(GRACE IN SERVICE (ACTION) - Day 5 of 7)
Therefore, gird 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.
1 Peter 1:13
When a verse starts with “Therefore” you have to read the preceding verses to establish the foundation of thought. “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry… 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.” (1Peter 1:10-12) “Therefore…”
“Gird your minds for action” - Those who “preached the gospel” were announcing a message of “salvation” through the prophesied “grace” found in the Messiah - the Christ. This gospel of grace and salvation is not a philosophy of apathy but of action! We must resolve in our minds to move forward in faith.
“Keep sober in spirit” - The gospel of grace is a gospel of sobriety. The mind must remain clear and able to focus, free of the hindrances of immorality that entangle it. To be sober in spirit is not an accident but is intentional. Those who have faith in the gospel want their mind clear and able to act in accord with the will of God. They do not need to escape from the pains of the world. They have already done that through the gospel of grace!
“Fix your hope completely” - A singular all-inclusive focus upon the grace to be brought to us in the end. Do not fix your hope on wealth, riches, fame, or flesh. Fix your hope completely on the grace revealed to you in the gospel AND revealed to you on the day of Christ’s return. For the Christian to not stray, we must not lose focus of what only lies ahead in the promises of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Fix your hope on the completely unchangeable ageless grace in Christ Jesus.
The following verses, as well as the rest of the letter, go on to show us what it looks like when the Christian girds their mind, sobers their spirit, and fixes their hope as the Lord directs here. It manifests in our daily holiness and in every relationship in our life and keeps us persevering through all temptation and trial, knowing that our victory is in Christ and His gospel of grace.
Fix your hope completely on the grace in Christ Jesus!
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