1 Pet 1:22 1:22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. One thought:   1 Peter 2:1 helps us see what sincere love looks like. I need to love – not because of what it gain me, but because I have been loved and God desires a holy, pure love in me towards others. Three questions:   Notice the relationship between 1:2 & 1:22? He has purified us and we have purified ourselves by obeying the truth. God’s sovereignty and our responsibility – always.   How are you going at loving others deeply?   Pray that God would help you love others ...

1 Pet 1:20–21 1:20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. One thought: The phrase ‘It’s all about Christ’ is not a cliche. It’s the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Like a telescope – through Him we see the glory and hope we have in God. Three questions:   What do you think it means that Jesus was chosen before the creation of the world?   Christ is glorious in His work of revealing the hope of ...

1 Pet 1:18–19 1:18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. One thought:   The more we see that outside of Christ, we would be slaves to sin and living an empty way of life, the more we will see how precious redemption is Three questions:   What is the background to the idea of redemption (https://www.gotquestions.org/redemption.html)   Do you know that outside of Christ, life is empty? Do you believe it?   Take a moment to give thanks for the blood of Christ Prayer:   Give ...

1 Pet 1:17 1:17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence. One thought:   We are saved from God’s ultimate judgement but like all fathers, God cares about the life and work of His children because it reflects on Him. Three questions:   How does the previous verse (v16) help us understand how God will judge our work?   How do you react to the idea of God as a judge?   What is one thing you could do that would please your Father more this week? Prayer:   Give thanks that we are saved from ultimate judgement by the ...

1 Pet 1:14–16 1:14 Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, 15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.” One thought:   It’s become uncool to want to be like our parents. But as Christians we have a heavenly Father whose character is exactly what we want to grow up to be like! Three questions:   In this context, Peter’s use of the word ‘Holy’ points to God’s ethical purity and perfection rather than His ‘set apartness’.   Do you grieve sin? Do you hate it?   Take ...

1 Pet 1:13 1:13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. One thought: To be sober is to see things clearly. We need to see through the murky darkness of the world, the sunrise that awaits in the return of the King. Three questions:   What might cloud our vision, making us not sober and therefore struggle to set our hope completely on future grace?   How do you feel about Christ’s return? Excited? Scared? Apathetic?   Take a moment to reflect on Christ’s return – what if it was next year? Prayer: Give thanks for the ...

1 Pet 1:10–12   1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory. 12 They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of. One thought:   The gospel is not only the ‘good news’ – it is the greatest story ever told. Tragedy, twists and ...