Strangers in the world; at home in heaven

 

"who are protected by the power of God" God does not promise to protect us physically, in fact, Jesus said: "blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake". But having made peace with the redeemed through the blood, he promises to keep our hearts and minds protected through troubles into which we are led. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Phil 4:7 "through faith" God's peace is realized by those who are keeping the word of faith---trusting and obeying. His word is the place where our hearts and minds are kept in peace. It is the cleft of the rock in which our hearts take refuge. The practical application is shown in passages that describe the word as our multifaceted spiritual armor (Eph. 6:10-18)

“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”.. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury..And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego..and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” Dan 3:18-21 [Many see this as foreshadowing future trials of Israel. But it also instructs us that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution"(2Tim.3:12)] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied .."Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?..I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” [In the middle of trials, the Lord protects those who are following Him]

 

"In this you greatly rejoice"
We are to follow Jesus who endured the cross for the joy of His inheritance that was set before Him.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;  Heb 12:2-4 [Jesus tells believers to pick up our cross. For Jesus that was a literal cross. For the rest of us it means to follow the leading of Jesus, not the world with it's lusts, including trusting Him while looking past the trials we go through]

 

"even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials"
We are branches of the Vine. The Father is the farmer who uses various means to prune us so that we bear fruit. He does so as a father who disciplines a son out of love.

and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM. FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? Heb 12:5-9

 

"so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire"
God allows trials so that our faith might adhere more strongly to God's word. This enables the Holy Spirit to transform us into Christ likeness.

For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Heb. 12:10-11  [holiness is the absence of sin (it is where God's word isn't---missing the mark of God's word). Righteousness is the flip side of the same coin; it is where God's word is. Testing from trials spurs us into becoming 'word people' from the inside out (like refined gold) not from the outside in]

proof = do-ke'-me-on = that by which something is tried or proved, a test

 

Led through trials for greater heavenly glory

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 How Faith Works
 (the flourishing seed of faith)

 

VERSE 8-9    (8)and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9)obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

 

"and though you have not seen Him, you love Him" Growth of the seed progresses from new spiritual life to the fruit of love. Our love for the Lord is shown in our love for the brethren ("If you love me, feed my sheep")	The Believing Heart of Love	and love one another, just as He commanded us 1John 3:23b [Upon obeying the gospel we then find ourselves loving the brethren] and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 1John 5:2 [Love will be evident in those who have been born of the seed of salvation (also known as 'the gospel') because that seed remains in us and bears the fruit of love]
"and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him" The seed germinates with the life of the Spirit as the gospel is received by faith. 'Saving faith' continues to operate with the seed thereby producing fruit.	The Believing Heart of Life	This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ 1John 3:23a Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1John 5:1 John is describing the new birth that follows the receiving of God's word (i.e. the gospel) by faith
"you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible" We receive the joy of the Lord as we are obedient to his commandment to love His body. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. 1Cor 10:16-17 [As believers, our lives are to reflect what is symbolically portrayed during communion---that we as one share the body of Christ--therefore we are to love one another] inexpressible = ä-ne-klä'-la-tos = not able to be spoken of, or told about, indescribable joy.  Used only here in the NT. Peter is saying the joy of a believer---God in us resulting from faith and love---is something the world cannot relate to.	The Believing Heart Filled with the Joy of the Lord	"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." Jn 15:10-12  [The joy of the believer is the joy of the Lord that flows through us when we abide where he is---in the word of the Father] "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves"  John 17:13 ["Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus"]
"and full of glory" God's glory in us is three fold; 1) Past: God's glory of defeating death when we are born again 2) Present: we are receiving God's glory of growth "from one stage of glory to the next", 3) Future: we will reflect God's glory in heaven at the fullness of our salvation.   And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory  Rom. 9:23 [Believers are vessels of God's glory as we show forth his goodness, grace, love, power, holiness, wisdom ,mercy and faithfulness]	The Heart that Glorifies the Lord	But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2Cor. 3:18 [As we grow in the word of God, we are growing in Christ-likeness and therefore filled with ever more glory] Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Thess 2:14 [We are vessels through which the glory of Christ is to be revealed---like fruit bearing branches of a vine] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Rom 8:18 [Trials on earth are for the working of a greater glory of Christ in us when we reach heaven]
"obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls" The seed of God's word we have received by faith on earth, and that God caused to grow in the likeness of Jesus, will reach fruition in heaven outcome = te'-los = the end , the last in any succession or series, the end to which all things relate, the aim, fullness	Our Collective Hearts in Heaven (click for big picture)	Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Rev.22:1-2 [The Water of Life is the word of life. The trees are believers who have sprouted from the seed of the word of Jesus, the Tree of Life, and in heaven will continuously yield fruit by the word of God] For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? ...For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Rom 8:18,25 [The new life of a believer begins by reaching out in faith for a salvation we cannot see and continues as we reach out for a hope we cannot see]

 

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Servers of Seed

 

VERSE 10-12   (10)As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that {would come} to you made careful searches and inquiries, (11)seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. (12)It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look.

 

Old Testament Prophets
"As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you...It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you,"
Old Testament prophets served New Testament believers by first providing prophetic confirmation to compliment the news of Christ's work at Calvary (e.g. 1Cor.15:2-4) . To expand the 'seed' analogy, these Old Testament words of the prophets were like fertilizer covering for the seed of the gospel, or 'seed boosters'. They weren't

Second, the stories recorded in the Old Testament served to add instruction to the word that we daily abide in as believers on the Way. This is Old Testament water which helps the seed to flourish after the life is received, or 'water boosters'.

Seed of Salvation
Peter draws on Old Testament prophecies in order that Christ's death and resurrection might receive added traction the hearts and minds of unbelievers during his preaching on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22-35)

Water of Salvation
In 1Corinthians 10, Paul cites several examples in the Old Testament to instruct believers as to God's consistent attitude toward sin, lest we think that His views of idolatry had changed. (1Corinthians 10:1-14)

 

New Testament Evangelists
"in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you"
The Apostles preached the words given to them by Jesus which were consistent with and complimented by the Old Testament prophets.

Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 1John 2:7-8

 

The Holy Spirit
"made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow"..."by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven"
Peter connects the message inspiring work of the Holy Spirit, in both the Old and New Testament, with Jesus.

At the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was sent to the Apostles and other believers by Jesus and through Jesus. Therefore, having been so filled by the Spirit [of Jesus], it would be fitting for them to look back in time through the scriptures and see the work of the Spirit through the prophets as the work of the "Spirit of Christ", for that is what the Spirit to them had become. Also, as the member of God depicted as a nameless servant, it would be fitting for it to be referred to as the Spirit of Christ (the 'Builder') or as the Spirit of God (the Father----the 'Architect')

So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:21-22 [There is no evidence that the Disciples actually received the Holy Spirit at this time. Rather, this is to be seen as Jesus giving his disciples an prophetic 'object lesson'  of how they were to receive the Holy Spirit a few weeks later---that is sent by Jesus and sent through Jesus. This is important because when the Holy Spirit finally filled the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost with the sound of wind, their thoughts would have been that of being filled with Jesus---the "Spirit of Jesus"]

 

Angels
"things into which angels long to look"
Ironically, those whose name means "messenger" (aggelos) have not been given the work of directly proclaiming God's new covenant message at the present time, but one day they will be.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Rev 14:6

The angels are in the same boat as the Old Testament prophets, both longing to understand the depths of the message of salvation. These deep things of God's word are revealed by the indwelling Spirit to the Body of Christ  (1Cor. 2:11-12)

In the meantime, the angels are given other work to do in the lives of the redeemed (Heb. 1:14, Acts 12:7-11) while they await further work in connection with God's judgment of the world (Matt. 24:31, Rev. 8:2-9:15)

 

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Battle Ready Believer

 

VERSE 13 (13)Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober {in spirit,} fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This passage along with 1Peter 4:7 and 1Peter 5:8 are three parts of Peter's explicit exhortation to a battle ready mind against our spiritual enemies whose aim is to cause us to sin.

The Girding
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action"
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind" (KJV)

Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH eph.6:14 [we are to feed on God's word daily as the Israelites daily gathered up and fed on manna in the wilderness. This is like soaking up God's light in a surrounding darkness that would otherwise engulf us]

 

The Effective Attitude of a Girded Mind
"keep sober in spirit"
Having diligently partaken in God's word, we must have the attitude of vigilance, just as a football player once his body is prepared must add to that a focused and competitive spirit or all the preparation is for naught.

A sober spirit is effective only if one has been prepared.  The two must be inseparable in order to battle darkness.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1Pet.5:8

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of {the} day, let us be sober,   1Thes.5:4-8

 

The Helmet
'fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ"
The enemy seeks to invade our mind with words that entice our hearts to walk in the wilderness of sin. Therefore, we are to counter that by fixing our mind on God's word as it relates to the One we are following and the inheritance of our destination. The arrows of evil cannot penetrate a mind so occupied by truth.

having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 1Thes. 5:8

And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph.6:17

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1Jn.3:2-3 [John, Paul and Peter all saw the practical "holiness benefit" of having our mind occupied by the hope of our salvation---the destination of the road we're on]

 

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 A Helmet for the Girded Walk

VERSE 14-21  (14)As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts {which were yours} in your ignorance, (15)but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all {your} behavior; (16)because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." (17)If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay {on earth;} (18)knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, (19)but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, {the blood} of Christ. (20)For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you (21)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.

 

Consider Our Spiritual Rebirth from Above
"As obedient children"


No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 1John 3:9-10

The Father's likeness is carried in his seed

 

Consider Our Former Bondage to the Flesh and Satan's Lies
"do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance"
"Ignorance" means the lack of knowledge and understanding of the truth. Believers are to walk in the truth that they have received by faith---believing in the Savior, Jesus Christ, who the Father sent to die in our guilty place on Calvary's cross.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Eph 2:1-3  [The unconverted are spiritually dead---walking in ignorance through the enticement of their flesh by the ways of the world. As children of God, born by His word and Spirit, we remain in the flesh with all its temptations, but we now live in newness of life with circumcised hearts]

Consider we are free indeed

 

Consider the Traits of Our Heavenly Father and Christ in Whom We Have Been Reborn
"but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY"
 Believers are to show the traits of our heavenly Father which are summed as holiness and love.

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Mat.5:43-48 [being "perfect" in this passage refers to the Father's perfect love. Holiness (i.e. not falling into sin) and righteousness (summed up as love) are two sides of the same coin. Holiness is the elimination of the negative while righteousness is an accentuation of the positive. We first must stand in holiness (i.e. not fall into sin) before we can walk effectively in love.  Click here to see how holiness relates to righteousness]

 

Consider The Father's Judgment


"If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work"
Unlike earthly fathers, our heavenly Father will not show favoritism in judging His children. The Greek word for "judges" is in the present tense, meaning God's judgment of believers is ongoing as we walk through this world as branches being pruned by the Vine Dresser, and continues to the Judgment Seat of Christ where believers will receive rewards for a faithful service, or lack of rewards for wasted opportunity.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Eph.2:10

God works to re-create workers

1) Sinners are washed by Christ's blood and baptized into Christ by means of the Holy Spirit

2) As we are filled with the Holy Spirit at our 'rebirth', we are given gifts of the Spirit for service

3) With these gifts, we serve Christ by serving others born of God...thereby making each other brighter lights in the world

 

"conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth"


1. Because of earthly chastisement
 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Heb. 12:9-11

2. Because of heavenly judgment
For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ...Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men... 2 Cor 4:5-6, 5:9-11 [The Father has given all judgment to the Son, but the standard of judgment is the word that proceeds from the Father. As such, both Father and Son are involved in the Great White Throne judgment of unbelievers and the Bema Judgment (the Judgment seat of Christ). Believers will be judged on how the Father 's word was reflected in our works while on the earth]

 

Consider The Father's Cost


"knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold"


By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 1John 4:9

 

Consider the Emptiness of Life Outside of Christ

"from your futile way of life"

The Ways of Futility

The Way	The Futility
The accomplishments of the world	I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. Ecc 1:14
Pleasure	I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility. Ecc 2:1
Possessions	All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. Ecc 2:10-11
The wisdom of the world	And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain....The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?" So I said to myself, "This too is vanity." Ecc 1:17-18, 2:14-15
Wealth	He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.  Ecc. 5:10
Placing hope in earthly leaders	There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. Ecc. 4:16

But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. Ecc 12:12-14 

 

Consider fallen man's inheritance from earthly forefathers

"inherited from your forefathers"


For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.... so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom.5:19,21

Fallen man walks according to perishing ways handed down from earthly fathers

 

Consider the Son's cost

"but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ"

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

 

Consider the Father's plan


"For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world"
As seen in 1Peter 1:2 foreknowledge indicates the predetermined accomplishment of the Father's plan; In this verse we see that the plan was in effect before the world began. Its accomplishment will be gloriously displayed in eternity even as the world is dissolved at the end of time.

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24

 

"but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God"

 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Gal. 4:4-7 [Father's plan =

 

"who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God"


"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Col. 1:12-14

Christ is the evacuation route from a cursed and perishing world

 

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 Thy Word Returns to Thee in Praise

 

Verse 22 - 25 (22)Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from a pure heart, (23)for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, {that is,} through the living and enduring word of God. (24)For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, (25)BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.

 

"Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls"
Sinners obey the truth by receiving the gospel seed; thereby receiving the cleansing of their hearts by the blood of Jesus.The only obedience required of God in order to receive forgiveness of sin is to believe on Jesus.

Obey the Truth!

"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." [This crowd following Jesus wanted more bread that Jesus had previously produced by a miracle. Bread is a symbol of God's word. Jesus told the crowd that they could be satisfied by the bread of God that never perishes if they would obey God's command to simply believe the gospel]John 6:27-29

The truth of the gospel is the key to God's kingdom

 

Purify Your Souls!

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb 9:11-14

Have your sins forever washed away

 

"for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from a pure heart"
Obedience to the gospel not only washes away sins, but ushers in new life that is evidenced by a love that grows---starting out as like baby's affection for its family, and then stretching out to mature love as Peter describes later in 1Peter 3:8 and 4:8. This growth of love can only occur in a heart that is dwelling in Christ (John 15:5,10).

A Baby's love for  its Family

but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!". The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God Rom 8:15-16

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 1John 3:14

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 1 John 5:1

Born again with a baby's love

 

Mature Love

if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1John 4:12 [The love that matures in us, or is becoming perfected in us, is God's love...not our own private reservoir of love]

...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; {and} that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Eph 3:17-19  [God's love in us embraces all---a love that stretches out]

Love stretches out to reach out to others

 

Pure Heart


Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Simon Peter *said to Him, "Lord, {then wash} not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all {of you.}" For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean." John 13:8-11 [Believers only need the cleansing blood bath once, that occurs when we receive the gospel by faith. After that we need on going washing of our feet (our walk) with God's word to clean the dust that accumulates daily from our walk in a fallen world]

The walk of love in a pure heart

 

"And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." Matt.13:23

The fruit of love needs good soil

 

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1Tim. 1:5

Likewise [must] the deacons [be] grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 1Tim. 3:8-9

Conscience is the heart's sin sensor

 

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9

A pure heart confesses sin when the sin sensor sounds off

 

Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2Tim 2:22

Tips for a pure heart
1) Meditating on God's word
2) Confession
3) Employing the full armor of God
4) Considering ourselves dead to sin
5) Bearing each others weaknesses through prayer and utilizing our gifts.
6) Sweeping leaven of false doctrine and the leaven of sin from the local church.

 

"for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, {that is,} through the living and enduring word of God"
Because of sin, man fell to a place of fading away and perishing. But now, mans spirit can be lifted up in the everlasting resurrection life of Christ if he will repent from his sins in the perishing world and receive the gospel.

God's word is His seed that sprouts and forever flourishes in us

 

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother 1John 3:7-10 [God's word is like a seed. The life of God's seed will be reflected in a believers walk of the heart and mind. God's word is righteous and holy. If and when we sin, it is despite God's seed in us, not because God's word in any way condones, excuses or trivializes sin.  Sin arises in us from the lust of our flesh in combination with the enticements of the perishing world currently controlled by Satan. Therefore, when sin has a hold on us, we must confess it and turn our hearts away from it as we keep God's word and trusting our Lord to 'crucify the flesh']

God's word  is His seed that abides in us--- producing holiness and love

 

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures...Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls...But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:18, 21, 25 [Make sure the faith we profess is the a faith that is engrafted into our hearts. We know the word is engrafted in us when the works of the flesh decrease and the love of Jesus increases]

God's word is His seed that is engrafted in us---producing holiness and love

 

For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.

Called to be strangers in a perishing world

 

God's word curses the ground and the flesh of man because of sin

"Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return." Gen 3:17-19

A voice says, "Call out." Then he answered, "What shall I call out?" All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8

 

God's word restores life,  joy and peace

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:10-12

 

The Gospel is our escape from the perishing world to life, joy and peace  is in Christ

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." ... "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves"..."They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." John 16:33, 17:13, 16-17 [God's word spoken by Christ provides an escape from the perishing world, where man is eternally trapped in death because of his sins, to a place of eternal life, joy and peace in Christ, where we are strangers in a perishing world]