Living in the Aftermath of a Ransoming

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the 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. 

1 Peter 1:17-21

So how are we to respond to 1 Peter 1:17-21?

God is a Father, and our Father stands as an impartial judge for us. For Christians, our judgment falls on Jesus. For those who are not Christians, judgment falls on their heads. But our loving Father does not want us to be separated from Him. He ransomed us with Jesus, a precious lamb who took our place. This ransoming was planned before the world was even created, before the first breath was breathed or the first ray of sunlight hit the cold earth. When we call on God as our Father and ask Him to be the ruler of our lives we are saved. We are brought out of that dark dungeon of hopelessness, despair and judgment into the glorious light of Christ. It is by faith in Jesus that we are justified before God and made righteous (Ro 3:22, 5:1).

We are holy the moment we become Christ followers. We also grow in holiness as the Holy Spirit refines us and changes us to be more like Christ. Corrie ten Boom states:

“I believe that an important part of becoming holy is that we need to understand and accept that our sins are forgiven. We often do believe it theologically and theoretically, but it isn’t always a reality… We need to also ask for forgiveness, and then believe we are forgiven. And then we need to turn away from sin, in the power of the Lord. Turning your back on sin is part of becoming holy…. It is God’s will to make us holy, but do you love sin too much to turn your back on it?” (I Stand at the Door and Knock, 2008, pg 40-41)

That is such a challenging question. “Do you love sin too much to turn your back on it?” Speaking on 1 Peter 1:17-19, Corrie ten Boom later states,

Really, holiness is a serious business. We are bought with the blood of Christ. We are bought at a very high price. Christians behave as if they belong to themselves, but don’t forget that you lost all your rights at Golgotha. Every inch of us was paid for. Jesus paid the price… If you and I do not give ourselves entirely to the Lord, we do not give Him the value He has paid for us on the cross. We were bought at a very high price. That cross was horrendous. It was an extremely high price to pay for you and me. (48, 49)

Are you willing to be forgiven and to forgive? Forgiveness really is a supernatural work of God. It is a hard thing to accept, and it is a harder thing to give. As God forgave us we are to forgive (Eph 4:32). “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared” (Ps 1303-4).

Are you willing to surrender fully to God? God has a gracious memory. The same God who said “let there be light” says you are righteous. Everything he says is true. Nothing he says fails to happen. Do not think your life or your sin can trump the massive obedience of Christ. If God says he will transform you, he will transform you.

Are you willing to respond? We are God’s masterpiece, and we are created with specific intention (Eph 2:10). God gives us things to do that make us feel alive and let us experience Him in new ways. He gives us people to love, people to provide for, to encourage. A pastor once said, “A clear mission without action is a dream… God won’t call you to something without giving you the provision to walk with Him… God honors action because it is the life behind your faith.” (Substance Church, Leaving a Mark) God is not going to call you to do something without giving you the desire to do it. I have experienced this on many occasions. I do not always want to do what I feel God asking of me. I have to surrender my control to Him and I find He gives me a desire for the task. I find joy in it and can’t believe I ever felt otherwise.

God is such a loving and good God. Are you unsure how to respond? Run to Him. He loves to hold us in His arms and sing softly over us, comforting us and guiding us (Isa 40:11-12, Ps 23, Zeph 3:17). Even when I am not faithful, He remains faithful and trustworthy (2 Ti 2:13). He gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pe 1:3). He makes us stand strong in Christ, so lean on Him and not your own understanding (2 Co 1:21-22, Prov 3:5).