pet. 1:13).
Read 1 Peter 1:13. What does it mean to rest your hope fully upon the grace revealed in Jesus?
No question, Peter tells them their hope rests only in Jesus. But he then emphasizes that a certain level of behavior is expected from Christians as a consequence of their salvation. He notes three of the great motivations that lie behind Christian behavior: the character of God (1 Pet. 1:15-16), the coming judgment (1 Pet. 1:17), and the cost of redemption (1 Pet. 1:17-21).
The first thing that will motivate Christian behavior is the character of God. This character can be summed up this way: God is holy. Peter quotes from Leviticus 11:44-45 when he says, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). Therefore those who follow Jesus must also be holy (1 Pet. 1:15-17).
A second motivation for Christian behavior is found in the realization that God, who is holy, will judge everyone impartially, according to what each has done (1 Pet. 1:17).
A third motivation arises from the great truth that Christians are redeemed. This means that they have been bought with a price, a very high price: the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:19). Peter emphasizes that the death of Jesus was not an accident of history but something established before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:20).
| What motivates you to be a Christian? What would you answer, and why, if someone asked you, Why are you a Christian? Bring your answers to class on Sabbath. |
(27)
I just watched the video, unfortunately, my phone had a technical problem. It ends me where Pastor Derick said the closing question, also said, Its all about Jesus Peter said. Indeed, Peter acknowledged us from his bitter experience. He meant, Focus your eyes on Jesus Christ your Savior.
I started to be happy, listening to each individual\'s testimony, even when I could not see their presence on the screen, my phone was telling me bye bye. However, I love the contrast subject of the Holiness and love. Love and Holiness are equal. You can\'t be Holy without love, because in 1 Cor: 13, the whole chapter says love is pure, love is kind, love is self-discipline, Ext... Please read the whole chapter when you get a chance. So if love is pure, pureness matches with purification therefore love is already Holy. Also in Tim: 1:7 Timothy talks about love. God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. When someone has self-discipline in Christ\'s path, this specific person does thing right, meaning he/she is close to holiness. We are not perfect. We only can get perfection from Christ. Just Like Peter mentioned, rest on Jesus Christ with grace.
I want to let you know I enjoyed the video. I wish that I had the opportunity to listen all through the end. Today I don\'t really have comments for Wednesday lesson. It seems like all were discussed well. May be for Thursday I would.
Ps: I\'m responding from my laptop. I like to discuss comments on my cell phone. It easier, I take it anywhere with me, and its convenient.
God bless you all sisters and brothers. Also respond to your needs with His compassionate love.
Wednesday lesson is really touching, appealing and commendable message to both Christians and non- Christians.
I like the motivation of our behavior. Most of the times we are motivated by fear of hell instead of our love for GOD. Even preachers magnify hell and make it so hot that a person chooses Christ out of fear, but the greatest motivation for a christian character is the love of God; his justice and redemption as revealed in His character. May we always magnify the character of the Lord before the people so they will be drawn unto Him.
The only doorway to heaven is indeed holiness, without which we're hell-bound. God who called us, is holy and holiness and love is His character, and transcript. But the big question is, what is it that defines holiness?
One of the greatest reasons for me to be a Christian is the fact that I belong to God. In accepting His love and support I can do all things He asks me to do.
His loving forgiveness and care for me have made a deep impression on my mind and heart, changing my motivation for listening to His Spirit and the subsequent 'well doing'.
I find it very interesting that we have the same instruction in OT - book of the law - Leviticus and in 1 Peter -
God says: Be holy/perfect because I am holy/perfect.
This is the essence of the Bible.
Do I believe/agree/acknowledge that God is perfect? Do I also want to be like Him? Unless I answer yes to each of those questions the rest of the Bible will not be relevant to me.
Do you agree with me or not?
The three motivating factors mentioned above are true, but they are also factors that to a sinful heart are a threat. If God's love is every bit as powerful and true, as is his purity and Judgement, they need to be presented together to develop the right motivation. For to be motivate by threats makes a sinner cringe and hide, (like Adam behind a bush). Most people on earth are being motivated by fear of God at this moment. That is why they are shunning Christianity. And to be motivated only by God's forgiving love, like most Christian church's are advocating, to a sinful heart, licenses him to possibly be careless about his sinful actions, reasoning that God is forgiving and will find a way to see him through somehow. The only way to rightly be motivated and attracted to Christianity is by the influence of both, mercy and judgement together at he same time. This is the only way to change from being Jacob, to be becoming Isreal.
When I became a Christian in my teens, it was because my cousin convinced me. I asked Jesus to save me from hell when I die. This is true but thirty years later I came to realize my salvation is every moment while I am alive on this earth. My salvation is secure after death. A friend told me that the gates of Heaven are swung wide open for me and Saint Peter is standing at the gate welcoming me. My response was "That's great after I'm dead but I need help now. In this time and moment. ". That is when I realized my salvation and help. Ones friends help in the lord now in the time of need. When I get to Heaven every thing is perfect.
I'm motivated because I can't bear to hurt my heavenly Father and my precious Savior anymore than I already have. I don't ever want to hurt them again!
God has been so gracious and forgiving in my life, that I cannot help but praise Him every moment for His goodness and mercy! He makes my life joyful, even though I am a bit handicapped from a stroke, and have to walk very slowly all the time -using a cane. He blesses me every day, and I continue to trust Him each day, and thank Him daily many times for His mercy! Even when I have to drive, I turn my life, and my wheel over to Him to direct my path, and hold my wheel! He never fails. Where ever I am, He is, and all is well!
I certainly am human! I am a 93 year old widow who has learned through much sorrow and sin in my life that God does love me, that He has forgiven me , He also has precipitated in my healing from cancer, and led me to follow the diet that He gave to all of us in Gen.!:29 I have so much to be thankful for I cannot but express it!!!
Am motivated to be a Christian because when I look around and see what good and wonderful things God is doing in my life,gives me more and more motivation to be called a Christian .
I was born and raised in a Christian family. My parents were devout Anglicans, I attended a Christian school, all my friends were Christians and I lived in a Christian community. As a result I never deeply examined why I too was a Christian until I attended a Seventh-day Adventist high school at Bethel College where I began to understand what being a Christian really meant. I started to be committed to truth as taught in the Bible. I learnt that “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 24. I came across Bible verses where Jesus claims “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”; “… For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:3. I can confidently say I’m a Christian because I believe the message of the Bible is true and corresponds to what I believe is reality from the account of creation to the imminent return
The moral guidance that the bible gives us and most importantly the truth that is spoken in the bible is my great motivation and reason of why I call myself a christian today.
God is so good to earth's children, especially those of the household faith. My desire is to learn to love Him with a passion.
I want to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to truly love my neighbor as myself. Let us by God's grace endeavor to honor and reverence Him, by telling at least one person each day about the love of our Heavenly Father. Praise Him!
The foundation to Holiness in us is God with us and in us. The hymn \"Not I but CHRIST\" reinforces this reminder in my mind.