Salvation Ready to Be Revealed

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Peter 1:1-2 ESV)

The elect are all of us chosen by God out of the world and out of our lives of sin to now serve Jesus Christ with our lives in walks of righteousness and holiness, and in obedience to his commands. We are all those who are chosen by God for the rendering of special service to him, i.e. the chosen of God to die with him to sin and to live to him and to his righteousness, by the grace of God, as persuaded of God for faith in him. We are those God foreknew who he also predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.

We are all who are chosen of God to be sanctified of the Spirit. And sanctification is the process of making or becoming holy, set apart. And it is the process of advancing in holiness with the believer being progressively transformed by the Lord to his likeness. And holy means to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. And this is for obedience to Christ. As Christ’s followers we must die to sin and now walk in obedience to his commands.

[Jer 1:1-19; Psalms 139:13-16; Acts 26:18; Rom 1:6-7,18-23; Rom 6:15-21; Rom 8:28-29; 1 Co 1:9; 1 Co 12:1-31; Gal 5:13; Eph 1:3-4; 1 Thess 4:1-8; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 10:26-31; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Pet 2:9; 2 Pet 1:3] 

And the grace of God is what sent Jesus Christ to that cross to die for our sins. For he who knew no sin became sin for us on that cross in order to put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we might die with him to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And it is God’s grace which is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this life.

God’s grace to us is not free license to continue living in sin while claiming Jesus as Lord and while claiming heaven as our eternal destiny. And the faith to believe in Jesus is not of our own doing, so we don’t get to determine what that faith looks like. God does. His word does. And Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our sins, and we don’t obey our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with him.

[1 Pet 2:24; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; Rom 6:1-23; Tit 2:11-14; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 2:8-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to 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. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV)

Now, we need to read vv. 3-9 in the context of vv. 1-2. For these words are for those who, by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, according to the foreknowledge of God in him choosing us for salvation, have been crucified with Christ in death to sin and who are now, by the grace of God, walking in holiness and in righteousness in walks of surrender to God and in obedience to his commands, as our practice. We are living as those whom God has set apart from the world so that we can become like Jesus.

Now this does not mean that we are living with absolute perfection in every way. We still have the propensity to sin, we may still be tempted to sin, on occasion, and although we are no longer to sin against the Lord, we might sin sometimes (1 John 2:1-2), but not deliberately and habitually. Sin is to no longer be our practice, for if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, then we don’t have salvation from sin, and we don’t have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God. So we need to take that seriously.

Notice with me how salvation is described here as something ready to be revealed in the last time. For the Scriptures do not teach that we can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now heaven is secured us regardless of how we live. And then notice the references to the testing of the genuiness of our faith that it may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (when he returns). And notice how our actions are involved in us obtaining the outcome of our faith.

And what is that outcome? The salvation of our souls. And this is not speaking in terms of making a profession of faith and now we are saved, done deal. The bible teaches progressive salvation, that we are saved (past), we are being saved (present), and that we will be saved (future) when Jesus returns and he takes his faithful ones to be with him for eternity. That is when our salvation will be complete. But all this is provided that we do not make sin our practice, but that obedience to God is what we practice.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 8:24; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Jn 8:31-32; Jn 15:1-12; Rom 11:17-24; Col 1:21-23; 2 Tim 2:10-13; Heb 3:6,14-15; 2 Pet 1:5-11; 2 Pet 2:20-22; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

A Believer’s Prayer 

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray 

To be Yours, and Yours always.

Lead me in Your truth today.

May I love You, and obey.

Lead me in Your righteousness.

When I sin, may I confess;

Bow before You when I pray;

Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.

Life with You will never end.

You are with me through each day,

Giving love and peace always.

You will ne’er abandon me.

From my sin You set me free.

You died on that cruel tree,

So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;

From this world to set me free;

Live with You eternally.

Oh, what joy that brings to me.

I will walk with You in white;

A pure bride, I’ve been made right

By the blood of Jesus Christ;

Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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