Peter is now challenging his readers to think rather than place their minds on "cruise control." A problem plaguing people in every age is this: people conclude that all understanding has occurred--"all we need to do is follow the thinking of those before us." Thus, they transform salvation in Jesus Christ into a "form" from their familiar past. If Peter's letter is to Jewish Christians, they interpreted salvation in Jesus Christ from the perspective of patterns and traditional procedures in Judaism. If it was to gentile Christians, they transformed salvation in Jesus Christ into forms and rituals of the type of idolatry they practiced. To use our words, "religion was religion--this new religion is just based in Jesus Christ."
Peter said, "No! That is not a correct assumption!" Note the things Peter had already stressed: (1) He called their attention to the fact the sacrifice was different (1:2). God sacrificed for the people instead of the people sacrificing for the deity. (2) God gave the gifts to people rather than people giving gifts to God (1:3-5). As an expression of His mercy, He gave them a living hope, an indestructible inheritance, and divine protection. (3) God paid an unbelievable price to make this happen (1:17-21). (4) Those humans closest to God knew He planned to do something incredible (1:10-12).
Their appropriate response was (1) to believe what God did through Jesus Christ (1:7-9) and (2) be as serious in serving God as God was serious about providing them salvation in Jesus Christ (1:13, 14). Their obedience would not be a "going through the motions so we can belong" type of obedience. It would be an obedience that recognized and rejoiced in the uniqueness of this new form of salvation. It would be an obedience that appreciated God's holiness and God's sacrificial nature.
For some time, there has been a tendency to separate 'the truth' from Jesus Christ. That separation exists to (1) increase our comfort level and (2) distinguish us from other religious movements that appeal to Jesus Christ. The reasoning seems to be this: (1) we are unique because of what we believe. We believe 'the truth'--so it is our theological forms that make us religiously unique. (2) Anyone can believe Jesus is Lord. Such belief takes neither great insight nor understanding. To say Jesus is Lord means little today. (3) Therefore, 'what' you believe is more important than 'who' you believe in. Followed to its end conclusion, believing 'the truth' is more important than believing in 'the Savior.' Thus the truth and the Savior do not have to agree.
The point is not that what one believes is unimportant. The point is that Christians must place their confidence in Jesus Christ through an understanding acceptance of what God did through him. There is a significant effort in Bible writers to create an unbreakable bond between Jesus and truth. Consider the gospel of John. Speaking of Jesus, the Word became flesh and lived among people, full of truth (1:14). Truth was 'realized' in (NASV) ['came by or through'--KJV, RSV, TEV, NIV, JB, NEB] Jesus (1:17). The person who practices truth comes to Jesus in order to make it evident that his actions are from God (3:21). Jesus heard the truth from God (8:40). With believing Jews, He associated discipleship, truth, and freedom with existing in him--and those people were offended (8:31-33). The night Jesus was arrested, he said he was the truth (14:6). That same night he said people who belong to truth listen to him (18:37).
Paul affirmed truth was in Jesus (Ephesians 4:21).
Divine truth does not exist apart from Jesus, and Jesus is the manifestation of divine truth. Thus an action or concept that is not in keeping with Jesus' character or words is not divine truth. That which is in keeping with Jesus' character and words is divine truth. When Christians look for truth, they begin with Jesus, and they never separate truth and Jesus. The truth that results in obedient salvation is not something that can be separated from Jesus Christ. In that understanding is comfort, and in it is fear--comfort when our practices are compatible with Jesus, fear when our practices are not.
Peter wanted his readers to understand the uniqueness of salvation in Jesus Christ. What was the result of being 'born again' from a conception occurring from a divine process? What was the result of knowing that the physical was like the temporary grass and its flowers? What was the result of understanding that the salvation at work in them was eternal? What was the result of having Jesus Christ proclaimed to them?
The result was this incredible bond that existed between all who were born again in Jesus Christ. The result was a love that linked such believers that was sincere, fervent, and from the heart. The result of the purification produced by obedience to the truth expressed itself in a love between those in Christ that was not seen in other human relationships.
How unique this salvation is! Rather than honoring the God who made the salvation possible, it honors those remade in God's image (a second time!) with this uncommon love. Christians are to treat Christians with a form of caring not witnessed in any other human-to-human relationship. They learn that form of caring from Jesus Christ. He taught Christians how to care for each other through the sacrificial gift of his life! He did not die for perfect people, but for people in desperate need. Christians do not love each other because 'they have it all together.' They love each other because they are committed to allowing Jesus Christ to teach them what 'having it together' in God means.
Peter said the uniqueness of salvation in Jesus Christ is expressed in Christian-to-Christian caring for each other. This uniqueness is not dependent on perfection or agreement, but on being in Jesus Christ.
Incredibly, people are that important to God.
For Thought and Discussion:
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 3